1. Subject-Verb Agreement
• Subject: A person or a thing by whom / which an
action is done, is called the subject of a sentence.
• Verb: verb is a part of speech, which is used to
express an action or a state of being.
• Priya is watching a movie.
2. Subject –Verb Agreement
• To use a subject according to the usage of a
verb in a sentence is called subject-verb
agreement. (it means an agreement
between verb and the subject).
• If subject is singular in a sentence, verb will
also be singular, and if subject is plural, verb
will also be plural. It is also called syntax.
3. Subject (singular) +verb (singular)
Subject (plural) + verb (plural)
(subject verb agreement)
• Rules
• Let us discuss the rules of S.V. Agreement in detail.
4. When two subjects are joined by the conjunction
‘and’ and an article is used only before the first
subject, that subject refers to a single person or a
thing. Therefore, a singular verb is used in such
sentences.
• The Chief Minister and President of the party is
going to Mumbai.
• The director and producer of the film has arrived.
5. When two subjects are joined by conjunction ‘and’ and an article
is used before each subject, they describe two different persons
or things. Therefore, plural helping verb is used in these type of
sentences.
• The musician and the singer have died in a car
accident.
• The poet and the writer have been awarded by the
president.
6. When two nouns or pronouns joined by conjunction ‘and’ refer to
a single person or thing or a collective idea, singular helping
verb is used.
• Caste and creed is a major problem.
• Bread and butter is all that we want.
• Horse and carriage has been standing at the door
for a long time.
• Noun / Pronoun + And + Noun / Pronoun +
Singular H.V. / Main verb
7. When two or more than two ‘subjects’ are joined by conjunction
‘and’, plural helping verb/ main verb is used.
• Monika and Leena is going to the book fair. (Incorrect)
• Monika and Leena are going to the book fair. (Correct)
• Salt and flour is needed for the recipe. (Incorrect)
• Salt and flour are needed for the recipe. ( Correct)
8. Words Noun /
Pronoun
H.V/ M.V. Adjective
Each of , every of , one of, any of,
every one of, either of, neither of
Plural Singular Singular
If the word ‘of’ is used after any pronoun (such as each, every, one, any, everyone, either,
Neither, etc..) In a sentence, then the noun / pronoun will be used in plural form, but the
verb/ adjective will remain in singular form.
9. Example
• One of the boys in our class have won a prize. (Incorrect)
• One of the boys in our class has won a prize (Correct)
• One of the most widely spread bad habit is use of cigarette. I.C
• One of the most widely spread bad habits is use of cigarette. C
• Each of these boys play games. I.C
• Each of these boys plays games. C
10. Key point – Neither and either are used only for two persons or things.
‘None’, ‘one', and ‘any’ are used for more than two persons or things
• Neither of the Pandvas was to be blamed for the battel. I.C.
• None of the Pandvas was to be blamed for the battle. C
• Any of the two roads leads to the park. I.C.
• Either of the two roads leads to the park. C
11. If two subjects are joined by either……or, Neither….nor, not only… but
also, none….but, nor, or ,etc., then verb is used according to its
nearest subject.
• Neither he nor his brother are guilty. I.C
• Neither he nor his brother is guilty. C
• Either you or your brother have broken the glass. I.C
• Either you or your brother has broken the glass. C
• Not only the doctor but also the nurses is very kind to the patients. I.C
• Not only the doctor but also the nurses are very kind to the patients.
Subject+ H.V.( According to the nearest subject)
12. Note: Plural helping or main verb is used with ‘A number of’ and
singular helping or main verb is used with ‘The number of’,
Remember, the noun after a number of and the number of will be
plural, but for uncountable noun quantity or amount word is used
• The number of candidates are absent today. I.C
• The number of candidates is absent today. C
• A large number of books is printed on this topic. I.C
• A large number of books are printed on this topic.
• The large number of books are printed on this topic. I.C
• The large number of books is printed on this topic. C
13. Optative Sentences
• A sentence that expresses a wish , a desire or a
hope is called an optative sentence.
• Singular subject and plural verb is used in optative
sentences.
