2. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
Although often overlooked, problems with Subject-
Verb Agreement are REAL!
To help avoid these errors, we will discuss:
How to make Subjects and Verbs agree in number,
What to do with tricky subjects like Each and Every,
What to do with compound subjects
3. RECOGNIZING SUBJECTS AND VERBS
A complete sentence must have a SUBJECT and a
VERB.
The subject is the who or what that performs the
action.
The verb is the action word.
4. SPOT THE SUBJECT AND VERB
The players on our side are strong.
Players is the subject and are is the verb.
Once you’ve identified the Subject and the Verb,
you have to make sure they agree in Number.
Singular subjects require singular verbs and plural
subjects require plural verbs.
5. WHAT NEXT?
An easy way to make your subjects and verbs
agree is to think about the S.
Usually, plural nouns end with the letter S and
singular nouns do not.
Verbs are the opposite:
For the most part, singular verbs end with the letter
S and plural verbs do not.
6. SINGULAR AND PLURAL FORMS OF VERBS
When the subject is in the third person, the verb will take
either the singular form (with an –s ending) or the plural
form, depending on whether the subject is singular or
plural.
i.e.
The book is difficult to read.
The Books are difficult to read.
When the verb is in the past form there is no need for
agreement between the subject and the verb. There is
only one past tense form which can be used both in the
singular and plural subjects
i.e.
Those boys went home last night.
The boy went home last night.
7. SINGULAR AND PLURAL FORMS OF VERBS
The only exception is in the ‘be’ verb which has
different singular and plural forms in the past tense.
i.e.
Those girls were happy.
The boy was happy.
Modals have the same form when used either with
the singular and plural form.
i.e.
The boys can go home.
The girl can go home.
8. SINGULAR AND PLURAL SUBJECTS
Tow or more nouns joined by ‘and’ take a plural
form
i.e.
Ram and Hari are friends.
Oil and Water do not mix.
But when the two nouns are used as a single thing,
a singular verb is used
i.e.
Bread and butter is all we eat for breakfast.
9. SINGULAR AND PLURAL SUBJECTS
A phrase of measurement, thought as a single unit,
takes a singular verb
i.e.
Fifty rupees is not a big amount.
Sixty feet is too far for long jump.
When titles and names refer to one thing, we use a
singular verb.
i.e.
Sons and Lovers is a novel by D H Lawrence.
Khan and brothers is a reputed company.
10. SINGULAR AND PLURAL SUBJECTS
When two phrases are joined by either…or, the
verb usually agrees with the nearest phrase.
i.e.
Either the boy or the girls are students.
Either the boys or the girl is a student.
When the subject is a noun phrase with as well as
and with, the verb agrees with the first noun.
i.e.
His brother as well as his two sisters is working.
The girls, together with their friend, are working.
11. SINGULAR AND PLURAL SUBJECTS
After not only…but also, the verb agrees with the
nearest phrase.
i.e.
Not only Radha but also her friends were playing.
Not only her friends but also Lata was playing.
A clause used as a the subject takes a singular
verb
i.e.
Flying kites on holidays is my hobby.
12. ONE OF, A NUMBER OF, EVERY ETC.
A singular verb is used after a subject with one of.
i.e.
One of the cows is missing.
We use a plural verb when a plural noun follows
number of, majority of or a lot of.
i.e.
A large number of workers are on strike.
Majority of houses are broken.
A lot of people have lost their homes.
13. AMOUNT AND NUMBER
When the word number means figure. It agrees with
the verb.
i.e.
The number of accidents on the road is increasing
day by day.
Amount agrees with the verb.
i.e.
A large amount of money is required for the
surgery.
Large amounts of money are required for the
surgery.
14. EVERY, EACH, ALL AND SOME
The subjects take a singular verb if it is used with
every and each
i.e.
Every lesson is important.
Each class is important.
Everyone is allowed to enter the class.
Some and all used with a plural noun or each
following a plural noun take a plural verb.
i.e.
All books are misprinted.
Some books are good.
The boys have to buy a book each.
15. INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
The following common Indefinite Pronouns usually
take singular verbs:
Another each everything nothing anybody
either neither somebody anyone every
nobody someone anything everyone no
one something
16. EITHER OF/NEITHER OF/ NONE OF/ AND THERE
We can use either a singular or a plural verb after
either of/neither of/ none of/ any of used with plural
nouns.
i.e.
