Subject-Verb concord
'Subject' is a noun or pronoun that tells us what the sentence talks about and ‘verb’ represents the
action in the sentence. Then what is ‘subject verb concord/agreement’? It means that the subject and
verb in a sentence should agree or match, otherwise the sentence will not sound right.
Rule 1
Use of a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural subject. The subject can be a
noun, a pronoun or even a noun phrase.
For example:
Rachel spends her free time listening to music. (Singular subject with singular verb)
Blaine and Kurt play the piano. (Plural subject with plural verb)
She likes to have a dessert after every meal. (Third person singular pronoun with singular
subject)
Rule 2
When using the ‘be’ form of verbs
Furthermore, when used with other nouns and noun phrases, the rule applies.
For example:
Michael Jackson’s songs are still enjoyed by millions.
Santana is a dancer.
The girls are waiting for you.
Rule 3
All singular subjects use ‘has’ and all plural subjects use ‘have’.
For example:
I have a younger brother.
You have taken the wrong cut.
Swetha has a pet dog.
William Shakespeare has written around 37 plays.
Finn has been waiting to talk to you about the test results.
Rule 4
When using the conjunction ‘and’ take a plural verb.
For example:
Krish and Radha are on their way to the airport.
Caren, Sheela and Akash have completed their assessments.
Rule 5
When using conjunction 'or' the subject is considered to be singular and a singular verb is used because
there are more than one nouns.
For example:
Celery or spring onion works fine.
Your mom or dad has to be here in an hour.
Rule 6
Sentences with pronouns such as anybody, anyone, no one, somebody, someone, everybody, everyone,
nothing and nobody are treated as singular subjects and will therefore use a singular verb.
For example:
Nobody has understood anything.
Everyone was happy with the outcome.
Nothing fits me well.
No one finds the movie interesting.
Rule 7
For sentences using ‘either..or’ and ‘neither..nor’, the verb should agree with the noun or pronoun that
comes just before it.
For example:
Neither Ricky nor Gina is here yet.
Either the teacher or the students have to take an initiative to keep the classroom clean.
Neither the children nor their parents are aware of the consequences
Rule 8
A singular subject is sometimes mistaken as plural e.g. when it starts with (one of, either, neither etc.).
Remember that these must be taken as singular.
For example:
Either of you is wrong.
Neither of them works here.
One of the teachers teaches English.
Rule 9
Interrogative sentences also take the help of the ‘do’ verb. The first verb (‘be’ verb or ‘do’ verb) has to
be aligned with the subject of the sentence.
For example:
Do you read thriller novels?
Doesn’t she know you already?
Is Tina happy with the new house?
Were you looking for me?
Has Sharon submitted her final project yet?
Rule 10
When a sentence begins with ‘each’ or ‘every’ as the subject, it is considered singular and so the verb
has to be singular too.
For example:
Each student has been asked to provide a consent letter.
Every teacher, parent and student is expected to work together.
Rule 11
When you are using a sentence to express a wish or a sentence expressing a request, verbs are used a
little differently from other sentences.
For example:
I wish I were a bird.
If you were here, I would not be sad.
Rule 12
When the subject is plural but represents a single figure or quantity, it takes a singular verb.
For example:
A hundred kilometers is a long distance.
A thousand rupees is not much these days.
Dal and roti is a common North-Indian food.
A Thousand Leagues Under The Sea is a famous novel.
10 years is not considered optimum to go on the water slide.
Don’t you think 1000 rupees is a little too much for a portrait?
Exercises
1) Insert the correct form of the verbs in the blank spaces in
the following sentences :
1. A good dictionary ……… a lot. (cost)
2. These five chairs ………. One thousand rupees. (cost)
3. Ten kilometers ……… a long distance to walk. (be)
4. Sita ……… next to my house. (live)
5. Bread and butter …….. a wholesome food. (be)
6. One of these three boys ……….. first in his class every year.
(stand)
7. My kite ……….. very high in the sky. (fly)
8. They ……… gloomy. (look)
9. All the students in this school ………. English. (learn)
10. My lawn ……… very beautiful in spring. (look)
Answers:
1. costs
2. cost
3. is
4. lives
5. is
6. stands
7. flies
8. look
9. learn
10. looks
2) Insert is’ or are’ in the following sentences :
1. There ……… two boys standing there.
2. There ………. many students in the school.
3. Today, there ………. many boys missing from the class.
4. If you need some money, there ………. some in my coat
pocket.
5. There ……….. sixteen players selected to tour Australia.
6. There ………. A proper balance of emotions and intelligence in
him.
7. There …….. nothing to be so happy about.
8. ……….. there anybody there ?
9. There ……….. no light here.
10. There ……… complete darkness inside.
Answers:
1. are
2. are
3. are
4. is (money=single quantity so singular subject & singular verb)
5. are
6. is
7. is
8. is
9. is
10. is
3) Insert the correct form of the present tense in the blank
spaces. The verbs are in the brackets.
1. A new house ……. a lot of money. (cost)
2. The new car …….. very fast. (run)
3. Most things ………. more than they did before. (cost)
4. This aeroplane ……… quicker than sound. (fly)
5. The lawn ……… beautiful in summer. (look)
6. These children ……… very healthy. (look)
7. One of the players ……… from my village. (come)
8. These people …….. to us in their own cars. (come)
Answers:
1. costs
2. runs
3. cost
4. flies
5. looks
6. look
7. comes
8. come
