SVA, or Subject Verb Agreement, is one of the most tested concepts in English grammar. Entrance exams like CAT, CLAT, GMAT, GRE, IELTS, TOEFL, Bank PO and NDA all test candidates on subject verb agreement rules – and even after clearing the objective section, the written aptitude test (WAT) that most top B-schools use will test writing skills and grammar instinct directly. SVA is one topic where a mistake stands out, so it’s worth brushing up on what tends to get left behind after school.
This post covers all 27 subject verb agreement rules, with subject verb agreement examples for each one, needed for entrance exam prep – with the logic behind every rule spelled out clearly.
What is Subject Verb Agreement?
Subject verb agreement simply means making the verb agree with the subject – using the right version of the verb so the sentence sounds and reads correctly.
For example, the verb ‘be’ has different forms – am, is, are – depending on whether the subject is he/she, they, you, or we. Anyone who reads a lot will likely find these come naturally. Even so, it never hurts to know the rules behind them.
1. Verb-number agreement
Singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs.
The list of to-dos was too long to handle.
The lists of to-dos were too long to handle.
Even an animal has its own territory.
Even animals have their own territory.
Exception: A plural verb is always required after ‘you’, even when it refers to just one person.
You were going to send over the document.
2. Rule for when the verb has ‘s’ at the end
An ‘s’ added after a noun indicates plural. But an ‘s’ after a verb indicates third person singular – meaning the sentence is in third person and the subject is singular.
She goes to the library every single day.
They go to the restaurant every day for their favourite dish.
3. The verb agrees only with the true, main subject
Not with an intervening plural object of a preposition, or any other intervening plural.
The box of Nestle’s chocolates is missing.
Here, the main subject is ‘box’, not ‘chocolates’ – so ‘is’ is correct, not ‘are’.
More examples:
His experience teaching young kids gives him a lot of understanding.
The prices of the new iPhone vary from country to country.
4. Subjects joined by ‘and’ are usually plural
His laptop and my iPad were stolen from the desk.
Chennai and Kolkata have very hot weather.
Exceptions to this rule:
- If two singular nouns connected by ‘and’ refer to the same person or thing, the verb stays singular.
My best friend and roommate is going to the US for a vacation.
Soup and bread is our Sunday breakfast.
- When two subjects connected by ‘and’ are preceded by ‘each’, ‘every’ or ‘many’, a singular verb is used.
Every chair, table and sofa – every single piece of furniture in the house – is up for auction.
Every man and woman in the store is requested to go through the security check.
5. Rule for ‘with, together with, along with, besides, as well as, including, in addition to’
Phrases like these don’t affect the number of the verb. If the main subject is singular, the verb stays singular; if plural, the verb stays plural.
The television, along with the cabinet, is to be sold.
Our chief competitor, as well as ourselves, is obliged to increase prices.
The decoration of the room, including all the paintings on the walls, is most pleasing.
6. Rule when both singular and plural subjects are present
If the subject is made up of both singular and plural words connected by ‘or’, ‘nor’, ‘either – or’, ‘neither – nor’ or ‘not only, but also’, the verb agrees with the nearer part of the subject.
Neither the quality nor the prices have changed.
Neither the prices nor the quality has changed.
Neither the salesman nor the buyers are in favor of the management system.
Neither the buyers nor the salesman is in favor of the management system.
7. Rule for ‘neither-nor’, ‘either-or’ and ‘or’
If the subject consists of two singular words connected by ‘or’, ‘neither-nor’ or ‘either-or’, the subject is singular and requires a singular verb.
Neither the laptop nor the phone was in working order.
Either January or February is going to be her wedding month.
8. Rule for nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning
Nouns like news, measles, mumps, physics, electronics, tactics and economics usually take singular verbs.
News is traveling faster than ever before.
Physics has fascinated many a hostel roommate for months.
Some nouns ending in ‘-ics’, such as athletics, statistics and politics, are singular when referring to an organised body of knowledge, and plural when referring to individual facts, qualities or activities.
Athletics provide good recreation. (various games)
Economics is an important subject for every field of study.
9. A linking verb agrees with its subject, not its complement
Excessive absences were the reason for his failure.
