Category: General English

Today we will learn through this post what is Subject Verb Agreement?  I would like to tell you that Subject Verb Agreement is an important part of English grammar;

If you are preparing for any competitive examination, then it becomes more important to learn Subject Verb Agreement;  Because the questions related to it keep coming in the competitive examination;  So without further delay let us start learning ‘Subject Verb Agreement.’

Read and understand the ‘Subject Verb Agreement Definition, Rules and Exercises’ given here; I hope after reading this post; you will not say again what is Subject Verb Agreement?

Let us first of all know what is Subject Verb Agreement – The use of Verb according to the Number and Person of the Subject in any Sentence is called Subject Verb Agreement.

• If a Singular Subject is being used in the sentence, then Singular Verb will be used with it.
• On the other hand, Plural Verbs are used with Plural Subjects.

If you want to use Verb correctly in a sentence, then you must have correct identification of Singular or Plural Subject as well as Singular or Plural Verb;  Otherwise, you will keep making mistakes in the use of Subject and Verb;  Consider some of the examples given below carefully –

Singular Subject + Singular Verbs Examples

• I am a good engineer.
• You are my brother. 
• He writes a letter to me.
• She speaks English in the class.
• It is 3 O’clock.
• Ram reads a book daily in the morning.
• Ritu cooks food daily. 
• The bog goes to school.
• The girl studies at home.

Note: You pay attention – ‘I’ and ‘You’ are used in the form of Singular Subject;  But as an exception Plural verb is used with them;  Like – ‘am/was’ is used with I;  Also ‘Have, do, write, drink read’ etc.  is also used.

‘You’ is used with both Singular and Plural Subjects;  Always use Plural Verbs with it;  Some examples are given below.

Plural Subject + Plural Verb Examples :

• You have completed your projects before time.
• We read this book before sleeping.
• They watch this movie on Fridays.
• Ram and Shyam speak English in the class.
• The boys are standing out of class.
• The girls have learned all these chapters.

In all these sentences, Plural Verbs have been used with Plural Subject;  This coordination of Subject and Verb is called Subject Verb Agreement.

Learn Subject Verb Agreement With Rules And Examples

Here some rules and examples related to Subject Verb Agreement are being given;  Which you understand carefully.

Rule-1: If the Subject of a Sentence is a Singular Noun, then Singular verb will be used with it;  Consider the following example carefully –

• Ram is making me fool. 
• Suman tells a lie all day. 
• Father is working hard in the field.
• My mother is cooking in the kitchen.
• The teacher teaches us Math and English.

In all the sentences given here, Subject is a singular noun;  That’s why singular verbs have been used.

Rule-2: When the subject of the sentence is ‘I’, then you can use Singular verb or Plural verb with it;  Some examples are given below –

• I am a doctor.
• I was studying at home yesterday.
• I have lots of money. 
• I speak English at home.
• I talk to him on the phone.

In the sentences given here ‘am, was’ are singular verbs;  Whereas ‘have, speak, talk’ are plural verbs.

Rule – 3 : ‘You’ is used as Singular or Plural subject in a sentence;  And with it plural verb is used;  Some examples are given below –

• You are my best friend.
• You are a good engineer.
• You speak English at home. 
• You were playing for his team.

Rule – 4 : When ‘need not’ or ‘dare not’ is being used as an auxiliary verb in a sentence, then Singular or Plural Subject is used with it;  Some examples are given below; understand them carefully –

• She need not study in this college.
• I dare not talk to her.
• He dare not speak English before me.
• Rohan need not tell a story.
• Ram And Shyam dare not play here.
• Suman dare not come here alone.

Note: If all these sentences are converted into positive sentence, then ‘to’ will be used in place of ‘not’; And according to Singular subject ‘needs, dares’ will be used;  Some examples are given below –

• She needs to study in this college. 
• He dares to go there alone.
• Rekha needs to talk to me about this.
• Payal dares to come here alone.

If these Subjects become plural, then ‘s’ will not be used in ‘need and dare’;  As –

• I need to speak English here.
• You dare to do this work. 
• We need to complete this project today.
• Ram and Shyam need to take admission into this college.

