Subject-Verb Agreement: Grammar Rules, Examples & Exercises with Answers

Subject-Verb Agreement, also known as subject-verb concord, is a rule in English grammar where the subject and verb in an English sentence must match in number. This means:

• If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular.
• If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.

Here,

• Subject: The person or thing doing the action.
• Verb: The action or state of being.

With the help of subject-verb agreement, we can create gramatically correct sentences. Additionally, you must note that no matter whether the subject of a sentence is a name, pronoun, or noun, the verb must match it in number and tense.

Examples of Subject-Verb Agreement:

• Singular: Riya dances gracefully.
  Here, the subject 'Riya' is singular, therefore, the verb 'dance' will also be in singular form; i.e., dances
• Plural: Riya and Tanu dance gracefully.
  Here, the subjects 'Riya and Tanu' are plural, therefore, the verb 'dance' will also be plural; i.e., dance

Subject-Verb Agreement Definition: Oxford Dictionary

According to Oxford Dictionary, subject-verb agreement refers to "the grammatical rule that a subject must agree with its verb in number and person."

Pronunciation: /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt vɜːb əˈɡriːmənt/ (British) | /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt vɝːb əˈɡriːmənt/ (American)

Examples of Subject Verb Agreement:

• The dog barks loudly at night.
• The book on the table belongs to my sister.
• The children play in the park.

Subject-Verb Agreement Definition: Collins Dictionary

According to the Collins Dictionary, subject-verb agreement is “the rule in grammar that the subject of a sentence must match the verb in terms of number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third).”

Subject-Verb Agreement Definition: Cambridge Dictionary

As per the Cambridge Dictionary, “the person and number of the subject of the clause determine the person and number of the verb of the clause. This is called subject–verb agreement or concord.”

Also Read: What are Gerunds in English Grammar?

Subject and Verb Agreement in English Grammar helps us make a sentence that is clear to the reader or listener and is grammatically correct. It also creates a relationship between the subject and the verb of agreement to ensure they match in terms of number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, third). While creating sentences using subject-verb agreement, certain rules must be followed.

In this section, we will explore the 26 subject-verb agreement rules with examples.

Rule 1: Verbs in Present Simple Tense Act Differently From Nouns

The nouns and verbs in grammar loose 's' or add 's' when used in the simple present tense. That is;

• Nouns add 's' when they are plural.
• Verbs lose the 's' when the subject is plural.
• Exception: With "I" and "you," we don't use 's' on the verb.

Examples:

He likes mangoes. / They like mangoes.

The bird flies high. / Birds fly in the sky.

Rule 2: Phrases Between the Subject and Verb do not Change Agreement

• While deciding which verb form to use in the sentence, ignore any extra words or phrases between the subject and the verb.

Examples:

The players who practice every day are improving quickly. (Here, "Players" is the subject, not "who practice every day". So, as "players" is plural, the verb "are" is used.)

A group of students is attending the seminar. (Here, "Group" is the subject, not "students." Since "group" is singular, the verb "is" is used.)

Rule 3: Collective Nouns in Grammar Can Take Singular or Plural Verbs

• If the group is acting as one unit, use a singular verb.
• If individuals in the group are doing different things, use a plural verb.

Examples:

The committee decides on the policy tomorrow. (Here, the committee is acting as one unit. So, we will use the singular verb 'decides')

The committee have submitted their individual reports. (Here, each member of the committee is considered as an individual. So, we will use the plural verb 'have')

Also Read: English Paraphrasing: Rules and Examples

Rule 4: Subjects Connected by ‘And’ Are Usually Plural

• When two people or things are joined with "and", plural verb should be used.

Examples:

Tom and Jerry make a great team.

Bread and butter are on the table.

Rule 5: Two Nouns Referring to One Thing Take a Singular Verb

• If the two nouns refer to the same person or idea, use a singular verb.

Examples:

My teacher and mentor is retiring.

The poet and philosopher lives in Paris.

Rule 6: Ignore Words Like ‘Along With’ or ‘As Well As’

• Do not consider words like 'along with' or 'as well as' while selecting the verb form, as they do not change the number of the subject.

Examples:

The principal, as well as the staff, was present.

The captain, along with his team, is ready.

Rule 7: Words Inside Brackets Don’t Affect the Verb

• The information provided in parentheses doesn’t change subject-verb agreement.

Examples:

The child (and his toys) is sleeping.

My sister (with her kids) goes to the park.

Rule 8: Use Singular Verbs With Singular Subjects Joined by ‘Or’ or ‘Nor’

• When connecting singular subjects, the verb stays singular.

Examples:

Either Sarah or Emma has the keys.

Neither the phone nor the charger works.

Rule 9: Verb Agrees With the Subject Closest to It (Or/Nor)

• When using "or/nor," match the verb with the noun closer to it.

