What Is Subject Verb Agreement, Learn With Exercises, Rules

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’.]