Subject Verb Agreement

Rules for Subject Verb Agreement

1. With singular nouns, we use singular verb and with plural nouns, we use plural verb.
Subject Verb
Singular Plural Sing ular Plural
I We is / am are
You Yo u was were
He / She / It They has have
Man / Woman Men / Women d oes do

Mango is very sweet. Mango are very sweet.

Mangoes are very sweet. Mangoes is very sweet.

I have seen the movie. We have seen the movie.

You have seen the movie. You all have seen the movie.
He has seen the movie. They have seen the movie.

2. When two or more singular nouns are connected with ‘and’, we used Plural verb.
Karan and Arjun is going to market. Karan and Arjun are going to market.
Ram, Sita and Lakshman has gone to forest. Ram, Sita and Lakshman have gone to forest.

3. If two singular nouns are connected by ‘and’ but they talk about same person or object, we use singular verb.
A black and white cow are grazing in the field. A black and white cow is grazing in the field.
A beautiful and smart girl is coming. A beautiful and smart girl are coming.

4. Some nouns are always used together, & they represent same idea. For such pair of nouns, we use singular
verb.
Rice and curry are tasty food. Rice and curry is tasty food.
Slow and steady win the race. Slow and steady wins the race.

5. If ‘each’ or ‘every’ is used before two singular nouns, already connected by ‘and’, then we use singular verb.
Each boy and girl are studying. Each boy and girl is studying.
Every man and woman are educated. Every man and woman is educated.

6. If two personal pronouns are connected by ‘or’/’nor’, then we use singular verb.
Either mother or father are coming to school. Either mother of father is coming to school.

Neither you nor he has read the book. Neither you nor he have read the book.

7. With words like ‘each’, ‘every’ ‘either’ or ‘neither’, we use singular noun and singular verb.
Every students have passed. Every students has passed.
Every student has passed.

Either students are able to solve the question. Either student are able to solve the question.
Either student is able to solve the question.

8. When a Collective noun is used as a single unit, then we use singular verb and pronoun like ‘it/its’.
The jury have given its decision. The jury has given its decision.
Indian army is very good. Indian army are very good.

Examples of collective noun – Government, Jury, Committee, Public, Army, Society, Staff, Crew
9. When we use clauses like, “a number of”, then we use plural noun and plural verb. But, when we use clause,
“the number of”, then we use plural noun and singular verb.
A number of boys has come. A number of boys have come.
The number of student are increasing. The number of students is increasing.

10. When we use the word, “many”, then we use plural noun and plural verb.
Many student has liked the movie. Many students have liked the movie.

11. With words like ‘Everyone, Everybody, Someone, Somebody, No one, Nobody, Anyone, Any one, Anything
Nothing’ etc., we use singular verb.
Everyone were present. Everyone was present.

Nothing were lost. Nothing was lost.

Nobody know the fact. Nobody knows the fact.

12. With ‘few/a few/the few’, we use plural noun and plural verb, while with ‘little/a little/the little’ we use
uncountable noun and singular verb.
There are few people in the party. There is few people in the party.
There were few people in the party. There was few people in the party.

There are little water in the pot. There is little water in the pot.
There were little water in the pot. There was little water in the pot.