Examples:

Neither the cats nor the dog is here.

Either the manager or the workers are late.

Also Read: Articles: Exercises with answers

Rule 10: Indefinite Pronouns Like 'Each' or 'Everybody' Use Singular Verbs

• Even though they seem to refer to many people, these are singular in grammar.

Examples:

Each of the answers makes sense.

Everybody knows the rules.

Rule 11: Plural Indefinite Pronouns Use Plural Verbs

• Words like many, few, both always take plural verbs.

Examples:

Several have arrived.

Few know the truth.

Rule 12: Some Pronouns Change Based on What They're Referring To

• If the noun is uncountable, the verb is singular. If countable, the verb is plural.

Examples:

All of the rice is burnt.

All of the cookies are gone.

Rule 13: Some Nouns Look Plural But Are Actually Singular

• If a plural form subjects with a plural meaning, the verb is plural:

Examples:

The scissors are missing.

The pair of scissors is missing.

Rule 14: Time, Distance, and Money Act as Singular Units

• Use a singular verb when referring to a single idea or amount.

Examples:

Five hours is too long to wait.

One hundred dollars is enough.

Rule 15: ‘Everyone’, ‘Everybody’, and ‘Each’ Are Always Singular

• These words always take singular verbs.

Examples:

Everyone wants to win.

Each of the gifts has a tag.

Rule 16: Some Nouns Are Singular Even Though They Look Plural

• Words like civics, physics, news take singular verbs.

Examples:

Physics is my favorite subject.

The news is not good.

Note: If there is a countable noun, it may follow a plural verb. For example: Three hairs were in the food.

Also Read: Conjunction in English

Rule 17: Words That Can Be Both Singular and Plural Depending on Meaning

• Use a singular or plural verb depending on whether you mean one idea or many.

Examples:

Economics is a complex subject. (one subject)

The economics of the deal were confusing. (many aspects)

Rule 18: In Sentences Beginning With ‘There Is/There Are’ — Look at the Real Subject

• Match the verb with the noun that comes after it.

Examples:

There is a cat on the roof.

There are stars in the sky.

Rule 19: “None” Can Be Singular or Plural Based on Context

• Use a singular verb with uncountable nouns and plural verb with countable nouns.

Examples:

None of the water is left.

None of the books are left in the library.

Rule 20: Fractions Agree With the Noun They Describe

• Place the verb after checking the singularity and plurality of the noun.

Examples:

Half of the cake has been eaten.

One-third of the fans are cheering.

Rule 21: “More Than One” Takes a Singular Verb

• Even though 'more than one' sounds plural, it is treated as singular. So, in this case, use a singular verb.

Examples:

More than one person is needed.

More than one bird has flown away.

Rule 22:  Titles of Works or Entities Use Singular Verbs

• Even if the title of some work or entity seems plural, it is one unit. Therefore, use singular verbs in these cases.

Examples:

"Stranger Things" is a fantasy web series.

The United States is a big country.

Rule 23 (A): “One of Those Who…” Takes a Plural Verb

• When using "one of those", the verb must be plural.

Examples:

She is one of those players who train daily.

He is one of those students who participate in every competition.

Rule 23 (B): “The Only One of Those Who…” Takes a Singular Verb

• When using "the only one," the verb refers to that single person.

Examples:

He is the only one of those students who gets full marks.

She is the only one who knows the answer.

Rule 24 (A): “The Number Of…” Takes a Singular Verb

• 'The number of' means one amount. Therefore, it uses singular verb.

Examples:

The number of books has increased.

The number of calls is rising.

Rule 24 (B): “A Number Of…” Takes a Plural Verb

• 'A number of' means several or many. Therefore, it takes plural verb.

Examples:

A number of students have submitted the form.

A number of issues remain unresolved.

Rule 25: Sentences Starting With ‘Every’ Use Singular Verbs

• If a sentence is starting with 'every', use a singular verb. It does not matter whether there are more than one nouns in that sentence.

Examples:

Every pen, pencil, and notebook is missing.

Every athlete and coach attends the meeting.

Rule 26: Use ‘Were’ to Show a Wish or an Unreal Situation

• In imaginary statements, use ‘were’ even with singular subjects.

Examples:

If I were taller, I’d play basketball.

I wish it were Saturday.

Singular and Plural Verb

In English grammar, verbs change form depending on whether the subject is singular (one person or thing) or plural (more than one person or thing). This is called verb agreement.

Singular Verbs

A singular verb is used when the subject is one person, animal, or thing.

Examples:

• She writes neatly.
• The dog barks loudly.

Easy Trick: In the present tense, singular verbs often end in -s or -es.

Plural Verbs

A plural verb is used when the subject is more than one person or thing.