• Singular subject+ Plural verb
• God bless you!
• Long live the King!
• Heaven bless us!
14. Certain nouns ending with s/es seem plural, but these nouns are
singular in meaning and singular verb is used with them.
• Nouns
• Books= Gulliver’s Travels, Arabian Nights, Three Muskeeteers etc.
• Disease= Rickets, Mumps, Measles etc.
• Sports= Athletics, Billiards, Gymnastics, etc.
• Country= Philippines, Bahamas, Netherlands, The West Indies etc.
• Subjects= Politics, Economics, Statistics, Physics etc.
• Arabians nights are a collection of very interesting episodes of
adventure. I.C.
• Arabians nights is a collection of very interesting episodes of
adventure. C
• Mumps are a serious illness for grown –up people. I.C.
• Mumps is a serious illness for grown –up people. C
15. Letter ‘S’ is used at the end of certain nouns. These nouns seem
to be plural and are also used in plural form. We cannot make
these nouns singular by removing ‘S’
Spectacles, Goggles, Sunglasses, Binoculars, Pajamas, Shorts,
Trousers, Pants, Alarms, Savings, Belongings, Thanks,
Congratulations, Scissors, Surroundings, Fireworks, etc.
Plural Helping Verb
My new trousers are very comfortable.
Pants of his father were cut short by two inch.
His belongings were stolen from the car.
16. If ‘all’ or ‘some’ is used with a countable noun in a sentence, plural
verb is used in that sentence. But if ‘all’ is used with an uncountable
noun, singular verb will be used.
• All, some---- Countable Noun ----- plural helping verb/ main verb
• All, some ---- Uncountable Noun------ Singular helping verb / main
verb
• All the boys has been selected ( I.C.)
• All the boys have been selected (C)
• All the furniture were sent to the market. ( I.C.)
• All the furniture was sent to the market. ( C)
• Some animals is trustworthy. ( I.C.)
• Some animals are trustworthy. ( C)
17. If two nouns are joined by conjunction ‘and’ and both the nouns are
preceded by ‘each’ and ‘every’ respectively, then a singular verb is
used.
• Each man and every woman are guilty. (I.C.)
• Each man and every woman is guilty. ( C )
• Each boy and each girl were given gifts by the
Principal. (I.C)
• Each boy and each girl was given gifts by the
Principal.(C)
18. Some nouns with article ‘the’ such as The French, The English, The
Japanese, The Chinese, etc. , denote the whole race or caste, so,
definite article ‘the’ and plural helping verb are used.
• The Japanese is intelligent. (I.C.)
• The Japanese are intelligent. ( C)
• The English have great sense of humour.
Plural helping verb/ Main verb
19. There are certain adjectives that represent the whole race of
group, when definite article ‘the’ is used with them.
• The rich, The poor, The young, The old , The brave,
The coward, The deaf, The blind, etc.
• The rich are very arrogant.
• The deaf are helpless.
Plural Helping Verb
20. When two singular nouns are joined by a preposition in a sentence,
singular verb is used in that sentence.
• Noun + Preposition + Noun + Singular H.V.
• Letter after Letter, Town after town, Row upon row, Door to door,
etc.
• Village after village were destroyed.(I.C.)
• Village after village was destroyed .( C)
• Ship after ship are heading towards the shore.(I.C)
• Ship after ship is heading towards the shore. (C)
Singular
Helping
Verb
21. A flock of , A bundle of, A bunch of, A galaxy of, A crowd of, A class
of, A batch of, A gang of, A set of, A fleet of, A team of, etc.
• A bunch of keys are missing from my room. (I.C.)
• A bunch of keys is missing from my room. ( C)
• A band of musicians have not arrived yet. ( I.C.)
• A band of musicians has not arrived yet. (C)
Singular helping verb / Main Verb
22. If as though / if / as if / if only/ suppose / I wish / we wish / he
wishes / would that, etc. are given to express imagination /
unfulfilled desire / wish, then the plural verb ‘were’ is used with
subject of any number or person.
• I wish I were a billionaire.
• If I were a bird, I would fly.
• He behaves as though he were the owner of
the house.
