Subject-Verb Agreement
The verb of every sentence must agree with its subject. Grammatical agreement means that the form of the verb matches
the person and the number of the subject of the sentence. The
following rules have to be remembered at the time of using appropriate verbs in
terms of the subject.
1. In the present tense, a third person singular subject (he, she, it or any noun that these words replace) needs –s or –es ending of its verb.
The president likes to jog.
He tries to exercise every day.
The sun rises in the east.
a.
In the present tense the
verbs be, do, and have change their spelling to
indicate different types of subjects.
Be Do Have
I am I do I
have
You are you do you have
He/she/it is he/she/it
does he/she/it has
b. In the past tense the verb be changes its spelling to indicate different types of subjects.
Past Tense of Be
I
was, You were, he/she/it was, we were, you were, they were,
2. A compound subject usually needs a plural form of the verb. A compound subject is made up of two or more nouns or pronouns that are joined by and.
The headmaster and the secretary of our school were present on the occasion.
Dhaka and Chittagong are two important cities of Bangladesh.
3. If there are two nouns/pronouns combined by such words as well as, with, accompanied by, followed by, etc., then noun/pronoun.
along with, together with, as the verb agrees with first -
The chairperson along with the members was present in the party.
She as well as her brothers is coming tonight.
The
teacher together with some students is conducting the research.
4. When two or more nouns or pronouns are joined by or, nor, either…or, neither… nor, the verb form usually agrees with the noun that is closest to the verb.
Neither the President nor the two houses govern alone.
Neither the two houses nor the President governs alone.
Neither she nor her sisters have done this.
5. Words that come between a subject and its verb do not affect the number of the subject. For example,
The quality of the mangoes is good.
His choice of words is excellent.
The colour of her eyes was blue.
6. When the subject is a singular, indefinite pronoun, it requires a singular verb for agreement. Here are some indefinite pronouns that are always singular:
Another, everybody, nothing, anybody, everyone, one, anyone, everything, somebody, anything, neither, someone, each, no one, something, either, nobody.
Everybody attends the meeting.
Each works hard for the company.
No one of them is going to attend the class.
Neither of the girls was pleased.
7. When the subject is a collective noun, it may take either a singular or plural verb depending on its meaning in a particular sentence. If you are writing about the group as a single unit, use a singular verb. If you are writing about the individual members of a group, use a plural verb. Some examples of collective nouns are team, committee, family class, audience, jury, group, etc.
The Senate committee has been studying air pollution.
The Senate committee have been studying air pollution in their own states.
The jury is giving its verdict today.
The
jury were divided into two groups.
8. Subjects that state a quantity or amount (of time, money, height, length, width, space, or weight) usually function like singular subjects and need singular verbs. However, they can function like plural subjects when they refer to individual items.
Twenty miles is a long distance.
Two-thirds of the committee members were opposing the decision.
Twelve years was Jerry’s age.
9. Subjects that are plural in form but singular in meaning require singular verb for agreement. Some examples are politics, news, information, scenery, advice, furniture, wages, poetry, issue, brick, hair, luggage, physics, economics, mathematics, ethics, civics, statistics, etc.
The news is very sensitive.
Politics is the art of compromise to reach agreement.
Economics is a partner of politics.
The New York Times is a good source of news about politics and economics.
10. If the infinitive/gerund/participle is used as the subject of any sentence then the verb takes singular form. For example,
Walking is a good exercise.
To speak the truth is a great virtue.
That
you have finished the work is known to me.
11. A verb agrees with its subject, whether the verb comes after the subject or before it. At the end of the city is the President’s Office.
At the end of the city are several commercial banks.
12. If article ‘the’ is used before ‘adjectives’ then the adjective indicates plural noun. Then the verb after the adjective becomes plural. For example,
The virtuous are always happy.
The poor are born to suffer.
13. The word none needs special attention. When none means no one or not one, use the singular form of the verb.
None of them is able to do that job.
When none means or suggests more than one thing or person, use the plural form of the verb.
None
are helpless because they can always try.
14. When the word number is preceded with the word a, use a plural verb. When the word number is preceded with the word the, use a singular verb.
A number of people are waiting to see you.
The number of stars in the sky seems countless.