Note – Sometimes in Negative sentence ‘doesn’t’ or ‘don’t’ can also be used according to the subject; in ‘need’ or ‘dare’ coming after it either way ‘s’ shall not be used;  Consider the given example carefully –

• He doesn’t need to go there with him. 
• I don’t dare to stay here alone. 
• She doesn’t need a car.
• I don’t need a book here

Subject-Verb Agreement Exercise – Find Out The Error Part Of The Following Sentences :

Ten miles ( 1 ) / are ( 2 ) / a long way ( 3 ) / to walk ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[ ‘is’ will be used in place of ‘are’;  Because whenever we use Cardinal Adjective + Plural Noun as Subject;  So Singular Verb is used with it;  That’s why ‘is’ will be used with Ten miles and not ‘are’.]

Neither my father ( 1 ) / nor my brother ( 2 ) / were able to teach me this subject ( 3 ) / during this examination ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[‘was’ shall be used in place of ‘were’; Because after ‘nor’ Singular noun – my brother has been used.]

If my boss ( 1 ) / approve ( 2 ) / I will go ( 3 ) / to America ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[ ‘approves’ will be used in place of ‘approve;  Because after ‘If’ Singular Subject – my boss has been used.]

Neither India nor Pakistan ( 1 ) / have yet acquired ( 2 ) / the capability to produce ( 3 ) nuclear weapons ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[ Singular noun – Pakistan is used after nor;  Therefore, according to this, ‘has’ will be used in place of ‘have’.]

You and I ( 1 ) / have taught ( 2 ) / each other ( 3 ) / for the last six years ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[‘have’ will be used in place of ‘has’;  Because the Subject of this sentence is ‘You and I’;  And it is working as a Plural Subject. ]

Read Some More Subject Verb Agreement Exercise :

My mother has been working ( 1 ) / in a bank ( 2 ) / in New Delhi ( 3 ) / for the past several years ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[In place of ‘have been’ ‘has been’ will be used;  Because the Subject of this sentence – ‘My mother’ is a singular subject.]

The Arabian Nights ( 1 ) / have ( 2 ) / lots of interesting stories ( 3 ) / for young readers ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[Use ‘has’ in place of ‘have’;  Because ‘The Arabian Nights’ is the name of a book;  It is a Singular Noun;  And accordingly a Singular verb will be used.]

Meatless Days’ ( 1 ) / have been ( 2 ) / made ( 3 ) / into a film ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[ ‘Meatless Days’ is used as a singular subject;  That’s why ‘has been’ will be used in place of ‘have been’.]

Every man , woman and child ( 1 ) / are now aware of ( 2 ) / the terrible consequence ( 3 ) / of the habit of smoking ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[Use ‘is’ in place of ‘are’;  Because ‘Every + Singular Noun + and + Singular Noun’ is being used as Subject, then Singular verb is used with it.]

Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels ( 1 ) / have been ( 2 ) / read by me ( 3 ) / several times ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[‘Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels’ is the name of a book;  Therefore it is a Singular Subject;  Singular verb will be used with it;  In place of ‘have been’ ‘has been’ will be used.]

Neither she ( 1 ) / nor his mother ( 2 ) / are interested ( 3 ) / in joining the party ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[After ‘nor’ Singular subject ‘my mother’ is being used; That’s why ‘is’ will be used in place of ‘are’.]

Some More Subject Verb Agreement Exercise :

My friends ( 1 ) / likes to eat ( 2 ) / chocolates ( 3 ) / rather than fruits ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[‘like’ shall be used in place of ‘likes’; Because the subject of this sentence – ‘My friends’ is the plural subject.]

Unless you ( 1 ) / study hard , ( 2 ) / you cannot ( 3 ) / succeed ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[‘study’ will be used in place of ‘studies’;  Because ‘you’ is used after ‘unless’.]

The climate ( 1 ) / of this city ( 2 ) / do not ( 3 ) / suit me ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[Use ‘does’ in place of ‘do’;  Because ‘The climate of this city’ is a singular subject.]

The teacher , along with ( 1 ) / the students ( 2 ) / were present for ( 3 ) / the annual day celebration ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[‘was’ will be used in place of ‘were’; Because the verb is used according to the subject coming before ‘along with’; You can see – Singular subject – ‘The teacher’ is used before ‘along with’.]

