Subject Verb Agreement Rules

Readers,
Here given ten rules of subject verb agreement which will help you to understand the errors in sentences.
In any sentence the use of verb according to subject’s number and person is called verb agreement.

1. He comes (If Subject ‘Singular’ then Verb ‘Singular’)
2. They come (If Subject ‘Plural’ then Verb ‘Plural’)

It is important to understand singular and plural for use of right form of verb.

Singular Verb	Plural Verb		Singular Verb	Plural Verb
			V1 + s/es (plays, goes etc.)	V1 (play, go etc.)

The difference between Verb and noun.

Noun + s/es -> Plural noun ( With s/es noun becomes plural)

Verb + s/es -> Singular Verb ( With s/es verb becomes singular)

Rule 1

If two Subjects use with ‘and’ then Plural Verb will use.

e.g. Ram and Shyam are coming.

Rule 2

If two or more than two Nouns or adjectives use with and but they use only for one person, then Singular Verb will use.

My friend, philosopher and guide have come. (change ‘have’ to ‘has’)

Slow and steady win the race. (change ‘win’ to ‘wins’)

Fish and chips is my favourite dish. (Correct)

Note - i) If two uncountable nouns use with ‘and’, and act as subject then plural verb will use. e.g.

Poverty and misery come together. (Correct)

Rule 3

If two subjects add with “as well as, with, alongwith, together with, and not, in addition to, but, besides, except, rather than, accompanied by, like, unlike, no lessthan, nothing but” then verb will use according to first subject. e.g.

1. Ram as well as his parents iscoming.
2. The captain along with the sailors wasdrowned.
3. My father unlike my uncles isvery strict.

Rule 4

If use of Article only with 1^st Subject then it means only one man or object. So Singular Verb will use. e.g.

1) A white and black gown was bought by her.

2) Churchil was a great orator and a great politician of his time. (Incorrect)

    Churchil was a great orator and politician of his time. (Correct)

But if use of Article with every Subject means different subjects and objects. So use Plural Verb. e.g.

The director and the producer have come. (Correct)

If two subject add with ‘neither….nor, either…..or, not only….but also, nor, or and none-but,’ then verb will be according to nearest subject. e.g.

1. Neither Ram nor Shyam has come.
2. Either Ram or his friends have come.
3. Has Ram or Shyam come?

Rule 6

‘Neither of’….means ‘no one from two’.

‘none of’….means ‘no one from more than two’.

Example :-

Neither of his four sons looked after him. (Incorrect)

None of his four sons looked after him. (Correct)

Either of…. Means one out of two.

One of…. Means one out of more than two.

Either of the five members is at fault. (Incorrect)

One of the five members is at fault.(Correct)

Note:- With Both not cannot use because for ‘no one from two’ neither of will use.

Both of them did not take the exam. (Incorrect)

Neither of them look the exam. (Correct)

Rule 7

Some noun by form its plural, but by meaning it is singular. With this we use singular verb.

1) Measles, Mumps, Rickets etc.

2) Billiards, Darts, Draughts etc.

3) The United States, The West Indies, etc.

4) The Arabian Nights, Three Musketeers etc.

5) Physics, Economics, Civics, Statistics, Pol. Science etc.

1) Mathematics is an interesting subject.

2) Politics is not my cup of tea.

Note- If Statistics use as data, Mathematics use as Calculation and Politics use as Political views then its use will be plural. e.g.

Statistics have revealed multiple scams in the organization of commonwealth games.

Rule 8

In a sentence a verb is according to the main subject. We usually place it with according to its nearest subject, but it is wrong. e.g.

1) The quality of apples is good.

2) He and not his parents is guilty.

3) The appeal of the victims for the transfer of the cases related to riots to some other states has been accepted.

RULE-9

With Collective noun always use Singular Verb.

1) The herd of cows is grazing in the field.

2) The committee has unanimously taken its decision.

Note:- But if there is some problem in Collective Noun or each person is mention then use plural verb.

1) The jury are divided in their opinion.

2) The audience have taken their seats.

Rule 10

With plural number, plural verb use. e.g.

Hundred boys are in my class.

Note:- If after cardinal adjectives (one, two, three, four,… etc.) plural noun use and with plural noun shows certain amount, certain weight, certain period, certain distance, certain height then singular verb will use. e.g.

1. Hundred rupees is in my pocket.
2. Ten mules is a long distance to cover on foot.

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