The reason for his failure was excessive absences.
10. Rule for nouns that have no singular form
Plural verbs are required for nouns with no singular form, such as proceeds, goods, ashes, remains, credentials and premises.
The proceeds of the magic show are to be given to the soldiers’ welfare fund.
The goods are being dispatched today by goods train.
Subject verb agreement for collective nouns
(Image source: Pinterest)
What are collective nouns?
A collective noun represents a group of persons, animals or things – audience, committee, company, council, army, police, society, board, department, cabinet, and so on. The following rules govern the verb form used with a collective noun.
11. When a group acts as a unit, the verb should be singular
The committee has agreed to submit its report on Friday.
The board of directors meets once a month.
The firm is one of the most reputed in the country.
The majority has made its decision.
12. When members of the group act separately, the verb should be plural
The teams are arguing over who should be captain (individual members are arguing).
The committee were not in agreement on the action to be taken.
The audience were cheering and laughing, even crying.
13. Company names may be singular or plural, depending on meaning
The plural form emphasises the individual people making up the company.
Mudra and Corporation have retained the goodwill of their customers.
The oil corporation is located at Nariman Point, Mumbai.
14. Rule for nouns expressing time, money or quantity
When periods of time, amounts of money or quantities are considered a single unit, singular verbs are used.
Rs 10 seems too much for the job.
3 months is too long a time to wait.
The number of board members is very small.
That Rs 1 lakh was an inheritance from my father.
Yes, 5m is ample for a suit.
15. After expressions like ‘one half of’, ‘two-thirds of’, ‘a part of’, ‘a majority of’
- Use a singular verb if a singular noun follows ‘of’.
A part of the office is closed.
Two-thirds of the mailing list has been typed.
A majority of 3,500 indicates his popularity in the constituency.
- Use a plural verb when a plural noun follows ‘of’.
Part of the walls are to be painted.
Two-thirds of our workers live in the suburbs.
The majority of our staff members live in villages.
16. Rule for ‘the number’ vs ‘a number’
‘The number’ has a singular meaning and takes a singular verb, while ‘a number’ has a plural meaning and takes a plural verb.
The number of board members is very small.
A number of board members were absent.
The number of orders still to be executed is estimated at nearly 100.
A number of our staff are going on leave.
17. Rule for sentences containing ‘one of’
- In the simple form ‘one of’ or ‘one of the’, a singular verb is used.
One of the reasons for his demotion is his carelessness.
One of the pens is missing from my desk.
- With ‘one of those who’ or ‘one of the things that’, a plural verb is required.
He is one of those managers who favor increasing the staff.
Here ‘favor’ agrees with ‘those’. In the phrase ‘one of those who’, ‘those’ is the plural object of the preposition ‘of’. In the subordinate clause ‘who favor’, the relative pronoun ‘who’ is the subject and must agree with its antecedent, ‘those’.
Mr Verma is one of our officers who is accompanying me.
He is one of our employees who are always alert.
However, when ‘only’ precedes ‘one of’ / ‘one of those’, a singular verb is used.
Ramesh is only one of our employees who is always alert.
Mr Verma is the only one of our officers accompanying me.
18. Rule for singular nouns with plural verbs
Certain collective nouns that are singular in form are always used in the plural sense and take a plural verb – gentry, cattle, poultry, offspring, and letters/characters of a script.
These poultry are ready for sale.
There are 26 letters in the English alphabet.
The cattle are grazing near the canal.
19. Nouns that are always singular
Certain nouns are always used in singular and followed by singular verbs – they don’t take on plural forms or plural verbs. Examples include hair, issue, advice, information, scenery, luggage, mischief, bread, abuse, furniture, land, business and machinery.
Her hair has turned grey now.
The scenery of Kasauli is beautiful.
Is there any information in this regard?
All the machinery is old.
All the furniture that was useless has been sold.
My luggage is lying at the bus stand.
A quick session on countable and uncountable nouns helps clear up a lot of this confusion.
Countable vs uncountable nouns
(Image courtesy: Juice Queen)
Countable nouns are the names of objects, people and so on that can be counted – book, pen, apple, boy, sister, doctor, horse.
