Chapter 11 – SUBJECT –VERB AGREEMENT

In a sentence, the subject must always agree with the verb.

 A singular subject takes a singular verb.
 A plural subject takes a plural verb.

1. A singular subject takes a singular verb.

 The box is heavy.
box – Singular Subject
is – Singular Verb

 The girl tries on a hat.

girl – Singular Subject
tries – Singular Verb

2. A plural subject takes a plural verb.

 The boxes are heavy.
boxes – Plural Subject
are – Plural Verb

 The girls try on some hats.

girls – Plural Subject
try – Plural Verb

3. Uncountable nouns take singular verbs.

 The milk is cold.
 The wind blows his hat away.

4. Collective nouns usually take singular verbs. However, if the collective noun is plural, it
takes plural verb.
 This pair of shoes is clean.
 Several pairs of shoes were missing.

5. In order to determine whether the verb is singular or plural, we must look carefully at the
subject. It is wrong to make the verb agree with a noun near it because that noun may not be
the subject.
 This basket of fruits is very heavy.
(The subject is basket, not fruits.)
 The books on the table are mine.
(The subject is books, not table.)

6. When a sentence has two subjects, one singular ang the other plural, two different verbs that
agree with the subjects should be used.
 He is good in English but his sisters are not.
 The girls were given dolls and the boy was given a book.

7. When each comes before a noun or a pronoun, the sentence takes a singular verb. When
each comes after a noun or a pronoun, the sentence takes a plural verb.
 Each boy has a bicycle.
 Each of them has a bicycle.
 The boys each have their own bicycles.

8. Always singular – everybody, nobody, somebody, anybody, one, everyone, no one,

someone, anyone, everything, nothing, something, anything, many a, much, a little, less
 Everyone is glad.
 Many a boy has dreamt of becoming an astronaut.
 Something is moving under the bushes.
 Some things are better left unsaid.
9. Always plural – both, a few, several, many
 Both are in the box.
 A few were left in that box.

10. The following word can be singular or plural – all, any, a lot, enough, more, most, none and
some. When they are used to mean countable nouns, they take plural verbs. When they
are used to mean uncountable nouns, they take singular verbs.
 All of the meat is for lunch.
meat – Uncountable Noun

 All of these books are new.

books – Countable Noun

 Any of this cloth is fit for use.

cloth – Uncountable Noun

 Any of these pens are fit for use.

pens – Countable Noun