Tutorial Sheet for Subject Verb Agreement

1.
2.
3.
4.

The news from the front______________ (be) bad.

Neither the teacher nor the students________________ (want) to use this book.
(be)_________________ either my brothers or my father responsible?
As most sports magazine can attest, playing sports such as tennis and basketball
_____________ (require) not only mental ability but also physical strength.
5. That Shakespeare was an one of the most talented writers___________(be) an
understatement to those who are really familiar with the field of literature.
6. There is a lot of diversity amongst people, and Susan Fiske, a social psychologist from
Princeton, _________ (say) social cognition of people________________(Vary) along
predictable dimensions and so _________(do) the extent to which we humanize or
dehumanize other people.
7. The department members but not the chair___________(have) decided not to teach on
Public holidays.
8. It was the debater, not his ideas, that__________(have) provoked the students to riot.
9. Okies, which most people regard as a disproving word, ___________(be) first used to
describe the residents of Oklahoma during the 1930s.
10. Fifty percent of the students___________ (have) voted already.
11. Each of the students_____________(be) responsible for doing his or her work in the
library.
12. The politician, along with the newsmen, ______________(be) expected shortly.
13. A car and a bike_____________(be) my means of transportation.
14. Neither the servants nor the master____________ (read) books.
15. Karan________(be) one of the candidates who_________(be) worthy of becoming
Bhavan Secretary.
16. Amrita, of all the candidates who are running for the post of Mess secretary,
_________(be) the best.
17. Breaking and entering ______________(be) against the law.
18. The situation of unemployment in Nicaragua is grim. Approximately, a little below a
third of the people___________(be) unemployed. The situation in small
towns_______(be) even worse as compared to the cities. A fourth of Ciudad
Sandino_________(be) unemployed.
19. Suzanne and Rajdeep__________(be) planning to part ways. They______(do) not get
along with each other. Plus, the couple____________(disagree) about the best way to
deal with their only child, Sunaina, who__________(have) been failing her exams
semester after semester.
20. Ravan and Eddie ___________ (be) an extremely funny novel about two larger than life
heroes and their adventures in Postcolonial urban India.
21. Many of the headlines in The Times of India today__________(seem) hard to understand
or believe.
22. A duck, three dogs, and a pig_______ (be) among the participants in the pet parade.
23. Next to the cash register________(be) jars for donations for the earthquake victims.
24. A catalog of courses and requirements often______________ (confuse) students.

25. Not only the students but also the teacher _____________(be) confused by the course
material.

Circle the correct verb in the following sentences

26. Sheep is/are grazing in the fields.
27. Neither his father nor his mother is/are alive.
28. The Arabian Nights is/are still a great favourite.
29. One or the other of those fellows has/have stolen the watch.
30. The United States has/have a big navy.
31. The committee has appended a note to its/their report.
32. Justice, as well as mercy, allow/allows it.
33. The horse and carriage is/are at the door.
34. The rise and fall of the tide is/are, due to the lunar influence.
35. Either you or Maria was/were late for the class. Either Maria or you was/were late for
the class.
36. Every one of the boys love/loves to ride.
37. Many a man has/have done so.
38. Each of these substances is/are found in India.
39. Three parts of the business is/are left for me to do.
40. Fifteen minutes is/are allowed to each speaker.

Answer Key
1.
2.
3.
4.

Is
Want
Are
Requires

5. Is
6. Says, varies, does
7. Have
8. Has
9. Was
10. Have (Reason: Numerical expressions are usually singular, but can be plural if the
individuals within a numerical group are acting individually)
11. Is
12. Is
13. Are
14. Reads
15. Is, are
16. Is
17. Is
18. Are, is, is
19. Are, do, disagree, has been
20. Is
21. Seem
22. Were
23. Were (Note: The subject is jars, which is plural, so the verb must be plural. Next to the
cash register is a prepositional phrase. The object of a preposition (cash register) can
never be the subject of the sentence. The correct verb is were).
24. Confuses
25. Is (Note: The subject is students and teacher. Teacher, which is closer to the verb, is
singular, so the verb must be singular. The correct verb is is.
26.

27. are
28. is
29. is
30. has
31. has
32. its
33. allows
34. is
35. is
36. was, were
37. loves
38. has
39. is
40. is
41. is (Help: Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.)