40 Rules of Subject-verb Agreement pdf
Here we share the top 40 Rules of Subject-verb Agreement with pdf format so guys please check these rules before going to face any interview these subject verb agreement class 10 mcq with answers are really help you.
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SUBJECT:- person, place, thing or idea that is doing or being something.
VERB:- Action performed by the subject or state of being.
EXAMPLE:-
Rony plays cricket regularly.
SUBJECT-VERB-AGREEMENT
For making a sentence grammatically correct, a verb must agree with it’s Subject in Number.
And when SUBJECT IS SINGULAR
- That monkey eats Banana.
- This car goes fast.
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SUBJECT IS PLURAL
- Those monkeys eat bananas.
- These cars go fast.
There are some important rules related to SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT.
Subject-Verb Agreement Rules
There are 12 subject-verb agreement rules. To be able to use subject-verb agreement correctly in a sentence, one must understand these rules.
1. A phrase or clause between subject and verb does not change the number of the subject.
Eg 1: A pride of lions drinks water from the pond.
Explanation: Here, the pride of lions is the prepositional phrase. The verb drinks agrees with pride not lions.
2.Presence of infinite pronouns as subjects.
- Singular indefinite pronoun subjects take singular verbs.
This condition applies to each, either, neither, someone, somebody, something, everyone, everybody, everything one, no one, nobody, nothing, anyone, anybody, anything.
Eg 1: Each student does homework on time.
Explanation: Here, infinite pronoun (each) is singular, so verb (does) is singular.
- Plural indefinite pronoun subjects take plural verbs.
This condition applies to several, few, both, many
Eg 2: Both children go to school together.
Explanation: Here, infinite pronoun (children) is plural, so verb (go) is singular.
- Some infinite pronouns may be either singular or plural like in case of countable or uncountable.
Eg 3: My hair is falling.
Explanation: Hair is uncountable, thus singular verb (is) has been used.
Eg 4: Some of the mangoes are raw.
Explanation: Mangoes are countable, thus plural verb (are) has been used.
3. Compound subjects joined by and are always plural.
Eg 1: A black pepper and chillies make food spicy.
Explanation: Black pepper and chillies are plural thus, the verb used (make) is plural.
4. With compound subjects joined by or/nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it.
Eg 1: Neither the teacher nor the students are happy with the announcement.
Explanation: Teacher and students (plural), thus the verb used (are) is plural.
5. Inverted Subjects: The subject and verb must be in agreement.
Eg 1: There is only one letter in the mail box.
Explanation: Since subject (letter) is singular, the verb used (is) is also singular.
6. Collective noun may be singular or plural depending on meaning or usage.
Eg 1: The Indian cricket team has been playing well in the current tournament.
Explanation: Here, the subject (Indian cricket team) is singular so the verb used (has) is singular.
Eg 2: The Indian cricket team members have been playing well in the current tournament.
Explanation: Here, the subject (team members) is plural so the verb used (have) is plural.
7. Titles of single units are always singular.
Eg 1: War and Peace is written by Leo Tolstoy.
Explanation: Here, the subject (book name War and Peace) is singular, thus verb used (is) is singular.
8. Plural form subjects
Plural form subjects with singular meaning always take a singular verb.
Eg 1: Physics has so many tough topics.
Explanation: Here, subject (Physics) has singular meaning, thus verb used (has) is singular.
Plural form subjects with singular or plural meaning take a singular or plural verb, depending on meaning.
Eg 1: Politics is an interesting topic to debate on.
Explanation: Here, the subject (politics) is used in singular term thus, the verb (is) used is single.
Eg 2: The politics of different countries are specific to their society.
Explanation: Here, the subject (politics) is used in plural form thus, the verb (are) used is plural
Plural form subjects with a plural meaning take plural verb.
Eg 1: My pink socks are wet.
Explanation: Here, the subject (socks) is in plural form thus, the verb (are) used is plural.
Eg 2: My pair of pink socks is wet.
Explanation: Here, the subject (pair) is in singular form thus, the verb (is) used is singular.
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9. In case of subject and subjective complement of different number, the verb always agrees with the subject.
Eg 1: My favourite food is burger and fries.
Explanation: Here, the subject (food) is in singular form thus, the verb (is) used is singular.
Eg 2: Burger and fries are my favourite food.
Explanation: Here, the subject (burger and fries) is plural thus, verb (are) used is plural.
10. For fractional expressions, sometimes singular and sometimes plural verbs are used, depending on the meaning.
Eg 1: A majority of the class 9 students was unhappy with extra class.
Explanation: Here, the fractional [removed]majority of the class 9 students) is the singular subject, thus verb (was) used is singular.
11. If the sentence has both positive and negative subjects and one is plural, the other singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject.
Eg 1: It is the implementation and not the ideas that is posing a problem.
Explanation: Here, the positive subject is (implementation) is singular, and negative subject (not the ideas) is plural, thus verb (is) used is singular.
12. In case of modifiers between a subject and its verb, modifiers must not confuse the agreement between the subject and its verb.
Eg 1: The doctor who was chosen among the group of professionals as the housing secretary, is not performing his responsibilities well.
Explanation: Here, the subject (doctor) is singular, thus the verb (is) used is singular.
- A verb must agree with its subject in number.
EX. : A book is on the table.
My books are on the table. - The number of a verb does not change when one or more phrases come between a verb and its
subject.
EX. : The box of grapes from Saratoga Farms was delivered today. - The words here, there, and where are not subjects. They introduce a sentence in inverted order. The
verb must agree with the subject of a sentence.
EX. : Here is the package of letters. - A singular verb must be used with the singular indefinite pronouns each, neither, either, anyone,
everyone, no one, someone, anybody, everybody, nobody, somebody, anything, everything, nothing,
and something.
EX. : Neither of the houses is worth much.
Everyone is bringing his own car. - A singular verb must be used with the pronouns all, none, most, and enough if they mean how much;
a plural verb, if they mean how many.
EX. : Some of the planes are ready.
Some of the food is delicious. - Some subjects, although they appear plural, are singular in meaning and take a singular verb.
EX. : The news seems more and more depressing every day.
Measles is the only childhood disease I haven’t had. - A singular verb is generally used after works denoting an amount (time, money, measurement,
weight, volume).
EX. : Three weeks is a long vacation.
Two weeks was all the vacation he got. - A singular verb is generally used after a collective noun. If the individuals of a group act separately,
however, a plural verb must be used.
EX. : The jury was out an hour only.
The team have received their letters. - When the conjunction and connects the parts of compound subjects, the verb is generally plural.
However, if the subject is preceded by each, any, or every, the verb will be singular.
EX. : My mother and father are old.
Each mother and father was recognized at the meeting. - When the conjunction or, nor, either…or, or neither…nor connect the parts of a compound subject,
the verb will agree with the subject closer to it.
EX. : Either rain or snow is falling all over the state.
Neither titles nor honors are everlasting.
Neither the general nor his men are at the fort.
Either the apples or the large orange is for Jack.
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