Exercise: A
Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of
the verbs given in the brackets:
1.
The boys ………(play) in the field now.
2. He ……… (go) to school regularly.
3.
I …….. (buy) a new car recently.
4.
Flowers …….(look) beautiful.
5.
A basket is ……….. (make) of bamboo.
6.
I have not ………… (forget) them.
7.
She …………… (bring) an umbrella every day.
8.
He ………… (live) here for the last five years.
9.
Neither his sister nor his brothers …………
(approve) his decision.
10.
Fifty miles …….(be) a long distance.
Exercise: B
Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in the
brackets:
Mamun was born in a little farm village in the East. He was happy even though he …….. (live) a harsh life cultivating his field. One day he ……… (wake up) by a heavy storm. When the storm ……. (let up) he ……… (saw) that his plantation ……… (destroy). He ……..(feel) despondent and ……… (decide) that he could no longer live on the far. He ……… (have) to move somewhere else. He ……….(leave) the farm and ………(come) to a city. The hustle and bustle of the city ………..(frighten) him a lot, but he …….( not want) to go back to his farm.
Exercise: C
Rewrite the following sentences using the right forms of verbs.
1.
Health should be (take) care of.
2.
I am looking forward to (hear) from you.
3.
The number of boys (be) smaller than usual.
4.
The mother and daughter (be) walking.
5.
None of the question (be) easy.
6.
Each boy and each girl (be) meritorious.
7.
Ill news (run) fast.
8.
Would you mind (sing) a song.
9.
I went to market with a view to (buy) a book.
10.
He (pay) a visit to our school every now and
then.
Exercise: D
Choose the correct forms of verbs:
1.
I bought a car because I (need/needs/needed) it
badly.
2.
The boy told me that he already (read/reads/had
read) the book.
3.
He said to me that he (went/go/would go/will
go) to Dhaka.
4.
It is long since I (see/saw/had seen) her last.
5.
He heard the news and (brusted/bursts/burst)
into tears.
6.
In the evening many families spend time
(watch/is watching/watching) television.
7. Ring me as soon as you (gets/get/got) home.
8.
Population growth must be (keep/kept/keeping)
under control
9.
When the old man saw his daughter, be (become/becomes/became)
delighted.
10.
I mentioned that my doctor (forbids/was
forbidden/had forbidden) me to smoke.
Exercise: F
Fill in the blanks with right forms of verb:
1.
It was warm, so I ______ off my coat. ( take )
2.
The film wasn't very good. I ______ it very
much. ( enjoy )
3.
I knew Sarah was very busy, so I ______ her. (
disturb )
4.
I was very tired, so I ______ to bed early. (
go )
5.
The bed was very uncomfortable. I ______ very
well. ( sleep )
6.
Sue wasn't hungry, so she ______ anything. (
eat )
7.
We went to Kate's house but she ______ at home.
( be )
8.
It was a funny situation but nobody ______. (
laugh )
9.
The window was open and a bird ______ into the
room. ( fly )
10.
The hotel wasn't very expensive. It ______ very
much. ( cost )
11.
I was in a hurry, so I ______ time to phone
you. ( have )
12.
It was hard work carrying the bags. They ______
very heavy. ( be )
Answer Keys:
Exercise A:
1. are playing 2. goes
3. have bought 4. look
5. made 6. forgot 7. brings
8. has
been living 9. approves 10. is
Exercise B:
1. lived 2. woke up 3. let up 4. saw
5. was destroyed 6. felt
7. decided 8. had 9. left 10. came
11.
frightened 12. didn’t want
Exercise C:
1. taken 2. hearing 3. is 4. were/are
5. is 6. is 7. runs 8. singing
9. buying 10. pays
Exercise D:
1. needed
2. had read
3. went
4. saw
5. burst
6. watching
7. get
8. kept
9. became
10. Had forbidden
Exercise E:
1. sold
2. drew
3. listening
4. posting
5. have been waiting
6. has been raining
7. is
8. does
9. spends
10. lays
Exercise F:
1. too
2. didn’t enjoy
3. didn’t disturb
4. Went
5. didn’t sleep
6. didn’t eat,
7. wasn’t
8. laughed
9. flew
10. didn’t cost
11. didn’t have
12. were
