Understanding Subject and Verb Agreement
In English, sentences need to be clear and correct, which means the subject (who or what the sentence is about) and the verb (the action or state) must agree with each other. Here’s a simple guide to help you understand how to use the correct subject and verb.
What Is Subject-Verb Agreement?
Subject-verb agreement means that the subject and the verb in a sentence must match in number. This means:
- Singular subjects (one person or thing) need singular verbs.
- Plural subjects (more than one person or thing) need plural verbs.
How to Use Subject and Verb Correctly
- Singular Subjects and Verbs
- Singular Subject: One person or thing. Example: “The cat is on the mat.”
- Cat is singular, so we use the singular verb is.
- Plural Subjects and Verbs
- Plural Subject: More than one person or thing. Example: “The cats are on the mat.”
- Cats is plural, so we use the plural verb are.
Simple Rules
- For Regular Singular Nouns: Use the verb form that ends in -s (e.g., is, runs).
- Example: “She runs every day.”
- For Regular Plural Nouns: Use the verb form that does not end in -s (e.g., are, run).
- Example: “They run every day.”
- When the Subject is “I” or “You” (singular or plural): Use am for “I” and are for “you”.
- Example: “I am happy.”
- Example: “You are happy.”
- When Using “He”, “She”, or “It”: Use the verb form that ends in -s (e.g., is, runs).
- Example: “She is a student.”
- When the Subject is “They” or “We”: Use the verb form that does not end in -s (e.g., are, run).
- Example: “We are students.”
Special Cases
- Collective Nouns: Words like team or family can be singular or plural depending on whether you think of them as one group or as individual members.
- Example (singular): “The team is winning.”
- Example (plural): “The team are arguing among themselves.”
- Compound Subjects: When a subject is made up of two or more things joined by and, use a plural verb.
- Example: “Tom and Jerry are friends.”
- Subjects Joined by or or nor: When subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the part of the subject closest to it.
- Example: “Neither the teacher nor the students were late.”
Tips & Tricks
- Identify the Subject: Find out who or what the sentence is about.
- Match the Verb: Choose the verb form that matches the number of the subject (singular or plural).
- Watch for Words in Between: Ignore extra words between the subject and the verb; they don’t affect the agreement.
- Example: “The book on the table is mine.” (Ignore “on the table”)
- Practice with Examples: Write your own sentences and check if the subject and verb agree.
By following these simple rules, you’ll be able to create sentences where the subject and verb agree, making your writing clear and correct!
Easy Difficulty Questions
- Fill in the blank: “The dog _ in the garden.”
a) runs
b) run
c) running - Which verb correctly matches with the subject “She”?
a) is
b) are
c) were - Choose the correct form: “The cat _ on the bed.”
a) sleep
b) sleeping
c) sleeps - Fill in the blank: “They _ to school every day.”
a) walks
b) walked
c) walk - What is the correct verb for “The teacher”?
a) teaching
b) teach
c) teaches - Fill in the blank: “The book _ on the shelf.”
a) is
b) are
c) be - Which sentence is correct?
a) The kids is playing outside.
b) The kids are playing outside.
c) The kids plays outside. - Choose the correct verb: “My brother _ soccer.”
a) play
b) plays
c) playing - Fill in the blank: “She _ her homework every day.”
a) does
b) do
c) doing - Which of these sentences is correct?
a) The apples is red.
b) The apples are red.
c) The apples are reds. - Choose the correct verb: “The sun _ in the sky.”
a) shine
b) shines
c) shining - Fill in the blank: “He _ to the store.”
a) go
b) goes
c) going - What is the correct verb for “The child”?
a) are
b) were
c) is - Fill in the blank: “We _ lunch at noon.”
a) have
b) has
c) having - Choose the correct verb: “My parents _ at home.”
a) is
b) are
c) am - Fill in the blank: “The car _ fast.”
a) goes
b) go
c) going - Which of these sentences is correct?
a) The teacher are nice.
