Earn Online (2) English (10) Java (7) Money (1) Money Online (1) Script (2) Trending (7)

Subject Verb Agreement Examples


Rule 1: If a subject is singular, its verb must also be singular.

Example: My brother lives in Delhi. Therefore, in this example, brother is a singular subject, hence its verb lives is also singular.
Let's take some examples:

1. A boy is in the laboratory.
2. My father wears glasses.
3. Komal is at home.
4. A boat floats.

In the above example: boy, father, Komal and boat are singular subjects. Therefore, their respective verbs: is, wears, is and floats are also singular.


Rule 2: If a subject is plural, its verb must also be plural.

Example: My brothers live in Delhi. Therefore, in this example, brothers is a plural subject, hence its verb live is also plural.

Some more examples are:

            1. Boys are in the laboratory. 
2. Fruits are good for health.
3. Toddlers cry when they are hungry.
4. Boats float.

Note: In the present tense, nouns and verbs form plurals in opposite ways. Nouns form plural by adding -s to its singular form and verbs form singular be adding -s to its base form.


Rule 3: When two or more subjects are connected by and then they require a plural verb.

Examples:

1. Yogesh and Komal are at home.
2. My mother, father, brother and sister live in Delhi.


Rule 4: Words such as Every and Each always take singular nouns. In this case, when there are two or more nouns connected by and, the verb is singular.

Examples:

1. Every man and women is protected under law.
2. Each boy and girl in the tenth-grade class has to do a project.
3. Every boy and girl is present.
4. Each boy and girl has his or her own locker in the gym.


Rule 5: Gerunds (verb + -ing) used as the subject of the sentence take a singular verb.

Examples:

1. Eating vegetables is good for health.
2. Watching comedy movies is fun.
3. Getting to know people from different countries is one of the best parts of my job.


Rule 6: Words such as one of, each of and every one of take singular verbs.
one of, each of, every one of  + plural noun = singular verb

Examples:

1. One of my friends is coming to visit me.
2. Each of the girls in the class is present.
3. Every one of the students in the class is present.

Rule 7: None of when used as a subject takes a singular verb.

Examples:

1. None of the story is interesting.
2. None of the stories is interesting.
3. None of the girls is present.
4. None of the furniture is broken.

Rule 8: In most of the expressions, the verb is determined by the noun or pronoun that follows of.

some of + singular noun = singular verb
some of + plural noun = plural verb
a lot of + singular noun = singular verb
a lot of + plural noun = plural verb
two-thirds of + singular noun = singular verb
two thirds of + plural noun = plural verb
most of + singular noun = singular verb
most of + plural noun = plural verb

Examples:

1. Some of the fruit is rotten.
2. Some of the bananas are rotten.
3. A lot of that movie is funny.
4. A lot of movies are funny.
5. Two-thirds of the furniture is broken.
6. Two-thirds of the girls are here.
7. Most of the movie is funny.
8. Most of the movies are funny.


Rule 9: When words such as the number of and a number of  is used then:
The number of + plural noun = singular verb

Example:

1. The number of computers in my company is thirty.
2. The number of employees in my company is eighty.
                
When a number of means a lot of then it is followed by a plural noun and a plural verb.

Examples:

1. A number of employees are on leave today.
2. A number of shops are closed today.


Subject Verb Agreement Examples Subject Verb Agreement Examples Reviewed by Komal Ganjoo on February 26, 2017 Rating: 5

Popular Posts