Have you ever heard of the term subject-verb agreement? This is your chance to discover what subject-verb agreement is, what is meant by “concord,” and the guidelines that will assist you in comprehending how it functions.
In this article, we’ll understand the rules of subject-verb agreement, examples, Advanced Subject-Verb Agreement Rules, and exercises that help you understand and apply this important grammar rule. Here you will find a valuable resource for understanding and mastering subject-verb agreement. Whether you’re preparing for an important exam or simply want to improve your communication skills.
Subject Verb Agreement
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Subject-verb agreement, also known as “subject-verb concord” is an important grammatical rule. It implies that the verb or verbs in a sentence must match the number, person, and gender of the subject. Basically, the subject and verbs in a sentence must both agree on the number, whether it be singular or plural. A singular subject (he, Ram, train, etc.) requires a singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a plural subject requires a plural verb, according to the subject-verb agreement rule.
| Singular Subject | Singular Verbs | Plural Subject | Plural Verbs |
| I | am/ was/ have/ go/ read | We | are/ were/have/go/read |
| You | are/ were /have /go/read | You | are/ were/have/go/read |
| He/ She/ It | is/was /has/goes/ reads | They | are/ were/have/go/read |
While using the present tenses , the idea of subject-verb agreement is most important. It doesn’t matter which verb is used in the sentence’s subject in the simple past or simple future tenses. Writing error-free sentences is made easier when you are aware of and adhere to the norms of subject-verb agreement. To understand the application of each rule, read through the following guidelines and the accompanying examples.
The first rule is the use of a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural subject, which we have already covered. Nouns, pronouns , and even noun phrases can be the subject of a sentence. If the word is a pronoun, the subject-verb agreement is determined by referring to the pronoun’s person.
For example:
When using the ‘be’ form of verbs, there is an exception. In this case, the verb is used according to the number and person of the subject. Check out the following table to see how it works with different pronouns.
| Person | Pronoun | Verb | Example |
| First person singular | I | am | I am confident. |
| First person plural | We | are | We are confident. |
| Second person singular/plural | You | are | You are confident. |
| Third person singular | He | is | He is confident. |
| She | is | She is confident. | |
| It | is | It is amazing. | |
| Third person plural | They | are | They are confident. |
Moreover, the rule holds true when the word is employed with other nouns and noun phrases. When verbs in the ‘be’ form are used as the main verb or supporting verb, the same holds true for simple past, present continuous, and past continuous tenses. For clarification, consider the following instances.
Example:
Note: However, if the pronoun “each” is used with both nouns connected by the conjunction “and,” it refers to the two subjects separately, therefore the verb will be singular. (e.g. Every boy and every girl was given a bar of chocolate, a biscuit, and two bananas).
The subject also affects how “have” and “has” are used as primary verbs, in the present perfect continuous tense, and in other contexts. “Has” is used by all singular subjects and by all plural subjects.
For example :
When compound subjects are united with the conjunction “and,” a plural verb is taken.
For example:
When more than one noun is joined by the conjunction ‘or’, the subject is considered to be singular and a singular verb is used.
For example:
Sentences with pronouns such as anybody, anyone, no one, somebody, someone, everybody, everyone, nothing and nobody are treated as singular subjects and will therefore use a singular verb.
For example:
For sentences using ‘either..or’ and ‘neither..nor’, the verb should agree with the noun or pronoun that comes just before it.
For example:
When sentences have subjects like police, news, scissors, mathematics, etc. (nouns that are plural by default), the verb used should be plural.
For example:
When a negative sentence is written, the ‘do’ verb is used and it has to match the subject.
For example:
Interrogative sentences also take the help of the ‘do’ verb. As far as the subject-verb agreement of interrogative sentences is concerned, the first verb (‘be’ verb or ‘do’ verb) has to be aligned with the subject of the sentence.
For example:
When you have sentences that begin with ‘here’, ‘there’, ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘those’, ‘these’, etc., always remember that the subject follows the verb and therefore the verb has to be conjugated with reference to the subject.
For example:
Abstract nouns and uncountable nouns are considered as singular subjects, so make sure you use a singular verb along with it.
For example:
When the subject refers to a period of time, distance or a sum of money, use a singular verb.
For example:
The next rule is based on the use of collective nouns as subjects. Remember that when you have a collective noun as the subject of the sentence, the verb can be singular or plural based on the sentence and the context.
For example:
In sentences that have adjectives such as ‘all’, ‘a lot of’, ‘lots of’ or ‘some’ are used along with nouns to form a phrase that acts as the subject of the sentence, the verb is used according to the noun just before it.
For example:
When a sentence begins with ‘each’ or ‘every’ as the subject, it is considered singular and so the verb has to be singular too.
For example:
When you are using a sentence to express a wish or a sentence expressing a request, verbs are used a little differently from other sentences.
For example:
1. If the SUBJECT is singular, add ‘s’ to the verb.
Eg., The horse walks down the street.
2. If the SUBJECT is plural, don’t add ‘s’ to the verb.
Eg., The horses walk down the street.
3. If the SUBJECT is I or You, do not add ‘s’ to the verb.
Eg., I ride the bicycle.
You ride the bicycle.
4. Linking Verbs:
Singular Subject- was, has, is, does, am
Plural Subject- were, have, are, do
1. The amenities of the farmhouse ____ quite impressive. (is/are)
2. Man and woman _____ complementary to each other. (is/are)
3. The leader as well as his supporters _____ to the same tribe. (belong/belongs)
4. The students accompanied by their professor _____ went on a trip. (has/have)
5. A large sum of money _____ stolen. (was/were)
6. A lot of buildings _____ collapsed in the storm. (has/have)
7. The government ____ criticised by the High Court for their actions. (was/were)
8. Many people _____ tried hard to climb the treacherous mountain range. (have/has)
9. All the tourists ____ excited to visit the museum. (is/are)
10. Somebody ____ waiting at the restaurant for you. (is/are)
11. The carpenter, along with his helper ____, expected to come soon. (is/are)
12. Neither Danny nor Emily ____ went to work. (has/have)
1. The amenities of the farmhouse are quite impressive.
2. Man and woman are complementary to each other.
3. The leader as well as his supporters belongs to the same tribe.
4. The students accompanied by their professor have gone on a trip.
5. A large sum of money was stolen.
6. A lot of buildings have collapsed in the storm.
7. The government was criticized by the High Court for its actions.
8. Many people has tried hard to climb the treacherous mountain range.
9. All the tourists were excited to visit the museum.
10. Somebody is waiting at the restaurant for you.
11. The carpenter, along with his helper is , expected to come soon.
12. Neither Danny nor Emily has gone to work.
A. The chairperson or the secretary are speaking today.
The chairperson or the secretary is speaking today.
B. Either George or Messi pays the workers this evening.
Either George or Messi pay the workers this evening.
C. Some of the almonds is salted.
Some of the almonds are salted.
D. Mahi, as well as Jade, speaks French Sign Language.
Mahi, as well as Jade, speak French Sign Language.
E. Physics are a required subject for a college degree..
Physics is a required subject for a college degree.
F. Each of the champions receive a trophy.
Each of the champions receives a trophy.
G. Neither my bike nor my car is working.
Neither my bike nor my car are working.
Subject-Verb agreement is basically a rule in grammar, according to which the verbs in a sentence must match the number, person, and gender of the subject.
(a) She goes for a walk daily in the morning. (b) You were responsible for this assignment.
All the basic rules in Subject-Verb Agreement is mentioned above in this article.
