
Grammar Classroom.com
Subject Verb Agreement
Subject verb agreement is the matching the correct form of verb with the subject. It means if the subject is singular verb should be singular and if the subject is plural verb has to be plural.
Example :-
-
He is an engineer.
-
The children are playing in the garden.
-
I am watching movie.
-
You will do this on Sunday.
-
We were playing football.
For better understanding watch subject verb agreement video
MORE ABOUT SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT
RULES OF SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT
SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT
SUBJECT
The subject is a person/thing that is being described in a sentence.
VERB
The verb in a sentence is an action that the subject does.
AGREEMENT
We use singular verb with singular subject and plural verb with plural subject.
Rules of Subject Verb Agreement
Rule 1:- Most of the nouns are made plural by adding 's' at the end of the nouns and most of the verbs are made singular by adding 's' at the end of the verbs.
For example :-
-
The student reads a book.
-
The students read the books.
Note :- I and You are the exceptions , they don't make use singular form of verb though they are singular.
For example :-
-
I go for walk everyday.(singular subject 'I' plural verb 'go')
-
You run five miles daily.(singular subject 'you' plural verb 'run')
For better understanding watch subject verb agreement video
Rule 2:- If two subjects are connected by 'and' we should use plural verb.
For example :-
-
This bag and the books are mine.(plural verb- are)
-
Riya and Priyanka are best friends.(plural verb- are)
-
The chocolate cake and the Vanilla ice-cream are my favorite.(plural verb- are)
-
He and his brother like to play cricket.(plural verb- like)
For better understanding watch subject verb agreement video
Rule 3:- When the subject is separated from the verb by such words as 'along with' or 'as well as' we should use a singular verb when the subject is singular.
For example :-
-
The teacher along with the students enters the classroom.(singular subject- teacher ; singular verb- enters)
-
The students along with the teacher enter the classroom.(plural subject- students ; plural verb- enter)
-
The little boy as well as his father is going to the market.
-
My friends as well as my sister are playing.
For better understanding watch subject verb agreement video
Rule 4:- If one subject is singular and the other subject is plural the verb should agree to the subject closer to it.
For example :-
-
Neither she nor her sisters like to play cricket.
-
Neither her sister nor she likes to play cricket.
-
The boy or his friends play football.
-
His friends or the boy plays football.
For better understanding watch subject verb agreement video
Rule 5:- Agreement of auxiliary verb with the subject should be as follows:-
Subject
Auxiliary Verb
First Person - I (singular noun)
We(plural noun)
am/have/was/had/will
are/have/were/had/will
Second Person - You (singular/plural noun)
are/have/were/had/will
Third Person - He/She/It
(singular noun)
They(plural noun)
is/has/was/had/will
are/have/were/had/will
For example :-
-
I am buying a sports car.
-
Yesterday we were going to the zoo.
-
They will play cricket.
-
He is doing his work.
For better understanding watch subject verb agreement video
Fill in the blanks with the correct verbs.
1)- My brother ...... (is/are) playing football with his friends.
2)- I ..... (have/has completed my work.
3)-We .....(is/are) going to the zoo on Sunday.
4)-Neither he nor his sister .....(like/likes) to drink milk.
5)-Fruits ..... (are/is) healthy option in breakfast.
6)-Our class teacher ....... (will/shall) take us to the computer lab on Monday.
7)-I .....(will/shall) go to Mumbai next month.
8)-My teacher ...... (has/have) completed full portion for exam.
9)-His friends ......( are/is) waiting for him to play.
10)-He along with his friends ......(play/plays) baseball.