Top 26 Subject verb Agreement Rules

    With the topic of subject verb agreement (SVA) being hot topic among grammarians and students, here is a list of 26 “interesting” SVA rules, which will hopefully help you in your writing and improve your writing skills.

    Subject-Verb Agreement (SVA) is an English grammar rule that states that the subject of a sentence must match the verb in person, number, gender, and tense. SVA is one of the most common English grammar rules, but most of us are not good at it, and most of us tend to break it unknowingly. Here are the Top 26 Subject Verb Agreement Rules:

    In a sentence, the subject of a sentence follows the verb, and the verb of a sentence always follows the subject. This is the most important rule in English grammar. But there are some exceptions, such as when a subject-verb agreement is not required in a subject-verb agreement. What are the exceptions? They are us… You should not submit to us all your business. We should not be told by you all you need to know. You ought not to do to me all you can. He ought to be punished for his crime. She ought to be punished for her crime. You ought to let us out. We ought to be let out. You ought to help us. We ought to be helped.

    Definition: (Rules for matching subject and verb) In a sentence, the verb must match the subject. In other words, we can say that the verb used depends on the person and the number. This is called subject-verb agreement. For example:

    1. It’s coming. (If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular).
    2. They’re coming. (If the subject is plural, then the verb must also be plural).

    (See other examples, examples of subject and predicate agreement).

    We need to be familiar with singular and plural verbs.

     

    singular verb Plural verb
    That’s, uh… its
    There are There are
    was were
    V1 + s/es (play, walk, etc.) V1 (play, walk, etc.)

    TOP 26 Subject-verb agreement rules with examples

    To approach the rules of subject-verb agreement, you must first know the basic difference between a verb and a noun.

    Noun + s/es = plural noun (a noun becomes plural when it/they are added).

    Verb + s/es = singular noun (the verb becomes singular when we add s/es).

    Rule

    When two objects and connected, the verb is used in the plural.

    Example: Ram and Shyam are arriving.

    Rule 2

    When two or more nouns or adjectives are joined, but only one person, thing or idea is involved, a singular verb is used.

    Examples:

    1. My friend, the philosopher and leader, has arrived. (replace you with)
    2. Slowly but surely, we are winning the race. (replace win with win)
    3. Fish and chips are my favourite dish. (no mistake)

    When two non-countable nouns are put together and are about different subjects, a plural verb is used.

    Example: Poverty and misery go hand in hand.

    Rule 3

    When the subject is related to as well as, with, together with, and not, beside, but, except, instead of, accompanied by, like, different from, no less than, nothing but, then the verb agrees with the first subject.

    Examples:

    1. Ram and his parents are coming too.
    2. The captain and his sailors drowned.
    3. My father, unlike my uncles, is very strict.

    Rule 4

    If the item is located immediately in front of the 1. Subject means it is the same person/thought to which both nouns refer. Therefore, a verb is used in the singular.

    Examples:

    1. The white and black dress was bought by her.
    2. Churchill was a great orator and politician of his time. (incorrect)
      Churchill was a great orator and politician of his time. (Right)

    However, when the article is used for each subject, it refers to different persons/things.

    Therefore, a verb is used in the plural.

    Example: The director and producer are here.

    Rule 5

    When two subjects are linked by ni….nor, neither of them… or, not only,… but also , nor , or , no-but , the verb agrees with the nearest subject.

    Examples:

    1. Neither Ram nor Shyam have come.
    2. Whether Ram or his friends have come.
    3. Did Ram or Shyam come?

    Rule 6

    Neither means object or person.

    None of the judges in the department were aware of the facts. (right)

    • None means none of a group of things or people.
    1. None of his four sons cared. (incorrect)
    2. None of his four sons cared about him.
    • The expression means either one of two objects or one of two persons.

    Examples:

    1. Each of the five members has an error. (incorrect)
    2. One of the five members has an error. (correct)
    3. One of the twins is named Trustee. (right)

    Message: The word step is not used with the word two. Neither is used for this purpose.

    1. Both failed the exam.
    2. None of them passed the exam.

    Rule 7

    Some nouns are plural, but have a singular meaning. That’s why they use the verb in the singular.

     

    Title List
    Names of diseases Measles, mumps, rickets, shingles, etc.
    Game title Billiards, darts, checkers, etc.
    Country names United States, West Indies, etc.
    Title of the book The Thousand and One Nights, The Three Musketeers, etc.
    Names of subjects Physics, economics, social studies, statistics, politics, linguistics.
    1. Mathematics is an interesting subject
    2. Politics is not my thing.

    Message: If static means data, math calculations, and political thinking, then the verb is used in the plural.

    Example: The statistics revealed numerous frauds in the organisation of the Commonwealth Games.

    Rule 8

    Normally we pair the verb with the subject closest to it, but this is a mistake. Link the verb to the main subject of the sentence.

