Subject – Verb Agreement

General Rules:
(i) Two or more singular subjects joined by ‘and’ usually take a verb in the plural. For example:
 She and her classmate have arrived.
 Sita and Seema are here.
 Pinky, Lily and Meenu go to the same school.
NOTE: But if two nouns suggest only one idea, or refer to the same person or thing, the verb must be
singular.
For example,
 My teacher and guide is here.
 With the death of Bose, a great leader and patriot was lost.
 Slow and steady wins the race.
 The horse and carriage is at the door.

(ii) When the subject consists of two nouns or pronouns joined by ‘with’, ‘along
with’ or ‘as well as’, the verb agrees with the first one of the subjects.
For example:
 The captain, with all his men, was drowned.
 The house, with its furniture was burnt.
 Ashok, as well as Anil, likes tea.
 The master as well as his servant is guilty.

(iii) When two or more subjects in the singular are joined by or, nor, either… or, neither… nor, the verb is put
in the singular.
For example:
 Jack or Tom is to blame.
 Neither Raman nor Harry was present.
 Neither her mother nor her father likes tea.

NOTE:- But when the subjects joined by ‘or’, ‘nor’, ‘either…or’, ‘neither…nor’, are of different numbers or
persons, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it.
For example:
 My aunt or her children are arriving tomorrow.
 Either the boy or his parents have done this.
 Neither my aunt nor my uncle is arriving tomorrow.
 Either he or I am to blame.
(iv) If the subject is preceded by ‘each’, ‘every’, ‘either’, ‘neither’, ‘every one’, the verb is usually singular.
For example:
 Each of these boys is intelligent.
 Either of the two boys has done this.
 Every farmer, potter and blacksmith was present.
 Every boy and every girl was present.
(v) A collective noun may take a singular or a plural verb. If the collection is thought of as a whole the verb is
singular; if the individuals or members of the group are thought of separately, the verb is plural.
 For example:
 The committee has decided this – here ‘committee’ is thought of as a whole.

but
 The committee have decided this, means the members of the committee have decided this

Similarly
 The jury decides that you will be punished.

(vi) Some nouns which are plural in form but singular in meaning, take a singular verb;
For example:
 No news is good news.
(vii) When the plural noun is the name of something or a place, it takes a singular verb.

For example:
 The United States has a big army.
 The Arabian Nights is an interesting book.
(viii) When some special quantity or amount is considered to be one whole, the plural form generally takes a
singular verb.

For Example
 Eighty kilometres was covered in an hour.
 Ten kilograms of rice is required immediately.
(ix) Nouns like a pair of shoes, a pair of jeans are taken as singular and hence they use the singular form of
verb.

For Example:
 A pair of shoes is lying on the shelf.
 This pair of jeans is too tight for me.
(x) Fractions take a plural verb if the reference is to a number, but they take a singular verb if the reference is
to a quantity or amount.

For Example:
 Two third of the clothes in the closet are mine.
 Two fifth of her free time is spent in social work.

(xi) If two subjects are joined with not only … but also then the verb agrees with the latter subject.

For Example:
 Not only her parents but her sister also has contributed towards her success.
(xii) ‘None’ when refers to an amount or quantity takes a singular verb.

For Example:
 None of the work was done.

(xiii) None followed by plural noun or pronoun usually takes a plural verb.
Example:
  None of these movies have been released so far.
(xiv) Words like ‘much’, ‘more’, ‘little’, ‘less’ take a singular verb.

For Example:
 Little has been achieved so far.
 More than half the match is over.
 Much of my activity is over.
 they refer to amount or quantity.

For Example:
 A lot of time was wasted.
 Plenty of help was available.
(xvi) Phrases like ‘a lot of’, ‘a great- deal of’, ‘plenty of’ take a plural verb when they refer to number.

For Example:
 Lots of people are taking part in the race.
 Plenty of schools are closing on the 13th of May.
(xvii) The phrase ‘the majority of’ (refers only to number) takes a plural verb.

For Example:
 It being Sunday, the majority of shops are closed.
(xviii) Phrases like ‘a pair of shoes’, ‘a pair of scissors’ take a singular verb.

