GRAMMAR:

SUBJECT-VERB
AGREEMENT
BY
QISTINA IBRAHIM
 • A subject (noun or pronoun) and a
verb in a sentence must always
SUBJECT- agree with one another.
VERB
• If the subject is singular, the verb
AGREEME must be singular, and if the subject
NT is plural, the verb must be plural.
For example:

A boy was here just now.

(singular subject) (singular verb)

A boy and a girl were here just now.

(plural subject) (plural verb)

Swimming strengthens our muscles.

Swimming and planking strengthen our muscles.
Rule 1: Use singular verbs for singular
subjects.
• She is the tallest girl in the class.

• Hakim walks faster due to his long foot.

• Everyday, the poor kid has to cross the river to go to school. His father
is always with him. However, yesterday, he had to do it alone, all by
himself. His father was not well.
Rule 2: Use plural verbs for plural subjects.
• They are the top 10 students in our school.

• Animals of larger species tend to live longer.

• When I was a kid, I hated greens. I found them unappetizing.

Rule 3: When ‘and’ is used to join the
subjects, the verb must be plural

• Skimming and scanning are essential skills for reading.

• The director and scriptwriter have a weekly discussion.

Rule 4: Each, every, everyone, no one, none, someone,
somebody, anybody, anyone, anything which are
singular in meaning are used with singular verbs.
• Every student is required to buy the textbook.

• None of us enjoys the class.

Rule 5: When as well as, together with or accompanied
by are used, the verb must agree with the true subject.

• Suzzanne, as well as her friends, has registered to join the Yoga

Fitness Club.

• The players, together with their coach, are resting after the match.
Rule 6: A gerund (verb + ing) used as a subject of
sentences takes a singular verb.

• Cycling is my favourite hobby.

• Reading for 10 minutes a day improves our general knowledge.

Rule 7: When ‘There’ precedes a subject, the verb must
agree with the subject.

• There is a cow grazing on the grass in the field.

• There are 25 students in the class.

Rule 8: ‘The number of’ takes singular verb while
‘a number of’ takes plural verb.

• The number of participants is thirty.

• A number of students decide to join the army after completing their

study.
Rule 9: Collective nouns can be singular or plural
depending on the context.

• Today, the committee decides the fate of John’s proposal.

• The proposal is so unusual that the committee are scratching their

heads and glancing at each other.
Rule 10: Units of money, distance and time are
considered singular if they come before the verb, but
plural if they come after the verb.

• Eight hours is the standard working duration per day.

• There are one hundred dollars inside his pocket.

Rule 11: a fraction or percentage takes singular or plural
verbs depending on the noun following it.
• 30% of the share belongs to me.

• 50% of computers in this room have CD-ROM drives.

• One-third of the teachers are male.

Rule 12: Certain nouns that ends with –s are
singular; thus, they take singular verbs.

• Mathematics is very easy.

• The news is at 8 pm.

Rule 13: When either … or, neither … nor and not only … but
are used, the verb must agree with the noun closest to it.

• Either his brother or my sisters are singing in the pub tonight.

• Neither the girls nor the boy completes the assignment.

Rule 14: expressions of quantity used with plural
nouns take plural verbs
• Some, a few, many, a lot, both, several, all

• A few apples are rotten.

• Some animals live in water.

Rule 15: Nationality takes plural verbs, but
language takes singular verbs.

• The French are friendly people.

• French is an interesting language.