    Examples:

    1. The quality of the apples is good.
    2. He’s the culprit, not his parents.
    3. The victims’ call to transfer the riot cases to other states was granted.

    Rule 9

    A collective noun always has a singular verb.
    Examples:

    1. A herd of cows grazing in a field.
    2. The committee voted unanimously to approve.

    When there is a separation between the members of a collective noun or when we talk about the members of a collective noun, we use a verb and a plural pronoun.

    1. The jury was divided.
    2. The audience took their seats.

    Rule 10

    A plural always requires a plural verb.

    There are 100 boys in my class.

    Message: When a plural noun is used after simple adjectives (one, two, three, four, etc.), and also when the plural noun indicates a certain quantity, weight, height, or time period, a singular verb is used.

    In other words, we can say that a plural used as a singular requires a singular verb.

    Examples:

    1. 100 rupees in my pocket.
    2. Ten miles is a long way to go.

    Subject and predicate concordance rules

    Rule 11

    When the subject and the verb are connected by a relative pronoun, the verb used corresponds to the antecedent of the relative pronoun.

    Examples:

    1. She is one of the noblest women who ever lived on this earth.
      (This is a relative pronoun, so we use have instead of has here).
    2. I’m not the kind of person who trusts everyone they meet.
      (which is a relative pronoun, so here we use they meet instead of I meet.

    Message: Try to understand the meaning of the sentence in questions like this.

    Rule 12

    All, all, everyone, someone, some, none, one, each, many, more than one, singular. Therefore, they have the singular of a verb, the singular of a noun, and the singular of a pronoun.
    Examples:

    1. All the students came.
    2. All the boys and girls came.
    3. We must be tolerant of friends and enemies alike. (Use someone’s instead of his.)
    4. Many students have not finished their homework. (Use it instead of theirs).
    5. There was more than one person present.

    Message: Much is used as follows:

    • A lot of people came.
    • A lot of people came.
    • A lot of people came.

    Rule 13

    When of is used after each, every, one, etc. A noun or pronoun that immediately follows or is used in the plural. A verb, pronoun, adjective, etc. What happens in the second part of the sentence is singular.

    Example: One of the guys did his job.

    Rule 14

    When each is used after a plural noun or plural pronoun, a plural verb is used.

    Each of us has an obligation to our nation.

    Rule 15

    When the indefinite pronoun un is used as the subject in a sentence, a verb and a singular pronoun un , une , elle-même are required instead of il , lui , sa or elle-même . For example:

    Examples:

    • A man must keep his promises. (incorrectly)
    • A man must keep his promises. (right)

    Rule 16

    When a sentence asserts an imaginary position, it begins with as, as if, as if, suppose, I would, in case, would be that, etc. In these sentences, the verb is used regardless of the number of the subject.

    Examples:

    1. I’d love to be a bird.
    2. If he was rich, he would help others.

    Rule 17

    Optative clauses, the singular subject takes a plural verb.

    Example: Long live the queen.

    (life = plural verb, queen = singular subject).

    Rule 18

    A certain number / a large number / a large number is used with a plural noun. Therefore, they will use the verb in the plural.

    Examples: Several students were present. (correct)

    Message: The number of indicates the number of a countable noun in the plural. This requires a singular verb.

    • The number of boys is fifty. (incorrect)
    • The number of boys is fifty. (on the right)

    Rule 19

    For non-countable nouns, we use Quantity of /Quantities or followed by a singular verb.

    Examples:

    • The amount of money is not enough. (correct)
    • The amount of money is not enough. (correct)

    Rule 20

    All can be used in both numeric and non-numeric directions. When used as a non-computable verb in the singular and when used as a describable verb in the plural.

    Examples:

    1. All’s well that ends well.
    2. Everyone is home safe and sound.

    Rule 21

    Landscape, poetry, furniture, advice, information, hair, business, mischief, bread, writing utensils, utensils, luggage, postage, knowledge, expenses, jewelry, breakage, equipment, evidence, work (by work is meant literary works), news, interest, dirt, dust, movement, electricity, music, confectionery, pottery, baking, motoring, word (when used in the sense of discussion) fuel, and expenses are countable nouns and therefore have the verb singular. These names have no article. A/An, many, few, number, and plural.

    Examples:

    1. The landscape of Kashmir fascinated us.
    2. I passed the exam, but the percentage was not very good.
    3. The atrocity he committed is unforgivable.
    4. He has black hair.
    5. I have the necessary equipment for the project.

    These nouns have no plural form, but sometimes we need the singular/ plural form of some of these nouns. The plural form is formed by putting certain words in front of non-countable nouns.

    Examples:

    1. He gave me information.
    2. All the information she gave was accurate.
    3. Many types of furniture are available in this store.
    4. I need some jewelry.
    5. He ate two slices of bread.
    6. Show me some stationery.
    7. The police found a lock of hair in the car.

