Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is the rule that the verb of a sentence must match its subject in number and person, and it is one of the most regularly tested points of English grammar in the ADRE Grade IV, APSC and Assam Police papers. The principle itself is simple: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. The difficulty lies not in the rule but in finding the real subject of the sentence, because words placed between the subject and the verb often hide it. The method followed in the Master Book approach is to locate the true subject first, set aside every phrase that merely describes it, and only then choose the verb. A candidate who learns to do this in one steady step solves almost every agreement question.
Basic Terms
- Subject: the person or thing that performs the action or is described.
- Verb: the word that shows the action or state.
- Singular and plural: one versus more than one.
- Person: first, second or third.
- Concord: another name for agreement between subject and verb.
- Intervening phrase: words that come between the subject and the verb.
The whole topic rests on one idea: find the subject, ignore the words in between, and make the verb agree with the subject and not with the nearest noun.
The Basic Rule
A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. In the present tense the third person singular verb usually ends in s, as in he plays and the boy plays, while the plural takes the plain form, as in they play and the boys play. The verb to be is irregular and takes is with singular subjects and are with plural subjects.
Words Between Subject and Verb
A phrase placed between the subject and the verb does not change the number of the subject. In the sentence the quality of the mangoes is good, the subject is quality and not mangoes, so the verb is singular. The same care is needed with phrases beginning with with, along with, together with, as well as and in addition to, which do not affect the number of the subject.
Subjects Joined by and
Two subjects joined by and normally take a plural verb, as in Ram and Shyam are friends. But when the two nouns refer to the same person or thing, or form a single idea, the verb is singular, as in bread and butter is my breakfast. When the subjects are regarded as one combined unit, the singular is also used.
Either, Neither, Each and Every
Either, neither, each, every, everyone, somebody and nobody are singular and take a singular verb. The phrase each of and one of is followed by a plural noun but still takes a singular verb, as in one of the boys is absent. These words are tested very often because the plural noun that follows them tempts the candidate to use a plural verb.
Collective Nouns
A collective noun such as team, crowd or committee takes a singular verb when the group acts as one unit, and a plural verb when the members act separately. In the sentence the committee has taken a decision the verb is singular, while the committee are divided in their opinion uses a plural verb because the members differ.
Special Cases
A few subjects deserve special care. Distance, time, money and weight used as a single quantity take a singular verb, as in ten kilometres is a long distance. Nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning, such as news and mathematics, take a singular verb. A phrase beginning with a number and a plural noun, as in a number of students, takes a plural verb, while the number of students takes a singular verb.
How This Topic Appears in the Examination
In ADRE Grade IV, APSC and Assam Police English papers this topic appears as a blank in which the correct form of the verb must be chosen, or as an error detection sentence in which the verb does not agree with its subject. The sentences are designed so that a phrase sits between the subject and the verb, or so that a singular word such as each, every or one of introduces a plural noun.
Shortcut Methods for Quick Answers
Cross out every phrase between the subject and the verb and read the sentence with only the subject and the verb. Decide the number of the subject before looking at the options. Treat each, every, either, neither and one of as singular signals. When two subjects are joined by and, use a plural verb unless the two form one idea.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Making the verb agree with the noun nearest to it instead of with the subject.
- Being misled by a phrase beginning with with or as well as.
- Using a plural verb after each, every, either or neither.
- Forgetting that news and mathematics are singular.
- Confusing a number of with the number of.
How to Prepare This Topic
- Learn the basic singular and plural forms of the common verbs.
- Practise picking out the real subject from a long sentence.
- Revise the singular words each, every, either, neither and one of.
- Work on collective nouns and on subjects joined by and.
- Finish with a mixed set of error detection sentences and read them carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main rule of subject-verb agreement?
A singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb. The verb must agree with the subject and not with any noun that happens to stand near it.
Do phrases like with and as well as change the verb?
No. These phrases do not change the number of the subject. The subject remains the same, so the verb agrees with the subject and not with the noun after the phrase.
Why does one of the boys take a singular verb?
Because the real subject is one and not boys. The phrase of the boys only describes the one, so the verb is singular, as in one of the boys is absent.
When does a collective noun take a plural verb?
When the members of the group act as separate individuals rather than as one unit, as in the committee are divided in their opinion. When the group acts together, the verb is singular.
Is news singular or plural?
News is plural in form but singular in meaning, so it takes a singular verb, as in the news is good. The same holds for subjects such as mathematics and physics.