Subject-Verb Agreement in English Grammar
Website: Open Gateway Tamil
What is Subject-Verb Agreement?
Subject-Verb Agreement refers to the rule that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. This means:
- A singular subject takes a singular verb.
- A plural subject takes a plural verb.
Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement
- Singular subjects take singular verbs:
Example: The dog barks. - Plural subjects take plural verbs:
Example: The dogs bark. - When the subject is separated from the verb by a phrase or clause, the verb agrees with the main subject:
Example: The boy, along with his friends, is playing. - Subjects joined by "and" usually take a plural verb:
Example: John and Mary are coming. - Subjects joined by "or" or "nor" agree with the subject closest to the verb:
Example: Either the teacher or the students are responsible. - Indefinite pronouns (e.g., everyone, nobody) take singular verbs:
Example: Everyone is excited. - Uncountable nouns take singular verbs:
Example: Water flows freely.
Examples of Subject-Verb Agreement
- The cat runs quickly. (Singular subject: cat, Singular verb: runs)
- The children play in the park. (Plural subject: children, Plural verb: play)
- Each of the books is on the shelf. (Indefinite pronoun: each, Singular verb: is)
- Neither the manager nor the employees have arrived. (Closest subject: employees, Plural verb: have)
Common Errors and Corrections
- Incorrect: The list of items are on the table.
Correct: The list of items is on the table. - Incorrect: The team are winning.
Correct: The team is winning. (Team is treated as a singular entity) - Incorrect: Either the boys or the girl are responsible.
Correct: Either the boys or the girl is responsible.
Quick Reference Table
| Subject | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | Singular Verb | The cat jumps. |
| Plural | Plural Verb | The cats jump. |
| Indefinite Pronoun | Singular Verb | Everyone is happy. |
| Uncountable Noun | Singular Verb | Milk is fresh. |
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