Subject Verb Agreement – Rules and Examples

Subject Verb Agreement

A verb is used in accordance with the number and person of the subject.

1. Singular subject singular verb.

• Mr. Kalikumar Tarkalankar was the new Geography teacher.
• Mary does not like herself.
• The credit goes to these champion players.

Plural subject plural verb

• Are we connected to nature in real sense?
• The houses are not environment friendly.

When subject consists of two or more nouns/pronouns connected by ‘and’, plural form of the verb(are, were, do,have) is used.
But if the nouns suggest one idea or person, singular form of the verb(is, was,does, has) is used.

• He and his wife are very arrogant.
• You, he and I are invited for the party.
• Tom and Mary don’t like each other.
• Time and tide waits for none.(‘Time and tide’ suggests one idea.)

• Mango and orange are juicy fruits.

Some nouns singular in form but plural in number take a plural verb.Some nouns plural in form but singular in number take a singular verb

• The people are gathered together.
• The cattle were grazing.

When two subjects(nouns) are connected by ‘as well as’,’with’,’together with’, ‘in addition to’, ‘no less than’ etc, the verb should be used according to the first subject.

• The teacher as well as the students is reading.
• The students as well as the teacher are reading.
• The boy with his parents has arrived.
• The parents with the boy have arrived.

When two subjects(nouns) are connected by ‘Either….or’,Neither ….nor’, the verb should be used according to the subject close to it.

• Either my sister or I am to do this work.
• Neither he nor they are ready to go.

Subject Verb Agreement :When two subjects(nouns) are connected by ‘not only……but also’,’or’ the verb should be used according to the second subject.

• Not only the teacher but also the students are laughing.
• Not only the students but also the principal was present.
Online Test on Subject Verb Agreement

Solve the following offline test and practice the subject verb agreement. 1.         The train had arrived on the platform when I ………….. the station.   (1 point)              ⚪ has reached    ⚪ reached        ⚪ was reached      ⚪ had reached   2.         He always……… late.   (1 point)             ⚪ arrive             ⚪ arrives             ⚪  arrived             ⚪ arriving   3.         A skylab …….. across the sky for 15 years.     (1 point)             ⚪ was traveling    ⚪ has been traveling     ⚪ has travelled   ⚪had been traveling   4.         She …….a rangoli to welcome the guests recently.     (1 point)             ⚪ draws             ⚪ has been drawing        ⚪ drew             ⚪ has drawn   5.         Not only the students but also the teacher……. cricket.          (1 point)             ⚪ is playing       ⚪ are playing      ⚪ have been playing      ⚪ play   6.         The teacher as well as students ……. cricket.  (1 point)             ⚪ is playing        ⚪ are playing       ⚪ have been playing        ⚪ play   7.         Sachin Tendulkar …….. cricket for two decades.       (1 point)             ⚪ played       ⚪ has been playing        ⚪ has played         ⚪ was playing   8.         There ….. tigers in the bush.    (1 point)             ⚪ are             ⚪ is             ⚪ was             ⚪ has been   9.         Unless you ….. helmet while riding a bike , you are not safe. (1 point)             ⚪ wear             ⚪ wore             ⚪ worn         ⚪ weared   10.       The train …… the platform when I reached the station.          (1 point)             ⚪ has left             ⚪ left             ⚪ has been leaving             ⚪ had left   11.       India…….. freedom in 1947.   (1 point)             ⚪ get             ⚪ has got             ⚪ got             ⚪ getting   12.       I ……. a newspaper when the phone rang.      (1 point)             ⚪ had read        ⚪ am reading             ⚪ read             ⚪ was reading   13.       He  …… newspaper everyday. (1 point)             ⚪ reads             ⚪ read             ⚪ is reading             ⚪ was reading   14.       A thief ……… on Friday.         (1 point)             ⚪ was arrested     ⚪ has arrested      ⚪ was being arrested   ⚪ arresting   15.       Nana Patole ……… BJP yesterday.      (1 point)             ⚪ quits             ⚪ quit             ⚪ quitted             ⚪ quitting   Types of Verbs

Sentence Pattern