Subject-Verb Agreement : Important Rules with Examples

Subject-Verb Agreement : A sentence can fall apart because of one small mismatch. If the subject-verb agreement is incorrect, even simple writing sounds awkward.

That is why this essential grammatical rule for students and writers matters so much in school work, daily communication, and exams. Once you spot the real subject, most answers become much easier to determine.

The good news is that you do not need dozens of hard rules at once. Start with the basics of subject-verb agreement, then move to the tricky cases that usually confuse learners.

What is Subject-Verb Agreement in English Grammar?

Subject-Verb Agreement is a grammatical rule that ensures that the subject and the verb in a sentence must agree in number. This means a singular subject takes singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb. We use Subject-Verb Concord as other term for Subject-Verb Agreement.

• A singular subject usually takes a singular verb, whereas a plural subject requires a plural verb.
• Mastering verb conjugation in the present simple is a common hurdle, particularly because a singular verb often ends in “s,” which confuses many learners.
• Ignore extra words between the subject and the verb, because they do not change the verb form.
• With “or” and “nor,” the verb often agrees with the subject closer to it.
• Some words, such as “everyone,” “news,” and “team,” need special attention.

Subject-verb agreement is the fundamental grammatical rule requiring the verb to match the subject in number and person. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. Mastering this concept is essential for clear writing.

Here is the basic idea of how subject-verb agreement works:

• Correct: The girl reads every day.
• Incorrect: The girl read every day.
• Correct: The girls read every day.
• Incorrect: The girls reads every day.

Subject-Verb Agreement : Some Important Rules with Examples

Most sentences follow one easy pattern. A singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Look at these examples:

1. The teacher explains the lesson.
2. The teachers explain the lesson.
3. Her mother lets her choose her own subjects.
4. Strict teachers make students rewrite untidy work.

Pronouns follow the same idea, but they need careful attention, particularly when using third-person singular forms:

1. He works hard.
2. She sings well.
3. It looks new.
4. I work hard.
5. You sing well.
6. We look ready.
7. They work late.

The verbs be and have also change clearly based on the subject:

1. I am ready.
2. He is ready.
3. They are ready.
4. She has a notebook.
5. We have notebooks.

Here are some important rules of Subject-Verb Agreement. We have given some examples with each rule so that you can easily understand what Subject-Verb Agreement is.

Subject-Verb Agreement : Rule #1. A singular subject takes a singular verb.

Examples :

1.  Mohan is an intelligent student.
2. The old man was hit by a car.
3. The cat chases the rat.

Subject-Verb Agreement : Rule #2. A plural subject takes a plural verb.

Examples :

1. The students are busy in preparing for half yearly examination.
2. Both the boys were clever enough to handle the situation.
3. The dogs run after the cat.

Subject-Verb Agreement : Rule #3. When a subject has two or more nouns joined by conjuction ‘and’, we usually use a plural verb.

Examples :

1. Ravi and Rajesh are going back to their village.
2. The boy and his father were waiting outside the office.
3. My brother and sister live in Jaipur.

However, one combined idea can take a singular verb.

1. Bread and butter is my usual breakfast.
2. Time and tide wait for no one. (This is a fixed expression, so learn it as a whole.)

Subject-Verb Agreement : Rule #4. When the subject has a combination of singular and plural nouns/pronouns joined by ‘either……or’, ‘or’, ‘neither………nor’, ‘nor’, we use verb accorning to the last noun/pronoun or the one nearest to the verb.

Examples :

1. Either the servant or his sons have stolen the money.
2. Neither the teacher nor the students are to blame for the accident.
3. Either the teacher or the students are coming.
4. Either the students or the teacher is coming.
5. Neither the boys nor Amit is ready.
6. Neither Amit nor the boys are ready.

Subject-Verb Agreement : Rule #5. Some phrases with plural form are considered as a single unit and take a singular verb. These phrases often refer to measurements, amounts and quantities.

Examples :

1. Fifty kilometers is not a long distance.
2. The hundred dollars my father gave me was soon spent.
3. Ten kilometres is a long walk.
4. Five years is a long time to wait.
5. £20 is enough for the workbook.

Subject-Verb Agreement : Rule #6. With each of, either of, neither of, any of or none of + a plural noun we prefer a singular verb. Though we can use a plural verb.