b) The teacher is nice.
c) The teacher be nice. - Fill in the blank: “They _ in the park every weekend.”
a) plays
b) play
c) played - Choose the correct form: “The flower _ beautiful.”
a) look
b) looks
c) looking - Fill in the blank: “I _ a book.”
a) read
b) reads
c) reading
Medium Difficulty Questions
- Fill in the blank: “The children _ in the classroom.”
a) is
b) are
c) was - Choose the correct verb: “The company _ new products.”
a) create
b) creates
c) creating - Fill in the blank: “The dog _ every morning.”
a) bark
b) barks
c) barking - What is the correct verb for “The books”?
a) was
b) were
c) is - Fill in the blank: “The teacher _ a test next week.”
a) give
b) gives
c) giving - Choose the correct verb: “My friends _ soccer every weekend.”
a) play
b) plays
c) playing - Fill in the blank: “She _ a letter to her friend.”
a) writes
b) write
c) writing - What is the correct verb for “The students”?
a) are
b) is
c) was - Fill in the blank: “The cat _ on the chair.”
a) sit
b) sits
c) sitting - Choose the correct form: “The sky _ clear today.”
a) is
b) are
c) be - Fill in the blank: “She _ a beautiful dress.”
a) wears
b) wear
c) wearing - Which sentence is correct?
a) The boys runs fast.
b) The boys run fast.
c) The boys running fast. - Fill in the blank: “The dog _ to fetch the ball.”
a) run
b) runs
c) running - What is the correct verb for “The music”?
a) sound
b) sounds
c) sounding - Fill in the blank: “We _ to the park every Sunday.”
a) go
b) goes
c) going - Choose the correct verb: “My mother _ a cake.”
a) bakes
b) bake
c) baking - Fill in the blank: “The birds _ in the trees.”
a) sings
b) sing
c) singing - What is the correct form: “The movie _ interesting.”
a) was
b) were
c) is - Fill in the blank: “She _ her homework every evening.”
a) do
b) does
c) doing - Choose the correct form: “The flowers _ in the garden.”
a) grow
b) grows
c) growing
High Difficulty Questions
- Fill in the blank: “Neither the cat nor the dogs _ in the yard.”
a) is
b) are
c) were - Choose the correct form: “Either my brother or my sisters _ going to the concert.”
a) is
b) are
c) was - Fill in the blank: “The group of friends _ at the park every Saturday.”
a) meets
b) meet
c) meeting - What is the correct verb for “The committee”?
a) has
b) have
c) having - Fill in the blank: “The team _ practicing hard for the match.”
a) is
b) are
c) was - Choose the correct verb: “The pair of shoes _ new.”
a) is
b) are
c) was - Fill in the blank: “Neither the teacher nor the students _ aware of the change.”
a) was
b) were
c) are - What is the correct verb for “The class”?
a) is
b) are
c) was - Fill in the blank: “Everyone in the group _ working on the project.”
a) is
b) are
c) was - Choose the correct form: “The manager, along with his assistants, _ attending the meeting.”
a) is
b) are
c) were - Fill in the blank: “The news _ surprising to everyone.”
a) was
b) were
c) are - What is the correct verb for “The jury”?
a) is
b) are
c) was - Fill in the blank: “Neither the books nor the pen _ on the table.”
a) is
b) are
c) were - Choose the correct form: “Each of the students _ responsible for their own work.”
a) is
b) are
c) were - Fill in the blank: “The teacher, as well as the students, _ excited about the trip.”
a) is
b) are
c) was - What is the correct verb for “The couple”?
a) is
b) are
c) was - Fill in the blank: “Many of the houses _ painted recently.”
a) have been
b) has been
c) having been - Choose the correct form: “The pair of gloves _ missing from the drawer.”
a) is
b) are
c) were - Fill in the blank: “The manager, as well as the employees, _ responsible for the error.”
a) is
b) are
c) was - What is the correct verb for “The number of students”?
a) is
b) are
c) was
