Teaching and Assessment of Grammar

Subject Verb Agreement

Subject Verb Agreement Rules

Singular Subject - takes a singular verb

Plural Subject - takes a plural verb

Rule #1
Singular Subject noun takes an -s form of the verb.

Example:

1. The dog sits on the windowsill.

2. The boy walks towards the Grocery Store.

Rule #2
Plural Subject noun take the base form of the verb.

Example:

1. The victims run to the police station.

2. The dogs bark loudly at night.

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Rule #3
The subject pronouns He, She, It take the -s form of the verb

Example;

1. He eats a lot during dinner.

2. She drives the car recklessly

Rule #4
The subject pronoun: I, You, We and They take the base form of the
verb.

Example:

1. They eat my favorite fruit.

2. We jump from here to there.

Rule #5
Singular Indefinite pronouns must take an -s form of the verb
Indefinite pronoun it is a pronoun that does not refer to any person,
amount or thing in particular some of the common indefinite
pronouns are the following. Each, Everyone, Everything, Anyone,
Someone, Something,Nobody,Anybody etc.

Example:

1. Everybody wants to attend the birthday party.

2. Someone is knocking at the door

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Rule #6
Plural Indefinite pronouns must take the base form of the verb and these are the
following plural Indefinite pronouns Both, Others, Few, Several, Many and if you
encounter this as a subject in the sentence you must take the base form of the verb.

● Plural subject + Plural verb

● Singular subject + Singular verb

Example:

1. Many have already completed their assignments.

2. Several were absent from the meeting.

Rule #7
Subjects connected by “and” take the base form of the verb.

Example:

1. The cat and the dog play together in the yard.

2. Both Cris and Maria help to register the students.

Rule #8
Two subjects are joined by or, nor, either, or neither, nor the verb must agree with
the closest subject.

Example:

1. Neither John nor his friends are coming to the party.

2. Either the cat or the dog is responsible for knocking over the vase.

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Rule #9
Collective Nouns more than one person but considered singular, must take singular
verb.

Example:

1. The team meets every week for their activity.

2. The committee agrees on the quality of the writing.

Rule #10
In the sentence begins with “there is’’ or “there are” the subject that follows after
these phrases, must agree with the verb.

Example:

1. There is a cat on the roof.

2. There are three books on the table.

Rule #11
Countable Nouns: Earnings, Goods, Odds, Surroundings, Proceeds, Contents,
Valuable, only have a plural form take the base form of the verb.

Example:

1. The surroundings of the cafeteria exceed my expectations.

2. Local produced goods have the advantage of shorter supply chains.