Definition: (Subject-verb Agreement Rules) In a sentence, the verb must agree with the subject. In other words, we can say that the verb used is according to person and number. This is called the subject-verb agreement. For example: Show
(Check more examples, Subject-verb agreement examples). We need to be familiar with singular and plural verbs. Singular VerbPlural VerbisarehashavewaswereV1 + s/es (plays, goes etc.)V1 (play, go etc.)TOP 26 Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement with examplesTo go Subject-Verb agreement Rules first you have to know the basic difference between verb and noun. Noun + s/es = Plural noun (Noun become plural when es/s is added) Verb + s/es = Singular Noun (Verb becomes singular with s/es is added) Rule 1If two subjects are joined by ‘and‘, the plural verb will be used. Example: Ram and Shyam are coming. Rule 2If two or more than two nouns are adjectives are joined by ‘and’ but only person or thing or idea is discussed singular verb will be used. Examples:
Rule 3If the subject is joined by ‘as well as‘, ‘with‘, ‘alongwith‘, ‘together with‘, ‘and not‘, ‘In addition to‘, ‘but‘, ‘besides‘, ‘except‘, ‘rather than‘, ‘accompained by‘, ‘like‘, ‘unlike‘, ‘no less than‘, ‘nothing but‘, the verb will agree with the first subject. Examples:
Rule 4If an article is placed just before the 1st subject, it means the person/think is the same for which two nouns are used. Hence singular verb will be used. Examples:
Rule 5If two subjects are joined by ‘neither….nor‘, ‘either … or‘, ‘not only‘, …’but also‘, ‘nor‘, ‘or‘, ‘none-but‘, the verb will agree with the nearest subject. Examples:
Rule 6‘Neither of‘ means ‘not either of the two things or people‘. Neither of the judges of the division bench knew about the facts of the case. (Correct)
Examples:
Rule 7Certain nouns are plural in form but singular in meaning. Hence they take singular verb. NameslistNames of diseasesMeasles, Mumps, Rickets, Shingles etc.Names of gamesBilliards, Darts, Draughts etc.Names of CountriesThe United States, The West Indies etc.Names of booksThe Arabian Nights, Three Musketeers etc.Names of subjectsPhysics, Economics, Civics, Statistics, Politics, Linguistics.
Rule 8Usually, we match the verb with the nearest subject but this is wrong. Match the verb with the main subject of the sentence. Examples:
Rule 9Collective noun always takes a singular verb.
If there is a division among the members of the collective noun or we talk about the members of the collective noun, plural verb and plural pronoun are used.
Rule 10The plural number will always take a plural verb. Hundred boys are in my class.
In other words, we can say that the plural numbers used as a singular unit will take a singular verb. Examples:
Subject-verb Agreement Rules Rule 11If a subject and the verb are joined by a relative pronoun, the verb used will agree with the antecedent to the relative pronoun. Examples:
Rule 12Each, Every, Everyone, Someone, Somebody, Nobody, None, One, Any, Many a, More than one, are singular. Hence they will take a singular verb, singular noun, and singular pronoun.
Rule 13If ‘of‘ is used after each, every, one, etc. The noun or pronoun that comes immediately after ‘of‘ will be plural in form. However the verb, pronoun, adjective, etc. That comes in the latter part of the sentence will be singular in form. Example: One of the boys/them has done his work. Rule 14If ‘each‘ is used after Plural noun or plural pronoun, plural verb is used. We each have a duty towards our nation. Rule 15If Indefinite Pronoun ‘One‘ comes as the subject of a sentence, it takes singular verb and singular pronoun ‘one‘, ‘one’s‘, and ‘oneself‘ and not ‘he‘, ‘him‘, ‘his‘ or ‘himself‘. For example: Examples:
Rule 16If a sentence states an imaginary position, it starts with if, as if, as though, suppose, I wish, in case, would that etc. In such sentences ‘were‘ is used the verb irrespective of the number of the subject. Examples:
Rule 17An optative Sentences, singular subject takes plural verb. Example: Long live the Queen. (‘live‘ = plural verb, ‘queen‘ = singular subject) Rule 18A number of / ‘a large number of ‘/ ‘a great number of’ is used with plural countable noun. Hence they will take plural verb. Examples: A number of students were present. (correct)
Rule 19With uncountable nouns we use ‘Amount of /Quantity of’ followed by a singular verb. Examples:
Rule 20‘All‘ can be used in both countable and uncountable sense. When used as uncountable, it takes singular verb and when used as countable, it takes plural verb. Examples:
Rule 21Scenery, Poetry, Furniture, Advice, Information, Hair, Business, Mischief, Bread, Stationery, Crockery, Luggage, Baggage, Postage, Knowledge, Wastage, Jewelry, Breakage, Equipment, Evidence, Work (works means literary pieces), News, Percentage, Dirt, Dust, Traffic, Electricity, Music, Confectionery, pottery, Bakery, Behaviour, Word (When used in sense of discussion) Fuel and Cost are uncountable nouns and hence will take singular verb. These nouns will not take article. ‘A/An‘, ‘many‘, ‘few‘, ‘number of‘, and ‘plural form‘. Examples:
Such nouns have no plural form but sometimes we need the singular/plural form of some of these nouns. The singular/plural form is made by adding certain words before the uncountable nouns. Examples:
Rule 22Certain nouns exist in plural forms only. Thus ‘s’ cannot be removed from such nouns to make then singular. They take the plural verbs with them. What are the 10 rules of subjectThe main verb of a sentence must always agree with the noun in that sentence.. every or no comes before the subject.. the subject is a collective noun.. the subject is a unit of measurement.. the subject is an idenifinite pronoun.. two singular subjects are connected by or.. What are the 11 subject11 Rules for Subject-Verb Agreement. Singular subjects require singular verbs. ... . Plural subjects require plural verbs. ... . Compound subjects with the word “and” require plural verbs. ... . Compound subjects with the word “or” or “nor” can take either a singular verb or a plural verb. ... . Collective nouns can be singular or plural.. What are the basic rules in subjectIf the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too. Example: She writes every day. Exception: When using the singular "they," use plural verb forms. Example: The participant expressed satisfaction with their job.
How many rules of subjectBecause of these special situations, there are thirteen corresponding rules to ensure that our subjects and verbs always agree in number.
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