If you follow ( 1 ) / your father’s instructions ( 2 ) / you will get ( 3 ) / a suitable reward for that ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[‘follows’ will be used in place of ‘follow’;  Because this Sentence is ‘Conditional sentence’;  Singular Verb or Plural Verb both are used in this type of sentence; Here after ‘If’ Plural Subject – ‘You’ is used; Therefore according to this ‘Plural verb’ will be used.]

Rohini was ( 1 ) / one of those great daughters of India ( 2 ) / who has earned everlasting fame ( 3 ) / for scientific researches ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[‘have’ will be used in place of ‘has’;  Because ‘one of those great daughters of India’ is used before ‘who’; In which ‘daughters’ is Plural Noun; Therefore according to ‘daughters’ Plural verb will be used.]

If I was ( 1 ) / in her shoes ( 2 ) / I would have died ( 3 ) / with shame ( 4 ) / No error ( 5 )

[ This is a Suppositional sentence; That’s why Plural verb is used with Singular Subject;  That’s why ‘were’ will be used with ‘I’.]

Today, in this post, you will learn Articles A An The Rules With Examples; after reading this post, you can use articles in your own sentences –

Articles are an essential part of the English language that often confuse both native and non-native speakers. They can be tricky to use correctly, but mastering their usage is crucial for effective communication. In this blog post, we will delve into the rules of using articles (a, an, the) with clear examples to help you navigate this linguistic minefield with confidence.

Learn Articles A An The Rules With Examples

1. The Indefinite Articles: A and An

The indefinite articles – a and an – are used to refer to a non-specific or general noun. We use ‘a’ before words that begin with a consonant sound and ‘an’ before words that begin with a vowel sound.

For example:

• I saw a dog in the park.
• She is an amazing athlete.
• a car
• a dog
• a house
• a tree
• a university
• an apple
• an elephant
• an hour
• an honor

Here, ‘a dog’ refers to any dog, while ‘an amazing athlete’ refers to any athlete who is amazing. Remember, it is the sound that matters, not the actual letter at the beginning of the word.

A/an is used before singular nouns that refer to a person or thing for the first time. For example:

• I met a man yesterday.
• I bought an apple.

2. The Definite Article: The

The definite article ‘the’ is used to refer to a specific noun or when the noun is already known to the speaker and the listener. It can be used with both singular and plural nouns.

For example:

• I saw the dog that chased me yesterday.
• Let’s go to the beach this weekend.

The is used before singular and plural nouns that are specific or unique. For example:

• The car I bought yesterday
• The dog in the yard
• The house on the hill
• The tree in the middle of the road
• The university I go to
• The apples I picked from the tree
• The elephants at the zoo
• The hours I spent studying
• The honor of being your friend

The is also used before plural nouns that are general or abstract. For example:

• the people
• the animals
• the trees
• the hours
• the days
• the months
• the years
• the colors
• the shapes

Here, ‘the dog’ refers to a specific dog that the speaker and the listener are aware of, while ‘the beach’ refers to a specific beach that the speaker and the listener have in mind.

3. When Not to Use Articles

There are certain situations where articles are not required:

• Before uncountable nouns: I have milk in my fridge.
• Before most proper nouns: She visited Paris last year.
• Before the names of languages: I am learning French.

Remember, these are just general guidelines, and there may be exceptions. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with article usage.

Conclusion :

Articles may seem like a small part of the English language, but their correct usage can make a big difference in how effectively you communicate. By understanding the rules and practicing with clear examples, you can master the art of using articles and enhance your language skills. So, embrace these linguistic building blocks and let your words flow with confidence!

Read This Also : Simple Present Tense Examples For English Speaking Practice

In this post, you are going to learn ‘Letter writing’; If you follow our writing instructions; you can write a letter easily.

There are two kinds of letter writing : 

1. Formal Letters – This type of letter is written to school, college, institutions, companies etc.
2. Informal Letters – This letter is written to friends, parents, relatives, etc.

Parts Of Letters –

1. Headings – It is the first line of a letter; it is written down the right side of formal letters; and in Informal letters, it is written down the left side of the letter.

Examples – 

Formal Letter	Informal Letter
To, The Principal, DCV Intermediate College, Varanasi.	A-45, Alok Nagar,Agra.June 15, 2023
To, The Commissioner, Varanasi Nagar Nigam, Varanasi.	10, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow. July 10, 2023
To,The Editor, The Amar Ujala Press, Sikandra, Agra.	Gov. Girls HostleAgra. 5th March, 2003

2. The Salutation or Greeting – The writer should use the words which show the relation between him and the letter receiver.