None of the teachers is/are strict.
Neither of them is/are guilty.
In sentences beginning with there the agrees with
the noun that follows it.
i.e.
There is a book on the table.
There are books on the table.
17. NOUNS WITH ONLY PLURAL FORM
Some nouns are found only in their plural form with
an –s ending). They are followed by plural verbs,
shown below.
i.e.
These clothes are made of synthetic material.
His remains lie in the churchyard.
The following nouns belong to this category-
Goods, belongings, congratulations, earrings, odds
(probability), outskirts, particulars (details),
premises (building), riches, surroundings, thanks,
troops, tropics.
18. NOUNS WITH SPECIAL AND ORDINARY
MEANING
Some of these nouns have a special meaning as
well as an ordinary meaning. It is the word with –s
ending that takes a special meaning. These are
always used with a the plural form of the verb.
Customs (tax) Custom (something that we do always)
Arms (weapons) Arm (a part of the Body)
Manners (polite behavior) Manner (way)
Damages (Money paid as Compensation) Damage (Harm)
Pains (Care) Pain
19. NOUNS WITH –S ENDING
Names of the subjects taught in universities generally
take an –s ending, but are used with the singular verbs.
i.e.
Physics is an interesting subject.
Mathematics is a difficult subject.
Statistics, politics, economics etc.
some nouns used to refer to games and sports also
take an –s ending, but are used with singular verbs.
Athletics, gymnastics, billiards, darts, dominoes, draughts,
The name of some ailments take –s ending and are
used in singular verb.
measles, mumps, shingles.
20. PAIR NOUNS
Pair Nouns are followed by Plural verbs
i.e.
Where are my scissors?
Where are my glasses?
binoculars, spectacles, trousers, pants, shorts,
jeans, pyjamas, pincers, scales (for weighing),
tweezers.
21. GROUP / COLLECTIVE NOUNS
These nouns can be used with either with singular
or with plural verbs.
i.e.
The Family is/are in a cheerful mood.
A Singular verb is used if we think of the group as a
single unit (as a whole) and a plural verb is used if
we think of the group as made up separate
individuals we use a plural verb.
Army, association, audience, team, committee,
government, crowd, board, choir, police, class, club
etc.
22. GROUP NOUNS
Words which have a plural meaning take a plural
verb.
i.e.
The people here are very lazy.
The police are beating the thief black and
blue
Police, people, livestock(farm animals), Cattle
(cows), Poultry (cows)
23. AGREEMENT BETWEEN A PRONOUN AND ITS
ANTECEDENT NOUN
In addition to subject verb agreement, there is also
number agreement between pronouns and their
antecedent nouns. The noun to which a pronoun
refers is called its antecedent.
The boy loves his brother.
The girl loves her brother.
All children love their parents.
Gender agreement is necessary only when the
subject is singular like ‘boy’ with ‘his’ and ‘girl’ with
‘her’. When the subject is plural it takes the plural
pronoun as ‘children’ with ‘their’.
24. NEUTRAL NOUN
Gender agreement is necessary only when the
subject is singular and when the subject is plural it
takes the plural pronoun which is neutral in gender.
A teacher loves her/his student
A reader should not move his/her head while
reading.
A doctor treats his/her patients equally.
A lawyer helps his/her clients.
Teachers teach their students.
Doctors treat their patients.
25. PRACTICE
Identify the wrong sentences and correct them.
1. One of the pupils in our class own a laptop.
2. The tallest of the three girls lives next door.
3. Ten grams are the smallest quantity they sell.
4. Some people dislike travelling by sea, as it make them
sea-sick.
5. Most things cost more than they did five years ago.
6. There is no trees in the village.
7. There is more damage done to the crops.
8. Bad news travel fast.
9. A lot of time have been wasted
10. These scissors need sharpening.
26. ANSWER
1. One of the pupils in our class owns a laptop.
2. The tallest of the three girls lives next door. Correct
3. Ten grams is the smallest quantity they sell.
4. Some people dislike travelling by sea, as it makes
them sea-sick.
5. Most things cost more than they did five years ago.
Correct
6. There are no trees in the village.
7. There is more damage done to the crops. Correct
8. Bad news travels fast.
9. A lot of time has been wasted
10. These scissors need sharpening. Correct