For Example:
 This pair of scissors is meant to cut only paper.
(xix) However, if we omit ‘a pair of’ and merely use the plural word, it takes a plural verb.
For Example:
 My shoes are lying under the bed.
 These scissors are meant to cut only paper.
EXERCISE
C1. Tick the correct option:
(i) My trousers (have/ has) gone to the laundry.
(ii) Not only your qualifications but your attitude also (is/ are) important for getting a good job.
(iii) A lot of books in the shop (deal/ deals) with child psychology.
(iv) Plenty of light (come/ comes) through this glass window.
(v) None of these buses (go/ goes) to the railway station.
(vi) The Prime Minister along with his cabinet ministers (believe/ believes) in strengthening ties with our
neighbours.
(vii) More than half the crowd (have/ has) already left.
(viii) A series of lectures (was/were) delivered on environmental pollution.
(ix) This pair of earrings (are/ is) simply exquisite.
(x) A majority of children in this school (belong/ belongs) to affluent families.
C2. Fill in the blanks choosing the correct option given in the bracket:
(i) __________ (is/ are) either of the twins singing in the competition?
(ii) Somya as well as Rachna __________ (is/ are) tall.
(iii) A large amount of money __________ (has/ have) been spent.
(iv) Most of the boys in our class __________ (like/ likes) to play football.
(v) Either Peter or his friends ___________ (has/ have) played this trick.
(vi) Each of these pens ___________ (cost/ costs) rupees ten.
(vii) A combination of colours ___________ (charm/ charms) the eye.
(viii) The quality of the apples ___________ (were/ was) good.
(ix) Each one of these houses ___________ (are/ is) to let.
(x) Neither he nor his parents ___________ (was/ were) present.
C3. Identify the incorrect sentences and correct them:
(i) The general as well as his staff were there.
(ii) Each of the children was given a packet of sweets.
(iii) The study of mathematics require brain.
(iv) Neither of these questions appear difficult.
(v) Pink and green is my favourite combination.
(vi) Lamb‟s tales are an interesting book.
(vii) Each boy and each girl was presented with a toy.
(viii) A thousand kilometres are a great distance.
(ix) One of those boys have stolen my pen.
(x) Two and two make four.
C4. In each of the following sentences, put the verb in agreement with its subject:
(i) Fire and water _____________ not agree.
(ii) Each first class ticket ____________ a hundred rupees.
(iii) That lady with her three children ____________ my neighbour.
(iv) Neither of us ____________ present there.
(v) Not one of you ____________ done this work properly.
C5. You have already learnt about subject-verb agreement. Read the following sentences write whether
they are true (T) or false (F).
(i) Subjects, like mathematics, statistics and physics, are singular.
(ii) Some abstracts nouns, like news and politics, take a singular verb.
(iii) Expressions that tell the amount of time, money, weight or volume take a singular verb.

(iv) Some nouns, like trousers, pants, shorts, scissors and pliers, except when mentioned as a pair, are
always plural and always take a plural verb.
(v) ‘Each’ and ‘every’ are singular quantifiers and therefore, take singular verbs.
(vi) When we use one singular noun and one plural noun in sentences with ‘either ….. or’ and ‘neither ….
Nor’, the verb is singular.
C6. Decide which of the following sentences are correct (√) and which of them are incorrect (×)
(i) No man or woman is free from faults. _________
(ii) Either you or he are mistaken . _________
(iii) Either the cat or the dog has eaten it. _________
(iv) Neither my friend nor I am to be blamed. _________
(v) Many a man have been ruined by drugs. _________
(vi) Neither of the two men was very strong. _________
(vii) Each one of the girls were given a prize. _________
(viii) Every boy and every girl are present in the class. _________
(ix) Our happiness or our sorrow are due to our own actions. ________
(x) The horse and carriage is at the door. _________
C7. Fill in the blanks so that the subject agrees with the verb.
(i) The horse and the carriage ____________ at the door.
(ii) Time and tide ____________ for none.
(iii) Fire and water ____________ not agree.
(iv) In him ____________ centered their love and affection.