Uncountable nouns are the names of things that can’t be counted – milk, oil, sugar, gold, honesty. They mainly denote substances and abstract concepts.
Countable nouns have plural forms and can be used with ‘a/an’. Uncountable nouns don’t have plural forms and can’t be used with ‘a/an’ – books works, but nobody says ‘milks’.
The following nouns are usually uncountable in English: advice, news, information, furniture, luggage, work, business, weather, traffic, scenery, paper, and bread. Most of these are countable in Indian languages, which is why Indian students often wrongly use them with ‘a/an’ and in the plural.
He gave me an advice. (Incorrect)
He gave me some advice. (Correct – or, a piece of advice)
The sceneries here are very good. (Incorrect)
The scenery here is very good. (Correct)
20. Each, every, either, neither
These words, used as pronouns or adjectives, are always singular and require singular verbs.
Each of them does have political ambitions.
Each employee is responsible for clearing their desk in the evening.
Neither of the boys is eligible for taking the examination.
Neither boy is eligible for selection.
Exception: If a parenthetical ‘each’ follows a plural noun or pronoun, the verb should be singular.
The members each feel their responsibility.
They each have their own problem.
10 each of these books is required.
21. All, any, many…
‘All’, ‘any’, ‘more’, ‘most’, ‘some’ may be singular or plural depending on meaning, and take verbs accordingly.
Some of the books seem too old.
Some of the food is not good. (food is a singular noun)
All the typing has been finished. (typing is an activity, can’t be plural)
All the reports have been typed.
Most of the goods have been sold.
Most of the stock has been sold, but more of these shirts are due. (stock is always singular)
22. Titles of books or magazines
These are considered singular and take singular verbs.
The Hindustan Times still has wide circulation.
The Shiva Trilogy is a best seller.
23. Words that are always singular
The following words, and their compounds, are always singular and require a singular verb: body (anybody, everybody, nobody, somebody), thing (anything, everything, nothing, something), one (anyone, everyone, no one, someone).
Something is wrong with him these days.
Everybody in the office has tickets.
Everyone is required to clear their dues.
Nobody knows the trouble seen so far.
No one is entitled to have their debts cancelled.
24. Rules for relative pronouns
A relative pronoun (who, which, that) establishes a relationship between two subjects. When used as a subject, it takes a singular or plural verb to match its antecedent.
Measles is among the diseases that are curable.
This is only one of the local papers that print a weekly horoscope.
A quick practice test
Directions for Questions 1 to 10: Correct the sentences using the appropriate countable/uncountable noun.
- The shops were offering a great discount on shirt and trouser.
- We went to very expensive restaurant last night.
- Nora doesn’t usually wear jewellery, but yesterday she wore bangle.
- Vivek has got to attend seminar tomorrow.
- We didn’t do very much shopping yesterday.
- We had nice day today.
- It was good suggestion.
- I’m optimist.
- How often do you visit dentist?
- Paris is capital of France.
Solutions:
- The shops were offering a great discount on shirts and trousers.
- We went to a very expensive restaurant last night.
- Nora doesn’t usually wear jewellery, but yesterday she wore a bangle.
- Vivek has got to attend a seminar tomorrow.
- We didn’t do much shopping yesterday.
- We had a nice day today.
- It was a good suggestion.
- I’m an optimist.
- How often do you visit the dentist?
- Paris is the capital of France.
So, how many were right? Working through subject verb agreement examples like these is really the fastest way to make the rules stick – it gets easier with practice and good reading.
For more entrance exam grammar prep, here’s a whole bunch of related posts covering everything needed to sharpen up for CAT, GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL, Bank PO, NDA and other competitive exams. None of it is as intimidating as it looks – a little practice every day goes a long way.
If more tips, tricks and grammar concepts would help, these are worth a look too:
- 50 Difficult Homonyms with Examples and Solutions
- 150 Common Mistakes in English Grammar
- Commonly Misspelled Spellings and Ways to Remember Them
It’s just a language. 🙂
Credits – source for grammar rules: Wren & Martin, and Thorpe (Objective English, Pearson Education).
![Akash Gautam Blog](https://akashgautam.com/wp-content/themes/Akash%20Gautam/images/blog-email.png")
