I are on a bus. (?)
I are on the journey. (?)
Of course, there are.
What is the subject of a sentence?
A subject is the noun or pronoun ( or person, place or thing ) the sentence is about.
It is sometimes called performer . Therefore the subject of the first sentence is I.
What is the verb action word that goes with the subject I?
Should we use are with I?
No .
We use the verb am with I in simple present tense .
When a subject is with its correct verb , it is called subject-verb agreement .
So the sentences should be -
I am on a bus .
I am on the journey.
➤ Rule 1: The noun having ics at its end will take singular verb .
So the sentences should be -
I am on a bus .
I am on the journey.
➤ Rule 1: The noun having ics at its end will take singular verb .
Physics is my favourite subject.
Optics is an important subject.
➤ Rule 2: A verb must agree with its subject in person and number .
Optics is an important subject.
➤ Rule 2: A verb must agree with its subject in person and number .
Most verbs change forms to indicate agreement only in the present tense : -s or -es is added at the end of the base form of verb for a third person singular subject.
The linking verb be , however , changes form in both present and past tense.
Singular : She reads . It was right.
Plural : They read. They were right .
When be , have and do are used as auxiliaries in verb phrases , their form changes to show agreement with third person subject .
Singular : She is singing . He has gone away. Rana does work here .
Plural :They are singing . They have gone away. They do work here.
But -
We do not mistake a word in a prepositional phrase for the subject of a sentence. We never confuse the subject with a prepositional phrase that follows .
The linking verb be , however , changes form in both present and past tense.
Singular : She reads . It was right.
Plural : They read. They were right .
When be , have and do are used as auxiliaries in verb phrases , their form changes to show agreement with third person subject .
Singular : She is singing . He has gone away. Rana does work here .
Plural :They are singing . They have gone away. They do work here.
But -
We do not mistake a word in a prepositional phrase for the subject of a sentence. We never confuse the subject with a prepositional phrase that follows .
We must be sure that the verb agrees with the actual subject of the sentence and not with subject of a preposition .
Example -
The author of the stories uses a pen name.
Example -
The author of the stories uses a pen name.
( here the subject author is singular,
so it agrees with the verb uses .
Note that of the stories is a prepositional phrase .)
A letter with many mistakes does not make a good impression .
( the subject letter is singular , with many mistakes is a prepositional phrase . Therefore, the verb does agrees with the singular subject letter.)
➤ Rule 3: Plural verb is used after the phrase a number and after the number singular verb is used .
A number of persons were killed in the accident .
The number of students in this class is 50.
➤ Rule 4: Although the name of a book is plural in form , a singular verb will be used for it.
Gulliver's Travels is a famous book.
Great Expectations was written by Dickens .
➤ Rule 5: The nouns which indicate group of persons /animals/things will take either singular or plural verb.
A letter with many mistakes does not make a good impression .
( the subject letter is singular , with many mistakes is a prepositional phrase . Therefore, the verb does agrees with the singular subject letter.)
➤ Rule 3: Plural verb is used after the phrase a number and after the number singular verb is used .
A number of persons were killed in the accident .
The number of students in this class is 50.
➤ Rule 4: Although the name of a book is plural in form , a singular verb will be used for it.
Gulliver's Travels is a famous book.
Great Expectations was written by Dickens .
➤ Rule 5: The nouns which indicate group of persons /animals/things will take either singular or plural verb.
(normally in British English , plural verb is used and in American English singular verb is used.)
đˇ The government has introduced compulsory primary education.
đˇ The government have introduced compulsory primary education.
The academic committee was annoyed with the chairman .
The academic committee were annoyed with the chairman .
➤ Rule 6: In an inverted sentence (a sentence in which subject follows the verb , that is, a subject is placed after the verb), we must take care in locating the simple subject , and make sure that the verb agrees with the subject.
Example-
Singular : From the branch sings a bird .
Plural : From the branch sing two birds.
Some inverted sentences begin with the word here and there .
đˇ The government has introduced compulsory primary education.
đˇ The government have introduced compulsory primary education.
The academic committee was annoyed with the chairman .
The academic committee were annoyed with the chairman .
➤ Rule 6: In an inverted sentence (a sentence in which subject follows the verb , that is, a subject is placed after the verb), we must take care in locating the simple subject , and make sure that the verb agrees with the subject.
Example-
Singular : From the branch sings a bird .
Plural : From the branch sing two birds.
Some inverted sentences begin with the word here and there .
here , there is almost never the subject of a sentence.
Singular : There goes the trainer.
Plural: There go the two trainers.
Singular : There goes the trainer.
Plural: There go the two trainers.
# Related Searches
Subject-verb agreement
Subject-verb agreement exercises
Subject-verb agreement rules
subject-verb agreement rules with examples
Subject-verb agreement PDF
Subject-verb agreement rules PDF
Subject verb agreement examples with answers
Subject-verb Agreement ppt