Examples :

1. Neither of the students has failed this year.
2. None of them was able to get out of the room without my help.
3. Each of Maya’s classmates has sent her a beautiful gift on her birthday.

Subject-Verb Agreement : Rule #7. With a number of, a lot of, plenty of, all of, some of, a majority of or the majority of + a plural noun we use a plural verb. But with the number of we use a singular verb.

Examples :

1. A number of refugees have enter our country illegally.
2. All of the students are present today.
3.  The number of the books on crypto currency is very limited.

Subject-Verb Agreement : Rule #8. Some nouns with a singular form can be considered either as singular or as plural. If we see the institute or organization as a whole unit or entity, we use a singular verb. And we use a plural verb if we see it as a collection of individuals. These are the nouns :- audience, team, staff, firm, generation, class, club, council, croed, department, committee, government, enemy, family, group, jury, orchestra, press, public, company, community itc.

Examples :-

1. The committee has decided to postpone the upcoming meeting.
2. The government is introducing new tax policies.
3. The team is ready for today’s match.
4. The committee are divided in their opinion.
5. The government have expressed differing views on the issue of terrorism.
6. The team are arguing among themselves about the planning.
7. The class is ready for the test.
8. The class are showing their projects.
9. My family are arriving at different times.

Tricky cases that often cause mistakes

Intervening phrases do not change the verb

A prepositional phrase can often act as an intervening phrase, which may distract you from the true subject. Words appearing after “of”, “with”, “in”, or “along with” are not always the subject of the sentence.

1. The bag of books is heavy.
2. The students in this room are quiet.
3. The principal, along with the teachers, is present.
4. One of the girls is singing.

That last example is common in exams. The subject is “one”, not “girls”. Furthermore, indefinite pronouns such as each, every, and many a also take singular verbs. When you consider each and every member of a group, you must ensure the verb remains singular.

1. Each student has a roll number.
2. Every boy and girl was given a sheet.
3. Many a child dreams of success.

Using there is there are correctly

In sentences that begin with “there”, the real subject comes after the verb. So, the verb must agree with whatever noun follows. You must decide between there is there are based on the number of the subject.

1. There is a book on the table.
2. There are three books on the table.
3. There was a mistake in the answer.
4. There were several mistakes in the answer.

This rule looks easy, but learners often miss it in longer sentences.

Common Subject-Verb Agreement mistakes in school writing

Many errors occur because learners rush through their work. Mastering subject-verb agreement is much easier when you start with short, simple sentences before moving on to more complex structures. Understanding the underlying logic of verb conjugation will help you avoid these frequent pitfalls.

These are some mistakes worth watching:

• Incorrect: Each of the players have a bat. Correct: Each of the players has a bat.
• Incorrect: The number of students are rising. Correct: The number of students is rising.
• Incorrect: A number of students is absent. Correct: A number of students are absent.
• Incorrect: Neither the teacher nor the boys is late. Correct: Neither the teacher nor the boys are late.
• Incorrect: The list of poems are on the desk. Correct: The list of poems is on the desk.

It is also important to be aware of nouns ending in s, such as maths, physics, or news. Even though these words end in an s, they are considered singular nouns and require a singular verb conjugation. For instance, you should write “Maths is my favourite subject” rather than “Maths are my favourite subject.”

One more UK point helps. The noun police usually takes a plural verb.

1. The police are investigating the case.

That sounds natural in British English. It also appears often in newspapers and exam passages.

Quick Practice with Answers 

Test your knowledge with these exercises. While many rules focus on the present, keep in mind that these same principles apply to the simple past tense when using the verb to be. Try these before checking the answers.

1. The box of old papers (is/are) in the corner.
2. Everyone in the class (was/were) ready.
3. Either the parents or the child (has/have) the form.
4. There (is/are) two reasons for the delay.
5. Five kilometres (is/are) enough for today.
6. My friends and my cousin (plays/play) football on Sundays.
7. The student who (studies/study) hard usually gets good grades.

Now check your answers.

1. is The subject is box, which is singular.
2. was Everyone takes a singular verb.
3. has With or, the verb matches the nearer subject, child.
4. are The real subject is two reasons, which is plural.
5. is The distance is considered one unit, so use a singular verb.
6. play The subjects are joined by and, so the verb is plural.
7. studies The verb must agree with the student, which is the antecedent for the relative pronouns used here.

