SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT:

The Verb ‘BE’

The verb ‘be’ has nine parts. They are as

follows:
a) Am, is, are, was, being, were, has,
have, had
 The pronoun ‘I’

The pronoun ‘I’ takes ‘am’, ‘was’,

‘have’, ‘had’. For example:
a) I am a student.
b) I was late.
c) I have money in my bag.
d) I had a call from my father.
 He/she/it

He or she or it takes ‘is’, ‘was’, ‘has’, and

‘had’. For example:
a) He is a past student.
b) She was in class yesterday.
c) It is interesting. It was shocking.
 You

The pronoun ‘you’ takes ‘are’, ‘were’, ‘have’

and ‘had’. Here are examples:
a) You are fortunate to be a student.
b) You have an opportunity.
c) You had your day.
 They/we
The pronoun ‘they’ or ‘we’ takes ‘are’, ‘were’,
‘have’ and ‘had’. Here are examples:
a) They are here for a lecture.
b) We are here for a lecture.
c) They had gone when I came.
d) We have enough for the party.
e) They have reported for investigation.
 Indefinite pronouns

 Indefinite pronouns such as ‘each’,

‘everybody’, ‘every’, ‘none’, ‘anybody’, and
‘anyone’ take a singular verb. For example:
a) Each girl and boy is expected here.
b) None of you is allowed to cheat.
 Singular subjects joined by or, nor,
either… or, neither …. nor
Two or more singular subjects joined by ‘or’,
‘nor’, ‘either…..or’, ‘neither… nor’ take a
singular verb. For example:
a) Neither the president nor the minister is
present.
b) Either john or joseph wins the race.
Joining singular and plural subjects

When one of the subjects is singular and the other

is plural, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
For example:
a) Neither the coach nor the players like the
dressing room.
b) Neither the players nor the coach likes the
dressing room.