SUBJECT – VERB

AG R E E M E N T
 WHAT IS A ‘SUBJECT’?
❖ A person or a thing that is being considered, shown, or talked about is called a
‘Subject’.

E.g.:
1. The players are playing well.
2. The sun rises from the East.
3. Roger is a very clever student.
4. She dances like a professional.
 WHAT IS A ‘VERB’?
❖ A word or a group of words that is used to indicate that something happens or
exists is called as a ‘Verb’.

E.g.:
1. The players are playing well.
2. The sun rises from the East.
3. Roger is a very clever student.
4. She dances like a professional.
 HOW TO PLACE SUBJECT – VERB
AGREEMENT?
1. Subject and verb must agree in 2. Subordinate clauses do not affect
number: subject – verb agreement:

E.g.: E.g.:
i. The dog growls when he is hungry. i. The dog, who is chewing on my shoe, is
usually very good.
ii. The dogs growl when they are hungry.
ii. The farmers, who sweat for us in the
fields, deserve financial help.
3. Prepositional phrases between the 4. If the sentence starts with ‘here’ or
subject and verb do not affect the ‘there’ the subject will always be
agreement: placed after the verb:

E.g.: E.g.:
i. The colours of the rainbow are i. There is a problem with the balance
beautiful. sheet.
ii. The vase kept on the table is ii. Here are the papers you requested.
beautiful.
5. Subjects don’t always come before 7. The verb is singular if the two subjects
verbs in questions: separated by ‘and’ refer to the same
person, a thing as a whole, or
expresses one idea:
E.g.: E.g.:
i. Where are the pieces of this puzzle? i. Red beans and rice is her forte.
ii. How did you come here alone? ii. Tom and Jerry is my favourite cartoon.

6. If two subjects are joined by ‘and’, 8. For words such as ‘each, ‘every’ , ‘ no’
they typically require a plural verb: coming before the subject, the verb is
E.g.: singular:
i. The cows and the goats are grazing in E.g.:
the field. i. No smoking or drinking is allowed in
ii. Riya and Reena were absent together. this room.
ii. Every mam and woman is required to
check in.
9. If the subjects are both singular and 10. If the subjects are both plural and are
are connected by the words ‘or’, ‘nor’, connected by the words ‘or’, ‘nor’,
‘neither…nor’, ‘either…or’, or ‘not ‘neither…nor’, ‘either…or’, or ‘not
only…but also’, the verb is also only…but also’, the verb is also
singular: plural:

E.g.: E.g.:
i. Either Jenny or James is to blame for i. Not only dogs but also cats are
the accident. available at the animal shelter.
ii. Not only David but also José is coming ii. Neither his family nor his friends were
to the party. aware of where he was
11. If one subject is singular and the other 12. Singular verb will be used while
is plural, and they are connected by stating some measurements, amount of
the words ‘or’, ‘nor’, ‘either…or’, money, distance, or time:
‘neither…nor’, or ‘not only… but also’,
use the verb of the subject which is the
nearest to the verb. E.g.:
i. Three hours is a long waiting period.
E.g.: ii. Two thousand was the salary in the
i. Either the bears or the lion has first month.
escaped from the zoo.
ii. Neither the lion not the bears have
escaped from the zoo.
13. Indefinite pronouns usually take 14. The exceptions of the previous rule
singular verbs: include ‘few’, ‘many’, ‘several’, ‘both’,
‘all’, and ‘some’:
(There are some exceptions)

E.g.:
E.g.:
i. Only a few were able to survive after
i. Everybody wants to be affluent. the floods.
ii. Nobody really cares about the poor. ii. Several students have completed the
iii. Someone has stolen my new watch. project on time.
iii. Many people are still not wearing
masks in public places.
15. A collective noun, such as ‘team’, 16. When gerunds are used as the
‘army’, is usually singular: subject of a sentence, they take the
singular form of verb. However, if they
(rarely, they can be plural) are linked by ‘and’, they take the
plural form:
E.g.:
i. The herd is grazing in the field. E.g.:
ii. A flock of birds was picking grains i. Standing in the middle of the road is
from the ground. a bad idea.
ii. Swimming in the ocean and surfing
are my hobbies.
 EXERCISE
1. Gold and silver ___ precious metals. 10. The committee ___ signed the required
documents.
2. Honour and glory ___ his reward.
11. Gulliver’s Travels ___ an amazing
3. The house, with its content, ___ insured. book.
4. No nook or corner __ left unexplored. 12. The United States ___ a big navy.
5. Our happiness or our sorrow __ 13. The formation of paragraphs ___ very
largely due to our own actions. important.
6. Either he or I __ mistaken. 14. James and Mary ___ best friends.
7. Everyone in the party ___ drunk. 15. Either a dog or a cat ___ been here.
8. The news ___ true.
9. All possible means ___ been tried.