If you want a few more revision questions, this video lesson with free practice gives extra examples you can try on your own.

RBSE Class 10 English Subject Verb Agreement Questions

RBSE Class 10 English Subject Verb Agreement Questions : In the RBSE Class 10 English Board Exam 2026, Question No. 7 is a sure-shot scoring area if your basics are clear. This question tests Subject–Verb Agreement through two fill-in-the-blanks sentences, each carrying 1 mark, making a total of 2 easy marks. Students are usually confident with grammar rules, yet small mistakes like has/have or know/knows can cost full marks. With focused practice—like these 100 Important Subject Verb Agreement Questions with Answers—you can turn Question 7 into a guaranteed full-marks question in the board exam.

Set 1: Singular Subjects & Determiners

1. Each of the boys __________ (is/are) present.

2. Every student __________ (has/have) a textbook.

3. Each one of these books __________ (belongs/belong) to me.

4. Everyone __________ (likes/like) honesty.

5. Somebody __________ (has/have) broken the window.

6. Nobody __________ (knows/know) the answer.

7. Anyone __________ (is/are) welcome here.

8. Everyone in the class __________ (was/were) silent.

9. Each student and teacher __________ (was/were) invited.

10. Every boy and girl __________ (is/are) ready.

Set 2: Neither–Nor / Either–Or

11. Neither Ramesh nor his brother __________ (plays/play) football.

12. Either the teacher or the students __________ (is/are) wrong.

13. Neither the players nor the captain __________ (was/were) punished.

14. Either you or he __________ (has/have) made this mistake.

15. Neither the teacher nor the students __________ (was/were) present.

16. Either she or her parents __________ (is/are) responsible.

17. Neither Ram nor Shyam __________ (likes/like) coffee.

18. Either the boys or the girl __________ (has/have) lost the key.

19. Neither the clerk nor the officers __________ (was/were) on leave.

20. Either my father or my uncles __________ (manage/manages) the shop.

Set 3: Collective Nouns

21. The jury __________ (has/have) given its verdict.

22. The team __________ (is/are) playing well today.

23. The crowd __________ (was/were) uncontrollable.

24. The committee __________ (has/have) decided to postpone the meeting.

25. The police __________ (is/are) investigating the case.

26. The army __________ (has/have) surrounded the area.

27. The staff __________ (is/are) unhappy with the decision.

28. The audience __________ (enjoys/enjoy) the show.

29. The class __________ (was/were) attentive.

30. The herd __________ (is/are) grazing in the field.

Set 4: Plural Subjects & Exceptions

31. Cattle __________ (is/are) grazing outside.

32. Scissors __________ (is/are) lying on the table.

33. Trousers __________ (is/are) very expensive.

34. The news __________ (is/are) shocking.

35. Mathematics __________ (is/are) my favourite subject.

36. The furniture __________ (was/were) damaged.

37. The police __________ (has/have) arrested the thief.

38. The wages __________ (has/have) been increased.

39. The riches __________ (do/does) not bring happiness.

40. The innings __________ (was/were) very exciting.

Set 5: Amount, Distance, Time

41. Ten kilometres __________ (is/are) a long distance.

42. Five years __________ (is/are) a long time.

43. Fifty rupees __________ (is/are) a good amount to buy a cup of coffee.

44. Time of two hours __________ (is/are) sufficient for the test.

45. Ten thousand rupees __________ (is/are) a large sum of money to spend on this product.

46. Forty notes of 10 rupees __________ (is/are) scattered on the floor.

47. One hundred miles __________ (is/are) a long distance to travel by bicycle.

48. Three weeks __________ (is/are) a short period.

49. The sum of 500 rupees I saved last week__________ (is/are) in my purse.

50. Ten litres of milk __________ (is/are) required.

Set 6: Relative Pronouns & Clauses

51. He is one of the boys who __________ (work/works) hard.

52. She is the only one of the girls who __________ (has/have) won the prize.

53. This is one of the books that __________ (is/are) useful.

54. I am the only one who __________ (knows/know) the truth.

55. He is one of those students who __________ (likes/like) English.

56. She is the only student who __________ (has/have) completed the work.

57. This is one of the novels that __________ (deal/deals) with social issues.

58. He is the only boy who __________ (was/were) selected.

59. She is one of the teachers who __________ (teaches/teach) English.