• To a Relative – My dear Father, My dearest Brother, My dear Uncle, My dear Son, My dear Daughter etc.
• To a Friend – My dear Akhilesh, My dear Rohan etc.
• To a Business or a Stranger – Dear Sir, Dear Sirs, Dear Madam etc.
• To an Officer – Sir, Madam or Dear Sir.
• To Principal or Teacher – Sir, Madam etc.

3. The Body Of The Letter – This is the main part of a letter. It should be divided into proper paragraphs. It can be started like –

• I am happy to know. 
• I am in receipt of your letter.
• I received your letter yesterday.
• It has been a long time since I have heard from you.

4. The Subscription – The writer should use the following words at the ending point of the letter.

• To a Relative – Your loving, Your loving son, Your affectionately etc.
• To a Friend – Your sincerely, Sincerely yours, Your sincere friend etc.
• To a Businessman or Official – Your faithfully, Your sincerely etc.
• To an Officer – Your faithfully.
• To the Principal and Teacher – Your Obediently.

5. The Signature – The writer should sign the letter; and the address should be written on the envelope at the last.

Examples And Formats For Letter Writing

1. Examples for Informal Letter writing –

Letter to mother about examination result – Suppose, you are Rohan, living at government girls hostel, Agra. Write a letter to your mother about your half-yearly examination result.

Step – 1 : Write this paragraph at the right side of the letter – First line – Govt. Girls Hostel, Second line – Agra. Third line – 5th March, 2021

Step – 2 : Start your letter with greeting, like – My dear Mother,

Step 3 : Now write the body of the letter, like –

I could not receive your affectionate letter for a long time. I hope all must be well at home. The results of my half-yearly examination are out today. I am glad to tell you that I have secured good marks in almost all subjects. I am busy preparing for the annual examination.

I hope you will write to me soon with respect and love.

Step – 4 :  Now end your letter writing with the subscription, like – write this line at the right side of the bottom – Your affectionately, Second line – Your Name – Rohan

Letter to younger sister – You are Nilu Mishra, living at 1/25, Shahganj, Agra. Write a letter of advice to your younger sister who is preparing for the examination. ( Letter format will be the same as the first letter; only you have to change your address, name and the body of the letter.)

The body of this letter, like – Your examination is very near. I hope you will be very busy studying for the examination. I am going to give you a few pieces of advice to help you.

When you take your seat in the hall, don’t start writing at once. Read the paper carefully two or three times. Then select those questions which you can do best. 

Don’t use unfair means. I hope you will secure a good division in the examination.

Formal Letter Writing Formats Examples

1. To the Collector to impose a ban on Loud-speakers – Suppose, you are Namrata, preparing for a High School Examination. Write an application to the Collector (D.M.) Agra, drawing his attention to nuisances of loud-speakers and requesting him to ban this practice.

Start writing this letter from the left side – first line – ‘To’, Second line – ‘The district Magistrate’ Third line – ‘Agra’

Write The Body Of The Letter – Start with – Sir, Then write the second paragraph – I want to draw your attention to the nuisance caused by the use of loud-speakers. I am a student of Government Inter College, appearing at the high school examination of UP board. It is a time when all the students are busy day and night preparing for the coming board examination. 

Their success depends much on the proper use of the time and the concentration of their mind. But people do not feel consultation of students’ minds and the value of this time for them. 

They play their loud speaker on a very high pitch. I therefore request you to impose a ban on the use of loudspeakers. 

At the last of the letter – write down first line at the left side – Thanking you, and second line – 25th May 2001; and right side first line – Your faithfully, second line – Your name like – Namrata Mishra

Write An Application to the principal for issuing the transfer certificate – ( Letter format will be formal; only you have to change your name, school’s name, date and the body of the letter.)

The body of the letter – respectfully I beg to state that I was a student of your school. I have passed my high school examination this year. Now I have taken admission in DAV College for further education. I have to submit my transfer certificate there so I humbly request you to issue me my transfer certificate.

I hope, by reading this post, you have learned the kinds of letters, their writing formats and letter writing examples.

Read our next impressive article – What is Subject-Verb Agreement For Competitive Examination