Subject
Verb Concord (Agreement)
- Subject Verb Agreement refers to that a verb agrees with its subject in number (singular/plural) and in person (I/you/he/she/they/it).
- In simple words we may say that singular subject and plural subject takes plural verb.
- Certain rules need to be taken care while using verb in a sentence:
1. Singular subjects (noun/pronoun)
take singular verb.
e.g. He is an honest employee.
Roja dances gracefully. (V1+s/es – dance+s
is singular verb)
2. Plural subjects take (noun/pronoun)
take plural verb.
e.g. They are not playing in the ground.
My friends
love me a lot. (v1 without s/es – love is plural
verb)
3. Has is used singular subject.
e.g. Adam has performed better than everybody else.
The politician
has not answered my questions in his speech.
4. Have is used with plural subject.
e.g. My friends have agreed
to come with me to cinema.
They have been
scolded for stealing my book.
5. Use of ‘with/as well as/along with/together
with’ with two subjects – the verb will be used according to first subject.
e.g. Mohan with his
friends has gone to watch a movie.
The captain
along with his team members has reached
the harbour safely.
Teachers as
well as the students were not happy with
the performance.
6. Use of ‘and’ with two subjects – the
verb will be plural.
e.g. Rakesh and
his friends have gone to market.
Rustam and
Sohrab were Persian heroes.
My sister and
I are good dancers.
7. Two subjects together expressing
one idea – singular verb is used.
e.g. Milk and bread is
a wholesome food.
Slow and
steady wins the race.
Time and
tide waits for none.
8. with ‘each’ and ‘every’ – singular
verb and singular subject
e.g. Every child is special.
Each
guest has got the gift.
9. Use of ‘or/nor’ – verb will be
used according to last subject. In case of two subjects of different numbers
plural subject will be placed close to verb.
e.g. Rahul or his friends
have done it.
No nook or corner
was left unexplored.
10. Use of either, neither,
either-or, neither-nor – verb according to last subject.
e.g. Either Ram or Hari
has stolen my book.
Neither he nor his brothers have met me.
11. When two subjects joined by ‘or/nor’ are
of different persons, verb agrees with the one nearest to it.
e.g. Either he or I am mistaken.
Neither you nor he is to blame.
12. A collective nouns, pairs and subject’s
name with ‘s’ are singular subjects hence, take singular verb
e.g. The fleet has set
sail.
The mob has dispersed.
Mathematics
is my favourite subject.
This news
seems to be a fictional story.
Politics is not my cup of tea.
13. if two subjects are connected
with ‘of/one of/none of’, verb agrees with first subject.
e.g. One of my
cousins lives in USA.
Some
of the bananas were rotten.
A large
number of students have scored above 90%
in the test.
None of
the boys was awarded for full attendance.
14. Some nouns are always used in
plural form and take plural verb even when they refer to one thing.
e.g. Tongs are used
to make chapati.
My trousers
cost Rs. 2000.
The
pair of scissors is blunt.
15. Collective noun may be singular or plural
depending on whether the individual members are acting individually or
collectively such as COMPANY, GROUP, COMMITTEE, CROWD, JURY...
e.g. The
committee is against the plan. (acting collectively - singular)
The committee are divided on this agenda. (acting individually - plural)
16. When the
indefinite pronouns SOME, MOST and NONE are used in a sentence, the verb will
be used according to the second object which is close to the verb.
e.g. Some of
the girls were absent.
Some of the ice-
cream is left.
17. When
fractions are used, the verb agrees with the object of the PHRASE.
e.g. One half of the cake
was consumed.
18. When two qualities or posts refer
to one person or one thing denoted by single article/determiner, the verb will
be singular.
e.g. The CEO
of the company and manager is here.
The speaker and the poet are dead.
Video on Subject verb agreement practice
Exercise 1. ( Fill the gaps)
a. What ………………
the news on TV today? (is/are)
b. Neither
of the girls ……………………… comfortable here. (is/are)
c. A series
of lectures …………………been arranged by the university. (has/have)
d. The notorious
dacoit with his men …………. escaped into the jungle. (have/has)
e. None of
the proposals he submitted ………………… interesting. (seems/seem)
f. That
night each of the boys ……………….. down with fever. (was/were)
g. Five thousand rupees ..................... an expensive price for this dress. (is/are)
h. The cost of these articles ....................... risen. (has/have)
Exercise 2. (correct the errors)
g. Five thousand rupees ..................... an expensive price for this dress. (is/are)
h. The cost of these articles ....................... risen. (has/have)
Exercise 2. (correct the errors)
a. Neither Harry nor Sally have submitted the project.
b. The students as well as the teacher is here.
c. She is one of the persons who knows the matter.
d. Shakespeare was one of the greatest dramatists who has ever lived.
e. The students or their teacher have written this.
f. The scholar and the poet is here.
b. The students as well as the teacher is here.
c. She is one of the persons who knows the matter.
d. Shakespeare was one of the greatest dramatists who has ever lived.
e. The students or their teacher have written this.
f. The scholar and the poet is here.
Answers:
Ex. 1
a. is
b. is
c. has
d. has
e. seems
f. was
g. is
h. has
Ex. 2
a. Neither Harry nor Sally has submitted the project.
b. The students as well as the teacher are here.
c. She is one of the persons who know the matter.
d. Shakespeare was one of the greatest dramatists who have ever lived.
e. The students or their teacher has written this.
f. The scholar and the poet are here.
a. Neither Harry nor Sally has submitted the project.
b. The students as well as the teacher are here.
c. She is one of the persons who know the matter.
d. Shakespeare was one of the greatest dramatists who have ever lived.
e. The students or their teacher has written this.
f. The scholar and the poet are here.
No comments:
Post a Comment