Subject-Verb Agreement

What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

Imagine the subject as the leader of a sentence and the verb as its follower. The follower (verb) must always listen to the leader (subject) about how many people or things are involved. If the leader is one person (singular), the follower must also be a 'one-person' verb. If the leader is many people (plural), the follower must be a 'many-people' verb.

For example:

• The dog barks. (Dog is one, barks is for one)
• The dogs bark. (Dogs are many, bark is for many)

This simple rule helps our sentences make sense and sound natural.

Main Rules to Remember:

Here are some key rules to help you get this agreement right:

• Basic Rule: Singular Subject, Singular Verb; Plural Subject, Plural Verb.
  A singular subject (like 'he', 'she', 'it', 'a cat') takes a singular verb (like 'is', 'has', 'runs'). A plural subject (like 'they', 'we', 'cats') takes a plural verb (like 'are', 'have', 'run').
  Example: The boy plays. The boys play.
• Compound Subjects joined by 'And':
  When two or more subjects are joined by 'and', they usually form a plural subject and take a plural verb.
  Example: Ram and Sita are going to the market.
• Compound Subjects joined by 'Or' or 'Nor':
  When subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the subject that is closer to it.
  Example: Neither the teacher nor the students are present. (Students is plural, so 'are')
  Example: Neither the students nor the teacher is present. (Teacher is singular, so 'is')
• Intervening Phrases (Words between Subject and Verb):
  Sometimes, a group of words comes between the main subject and the verb. Do not get confused! The verb must still agree with the main subject, not with the words in the middle.
  Example: The box of chocolates is empty. (The box is empty, not the chocolates.)
• Indefinite Pronouns:
  Words like 'each', 'every', 'everyone', 'everybody', 'anyone', 'anybody', 'no one', 'nobody', 'someone', 'somebody' are always treated as singular and take a singular verb.
  Example: Each of the players is ready. Everyone has finished their work.
• Collective Nouns:
  Collective nouns (like 'team', 'committee', 'family', 'group') can be singular or plural. If the group acts as one unit, use a singular verb. If the members of the group are acting individually, use a plural verb.
  Example (acting as one): The team is celebrating its victory. (Team acts as one unit)
  Example (acting individually): The team are arguing among themselves. (Members are acting separately)
• 'There is/are' and 'Here is/are':
  In sentences starting with 'there' or 'here', the subject comes after the verb. You need to look ahead to find the real subject.
  Example: There are many books on the table. (Books is plural, so 'are')
  Example: There is a pen in the drawer. (Pen is singular, so 'is')
• Special Cases: 'Many a', 'More than one':
  When you see 'many a', it always takes a singular noun and a singular verb.
  Example: Many a student has failed the exam.
  When you see 'more than one', it also takes a singular noun and a singular verb.
  Example: More than one city was affected by the flood.

Remembering these rules will help you avoid common grammar mistakes and score better in your exams. Practice regularly to make them a habit!