    Message: Monies is the plural of the word money, meaning an amount of money.

    The money was collected and donated to the women’s charity.

    Rule 22

    Some nouns exist only in the plural. Therefore, the s cannot be removed from these names to make them singular. They take plural verbs.

    Scissors, pliers, clamps, mechas, pants, pants, pajamas, shorts, glasses, binoculars, sunglasses, gallows, fangs, handouts, restitution, repayment, archives, debt, patronage, congratulations, embers, fireworks, shelter, periphery, special, income, profit, respect, wealth, scraps, savings, ruin, encirclement, lead, troops, tactics, gratitude, values, wages, possession, staple, etc.д.

    Examples:

    1. Where are my pants?
    2. Where are the pliers?
    3. The receipts have been deposited in the bank.
    4. All his belongings were confiscated.
    5. Alms were given to beggars.
    6. The embers of the fire were still burning.

    Message: Wage can be used in the singular and plural. See the following suggestions

    Subject and predicate concordance rules

    Rule 23

    News, hearings, politics, convocations, physics, economics, ethics, mathematics, mumps, measles, rickets, shingles, billiards, athletics are some of the nouns that have a plural form but a singular meaning. You take the verb in the singular.

    Examples:

    1. No news is good news.
    2. Politics is a dirty game.
    3. The economy is an interesting subject.
    4. Ethics requires honesty.

    Rule 24

    Cattle, cavalry, infantry, poultry, peasantry, children, nobility, police and people – some names have a singular form, but a plural meaning. They take the plural The verb s is never used with these nouns.

    Examples:

    1. Cattle grazing in the meadow.
    2. Our infantry has advanced.
    3. The police have arrested the thieves.

    Message: A nation means many people, and nations mean people of different races.

    Example: The Greek people were brave (We are only talking about a race here. That’s why the use of people is wrong).

    Rule 25

    Deer, sheep, series, species, fish, crew, team, jury, plane, lawyer are certain nouns used in both the singular and plural. If they are used in the singular, take a singular verb, and if they are used in the plural, take a plural verb.

    Examples:

    1. Our team is the best.
    2.  Our team is trying out their new shirts.
    3.  There are two fish in the pond.
    4.  There are many fish in the aquarium. (Here the word fish refers to various species of fish).

    Rule 26

     

    S.N Words + noun/verb verb
    1. No + U.N. Singular verb
    2. No + S.C.N. Singular verb
    3. One third / Three quarters / Remaining part / Quarter / Ten percent of / Twenty percent of + U.N. Singular verb
    4. One third / three quarters / one part / ten percent of / twenty percent of + P.C.N. Verb in the plural
    5. Most / Some / Half / Enough / Not enough / A lot / Very much + P.C.N. Singular verb
    6. Most / Some / Half / Enough / Not enough / A lot / Very much + U.N. Verb in the plural
    7. Percentage + U.N./P.C.N. Singular verb
    8. More than one. + S.C.N. Singular verb
    9. More than two/three, etc. + P.C.N. Verb in the plural
    10. Read more + P.K.N. + When a Verb in the plural

    The following sentences show how to follow the rules in the table:

    1. There’s no air on Mars.
    2. None of the students wanted to take the exam.
    3. One third of the word is finished.
    4. One third of the students passed the exam.
    5. Ninety percent of the work is done.
    6. Most knowledge is gained through experience.
    7. Most of the girls are absent today.
    8. Ninety percent of the students passed the exam with good marks.
    9. Half of the candidates passed the exam with distinction.
    10. Some students did not take the exam
    11. The percentage of successful candidates is lower.
    12. More than one town was destroyed.
    13. More than one city lay in ruins.
    14. More than two thieves have been arrested.
    15. There was more than one plan.

    Message: Look at the difference between sentences 12 and 13

    Rules for subject and predicate concordance dot pdf free download.

    Rules for the subject-verb connection

    Rules for the subject-verb conjunction (1286 downloads)The phrase subject verb agreement is part of the English language, and is an essential skill for beginner level language learners. However, many people are not familiar with the subject verb agreement rules, and frequently trip over these rules when writing.. Read more about subject-verb agreement exercises and let us know what you think.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the rules for subject verb agreement?

    Subjects and verbs must agree in number.

    What are the 13 subject verb agreement rules?

    Subjects and verbs must agree in number. The subject must match the verb in person. The subject must match the verb in number. The subject must match the verb in gender. The subject must match the verb in tense. The subject must match the verb in voice. The subject must match the verb in mood. The subject must match the verb in number and person. The subject must match the verb in number, person, and gender. The subject must match the verb in number, person, gender, and tense. The subject must match the verb in number, person, gender, tense, and voice. The subject must match the verb in number, person, gender, tense, voice, and mood.

    What is the 10 rules on subject verb agreement?

    Subject verb agreement is the practice of matching a singular subject with a singular verb and a plural subject with a plural verb.

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