60. This is the only question that __________ (confuses/confuse) me.

Set 7: As well as / Along with / Together with

61. The teacher, along with the students, __________ (is/are) present.

62. Ram as well as his friends __________ (was/were) punished.

63. The principal, together with the staff, __________ (has/have) arrived.

64. My father, along with my brothers, __________ (runs/run) the shop.

65. The captain, as well as the players, __________ (is/are) confident.

66. She, along with her parents, __________ (lives/live) here.

67. The manager, with his assistants, __________ (has/have) left.

68. The girl, along with her friends, __________ (is/are) dancing.

69. The teacher, with the students, __________ (was/were) absent.

70. The leader, as well as his followers, __________ (has/have) spoken.

Set 8: Indefinite Pronouns

71. All __________ (is/are) well.

72. Some of the milk __________ (is/are) spoiled.

73. Some of the students __________ (is/are) absent.

74. Most of the work __________ (has/have) been done.

75. Most of the boys __________ (has/have) finished.

76. Half of the cake __________ (is/are) eaten.

77. Half of the students __________ (is/are) late.

78. None of the money __________ (was/were) stolen.

79. None of the players __________ (was/were) injured.

80. All that glitters __________ (is/are) not gold.

Set 9: Titles, Subjects & Proper Nouns

81. Gulliver’s Travels __________ (is/are) an interesting book.

82. The United States __________ (is/are) a powerful country.

83. The Arabian Nights __________ (is/are) famous worldwide.

84. The Ramayana __________ (is/are) an epic.

85. The Times of India __________ (is/are) widely read.

86. Mathematics __________ (is/are) difficult for him.

87. Economics __________ (is/are) taught here.

88. Atomic Habits__________ (was/were) published last year.

89. Politics __________ (is/are) a sensitive subject.

90. The Mahabharata __________ (is/are) sacred.

Set 10: Miscellaneous High-Probability

91. Bread and butter __________ (is/are) his breakfast.

92. Slow and steady __________ (wins/win) the race.

93. The quality of these apples __________ (is/are) good.

94. A number of students __________ (is/are) absent.

95. The number of students __________ (is/are) increasing.

96. More than one student __________ (has/have) failed.

97. Many a student __________ (has/have) tried.

98. One of the boys __________

(is/are) injured.

99. The poet and philosopher __________ (is/are) dead.

100. The poet and the philosopher __________ (is/are) dead.

Answer Key – Subject–Verb Agreement 100 Important Questions 

Set 1

1. is

2. has

3. belongs

4. likes

5. has

6. knows

7. is

8. was

9. was

10. is

Set 2

11. plays

12. are

13. was

14. has

15. were

16. are

17. likes

18. has

19. were

20. manage

Set 3

21. has

22. is

23. was

24. has

25. are

26. has

27. is

28. enjoys

29. was

30. is

Set 4

31. are

32. are

33. are

34. is

35. is

36. was

37. have

38. have

39. do

40. was

Set 5

41. is

42. is

43. is

44. is

45. is

46. are

47. is

48. is

49. is

50. is

Set 6

51. work

52. has

53. are

54. know

55. like

56. has

57. deal

58. was

59. teach

60. confuses

Set 7

61. is

62. was

63. has

64. runs

65. is

66. lives

67. has

68. is

69. was

70. has

Set 8

71. is

72. is

73. are

74. has

75. have

76. is

77. are

78. was

79. were

80. is

Set 9

81. is

82. is

83. are

84. is

85. is

86. is

87. is

88. was

89. is

90. is

Set 10

91. is

92. wins

93. is

94. are

95. is

96. has

97. has

98. is

99. is

100. are

Read This Also : RBSE Class 10 English Tense Questions : 100 Important Questions Answers

Solve these 10 MCQs on Subject-Verb Agreement and access your knowledge of the topic.

Subject-Verb Agreement : 15 More MCQs

Conclusion

Mastering good grammar often depends on one vital habit: always identify the true subject before choosing the verb. Once you successfully do that, most agreement mistakes disappear.

Keep a close watch on confusing cases, such as everyone, there is or there are, phrases that fall between the subject and verb, and collective nouns in British English. By keeping this fundamental grammatical rule in mind, your writing will gain significantly more clarity and professional polish. As you gain more experience, subject-verb agreement and the principles of subject-verb concord will stop feeling like rules to memorise, instead becoming a natural part of your writing style.

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