Subject Verb Agreement

The following rules should be observed:

1. The following subjects are Singular and always take Singular verbs.

Examples:

1. Anything is possible.
2. No one was present in the class yesterday.
3. Neither of the students has arrived.
4. Each of us knows the answer.

Exception:

The rule for neither…….nor and either……or is a bit different( We have to look after nor or or. If the subject is Singular, the verb is Singular. If the subject is plural the verb is plural.)

Neither…….nor + noun + verb

Either …… or + noun + verb

Neither she nor her friends have failed the exam.

Either he or his father is to appear before the judge.

2. The following collective nouns used as a group are Singular and take singular verbs.

Examples:

1. The organization has decided on the matter.
2. The family is happy
3. The band play well

3. The following collective nouns look Singular but are actually plural and always take plural verbs.

Example:

1. The cattle are grazing.
2. The police have arrived on the scene.
3. The gentry are well respected in England.

4. The following subjects connected with dresses and instruments made up of two parts are always plural and take plural verbs.

Dresses: pants, trousers, shorts, gloves, socks, pajamas, t-shirts, pantaloons

Instruments: pincers, binoculars, staplers, scissors, forceps

Examples:

1. The pants are sold.
2. The scissors need sharpening.
3. The socks are torn.

5. The following expression take singular verbs

Examples:

1. A pairs of pants is for sale.
2. A herd of cattle is grazing.
3. A lot of information was conserved.
4. A bouquet of flowers id for sale.

6. The following expressions are determined by the prepositions “of”

Examples:

1. All of the monkey was squandered.
2. None of the children have turned up.
3. All of us were at the meeting.
4. Pairs of pants are on display.

7. Observe the following structures:

A number of  + noun (plural) + verb(plural)

The number of + noun(plural) + verb(Singular)

Examples:

1. A number of mistakes were committed.
2. The number of students has increased.

8. The following nouns are Singular (they can never be plural) therefore they take Singular verbs.

Examples:

1. The advice was good.
2. The scenery is beautiful.
3. The jewelry is expensive.
4. The money for the car is expensive.

9. If the sentences has a prepositional phrase, the prepositional phrase doesn’t have anything to do with the subject-verb agreement.

Structure: subject + (prepositional phrase) + verb

Examples:

1. The books on the table are expensive.
2. The datum on the paper makes scene.

10. The given expressions below have no effect on the agreement. That is, whatever comes after these expressions are not important.

Examples:

1. The men, accompanied by their family members, have arrived.
2. He, as well as his friends, is here.

Exception:

He as well as his friends were there.

11. To infinitive and gerund forms used as subjects take singular verbs.

Examples:

1. Swimming is a good form of exercise.
2. To trek has become popular in Nepal.

12. The following expressions indicate a group of people in a particular situation are always plural and take plural verbs.

Example:

The deaf need help.

13. Noun connected with quantity, amount, distance, time used as units take Singular verbs, even though  the nouns took plural in form.

Examples:

1. Two kilometers was covered.
2. Eight kilometers of meat has been used.
3. Two hours is allocated.

14. Nationality word which  end in (-ch, -sh, -ese) are always plural and always take plural verbs.

Examples:

1. The Chinese want peace and harmony.
2. The French love good wine.

Exceptions:

But the language takes Singular verbs.

Examples:

1. English was taught to us.
2. French is difficult.

Observe:

Examples:

The Scots are peace loving people.

15. If the subject of the sentence is a fraction the verb is determined by the preposition ‘of’:

Examples:

• Half of them know the answer.
• One-third of the furniture was sold.