Examples:

• The dogs bark loudly.
• Rahul and Meena play cricket.

Easy Trick: In the present tense, plural verbs are usually in their base form (without -s or -es).

Singular Verb v/s Plural Verb

Here is a quick difference between singular and plural verb:

Subject Type	Verb	Example
Singular	Verb + s/es	The bird sings.
Plural	Base verb	The birds sing.

This basic understanding of singular and plural verbs will help you apply subject-verb agreement rules more confidently.

Also Read:

Rules of Suffix in English Grammar	Prefix Rules in English	English Punctuation Rules
List of Irregular Verbs	List of Transitive Verbs	List of Intransitive Verbs

In subject-verb agreement, we not only have to match the subject and verb in number (singular or plural), but we also have to use the correct verb form. To write the accurate form of the verb, we have to consider the tense of the sentence.

A verb tense shows when something happens: present tense, past tense, or future tense.

Let’s look at how verbs agree with subjects in different tenses:

Present Tense:

In the present tense, the verb forms changes with singular or plural subjects.

Subject Type	Correct Verb Form	Example
Singular (he, she, it, name)	verb + s/es	She reads a book.
Plural (I, you, we, they)	base verb	They read books.

Past Tense:

In the past tense, verb forms do not change with singular or plural subjects (except with was/were):

Subject Type	Verb Form	Example
Singular	was / past form	He was happy. She walked fast.
Plural	were / past form	They were late. We walked fast.

Future Tense:

In future tense, the verb remains in its base form and is used with will/shall (or is going to, etc.)

Subject Type	Verb Form	Example
Any subject	will/shall + base verb	She will sing. They will sing.

Easy Tricks:

• In present tense, the verb changes the most based on subject number.
• In past tense, the change is seen in helping verbs (was/were).
• In future tense, the base verb stays the same for all subjects.

1. Read the sentence and identify the subject. 

• Example: A bird sings in the morning. 

2. Find out the verb in the sentence. 

• Example: A bird sings in the morning. 

3. Once you have found out the subject and verb, check whether the subject is singular or plural.

• Examples:
  The girl runs fast. (Singular)
  The girls run fast. (Plural)

4. Make sure that the verb matches the subject of the sentence. Take example from the below table:

Subject	Correct Verb Form	Incorrect
She	is running.	She are running.
They	are playing.	They is playing.
The child	plays.	The child play.
The cat	sleeps.	The cats sleeps.

5. Do not get confused by the words between the subject and the verb (e.g., prepositional phrases). Be careful with subjects joined by "and" (usually plural). Lastly, watch for "either/or", "neither/nor"—verb agrees with the subject closest to it.

• The box of toys is on the floor. (Subject = box)
• Ram and Shyam are friends.
• Either the teacher or the students are coming.

Quick Tip: Read the sentence aloud. If it sounds wrong, it probably is. Your ear often catches mistakes your eyes might miss.

Below are some of the most common facts or rules people forget about while using subject-verb agreement in a sentence:

1. People usually get confused by the words placed between the subject and the verb of the sentence. 

• Incorrect: The bouquet of flowers smell nice.
• Correct: The bouquet of flowers smells nice.

Here, the subject is 'bouquet' , so the verb is singular.

2. Most of the times, people treat collective nouns as always singular or plural. However, there are certain collective nouns in English such as team, jury, or family, which can be singular or plural. The singularity and plurality of a collective noun depends on the context of the sentence or paragraph.

• Incorrect: The team are winning the match.
• Correct: The team is winning the match. (one unit)

3. There are certain indefinite pronouns like each, everyone, and neither, which may sound like plural, but always uses singular verb. People tend to forget this fact.

• Incorrect: Everyone have a copy.
• Correct: Everyone has a copy.

4. When subjects are joined by either/or or neither/nor, the verb is placed according to the subject closest to it.

• Incorrect: Neither the teacher nor the students is ready.
• Correct: Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.

5. Just like indefinite pronouns, there are some nouns like physics, news, politics, etc., which looks plural, but are singular.

• Incorrect: The news are shocking.
• Correct: The news is shocking.

6. Uncountable nouns (like information, advice, furniture) are singular and take singular verbs.

• Incorrect: The furniture are new.
• Correct: The furniture is new.

7. Words like cattle, police, and people look singular but are always plural.

• Incorrect: The police is coming.
• Correct: The police are coming.

Check out these books to learn more about Subject-Verb Agreement:

Book Title	Author
High School English Grammar & Composition	Wren & Martin
Objective General English	S.P. Bakshi
English Grammar in Use	Raymond Murphy
Plinth to Paramount	Neetu Singh
A Mirror of Common Errors	Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh
Common Errors in English Usage	Paul Brians
Practical English Usage	Michael Swan

Also Read: Subject-Verb Agreement MBA preparation