What is Subject–Verb Agreement?
Singular subject → singular verb
Plural subject → plural verb
📗 RULES OF SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT
Rule 1: Singular Subject → Singular Verb | Plural Subject → Plural Verb
The boy plays cricket.
The boys play cricket.
Rule 2: "And" joins two subjects → Plural Verb
Ram and Shyam are friends.
(But if the two nouns refer to same person → singular verb)
The poet and philosopher is coming. (one person)
Rule 3: Subjects joined by or, nor, either…or, neither…nor
Verb agrees with the nearest subject
Either Rohan or his friends are coming.
Neither the students nor the teacher was present.
Rule 4: Words like each, every, everyone, anybody, someone
→ Always take a singular verb
Each student is ready.
Everyone has a ticket.
Rule 5: Collective nouns
Collective noun as a unit → singular verb
The team is winning.
Collective noun showing individuals → plural verb
The team are fighting among themselves.
Rule 6: Uncountable nouns → Singular verb
Water is precious.
Information is helpful.
Rule 7: Plural names that look singular → Plural verb
The United States is large.
Economics is my subject.
Mathematics is difficult.
(Though ending with ‘s’, they take singular verb)
Rule 8: Nouns with plural meaning but singular form
→ Singular verb
News is spreading.
Measles is dangerous.
Rule 9: “A number of” vs “The number of”
A number of students are absent. (plural)
The number of students is increasing. (singular)
Rule 10: Fractions/Percentages
Verb agrees with the object of the phrase
50% of the mango is rotten.
50% of the mangoes are rotten.
Rule 11: “One of the + plural noun” → Singular verb
One of the boys is missing.
Rule 12: Distance, weight, amount, sum → Singular verb
Five kilometers is a long walk.
Two thousand rupees is a big amount.
🎯 20 EMRS / NVS / KVS–Level MCQs on SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT
1. One of the players ___ injured.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
2. Neither the students nor the teacher ___ present.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is (nearest subject = teacher)
3. The news ___ good.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
4. A number of students ___ missing today.
a) is
b) has
c) are
d) was
✔ Correct: c) are
5. The number of participants ___ increasing.
a) are
b) have
c) is
d) were
✔ Correct: c) is
6. Either Meena or her sisters ___ coming.
a) is
b) are
c) was
d) has
✔ Correct: b) are (nearest subject = sisters)
7. Every boy and girl ___ present.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
8. Fifty rupees ___ not enough.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
9. The team ___ celebrating its victory.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
10. Each of the students ___ a notebook.
a) have
b) has
c) are
d) were
✔ Correct: b) has
11. The quality of these apples ___ good.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
12. Neither Ravi nor I ___ responsible.
a) is
b) are
c) am
d) have
✔ Correct: c) am (nearest subject = I)
13. Ten kilometers ___ a long distance.
a) are
b) was
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
14. The furniture ___ old.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
15. Some of the milk ___ spilled.
a) were
b) are
c) has
d) have
✔ Correct: c) has
16. Some of the students ___ absent.
a) has
b) have
c) is
d) was
✔ Correct: b) have
17. Bread and butter ___ my favorite breakfast.
a) are
b) have
c) is
d) were
✔ Correct: c) is (combined as a single dish)
18. The United Nations ___ working for peace.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
19. A bouquet of flowers ___ on the table.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
20. Many a student ___ confused.
a) are
b) were
c) is
d) have
✔ Correct: c) is
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