Subject Verb Agreement Rules in English: 100 Examples with Meanings

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Introduction to Subject Verb Agreement Rules in English

The foundation of correct English grammar lies in subject verb agreement rules in English. These rules ensure that the subject and verb in a sentence match in number and person. Without subject-verb agreement, sentences sound incorrect and confusing. Whether you are a student, job aspirant, or preparing for competitive exams, understanding these rules is essential for accuracy in writing and speaking.

Key Subject Verb Agreement Rules in English

1. A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.
2. Words joined by and usually take a plural verb.
3. Words joined by or/nor take a verb that agrees with the nearest subject.
4. Collective nouns can take singular or plural verbs depending on meaning.
5. Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, each, somebody take singular verbs.
6. Titles of books, movies, and subjects take singular verbs.
7. Quantities and measurements usually take singular verbs.
8. The verb agrees with the subject, not with words in between.
9. When the subject is separated by phrases, the verb still agrees with the main subject.
10. Expressions like as well as, along with do not change the subject’s number.

100 Examples of Subject Verb Agreement Rules in English with Meanings

Here is the complete list of 100 examples with Rule → Example → Meaning in a clear structured format.

1. Singular Subject → Singular Verb

1. She plays the piano. → Singular subject She takes singular verb.
2. The boy runs fast. → Singular subject boy takes singular verb.

2. Plural Subject → Plural Verb

3. They play football. → Plural subject They takes plural verb.
4. The boys run quickly. → Plural subject boys takes plural verb.

3. Subjects Joined by AND → Plural Verb

5. Ramesh and Suresh are friends. → And joins two nouns = plural.
6. My brother and sister live in Hyderabad. → Two subjects need plural verb.

4. Compound Subjects Forming One Idea → Singular Verb

7. Bread and butter is my favorite food. → One combined idea = singular.
8. Time and tide waits for none. → Treated as a single concept.

5. Subjects Joined by OR/NOR → Verb Agrees with Nearest Subject

9. Either Ramesh or Sita is coming. → Nearest subject Sita = singular.
10. Neither the students nor the teacher was late. → Nearest subject teacher = singular.
11. Neither the teacher nor the students were present. → Nearest subject students = plural.

6. Each / Every → Singular Verb

12. Each student has a book. → Each = singular.
13. Every boy and girl is excited. → Every makes subject singular.

7. Indefinite Pronouns → Singular Verb

14. Someone is waiting outside. → Someone = singular.
15. Everybody likes sweets. → Everybody = singular.

8. Indefinite Pronouns (Few, Many, Several) → Plural Verb

16. Few students are absent today. → Few = plural.
17. Many people were watching the match. → Many = plural.

9. None / Some / All → Depends on Noun

18. None of the money is missing. → Money = uncountable singular.
19. None of the students are present. → Students = countable plural.
20. Some of the water is wasted. → Water = uncountable singular.
21. Some of the books are old. → Books = countable plural.

10. Collective Nouns → Singular or Plural

22. The committee is meeting today. → Singular sense (one group).
23. The committee are arguing among themselves. → Plural sense (individuals).

11. Measurements / Quantities → Singular Verb

24. Ten kilometers is a long distance. → Treated as one measure.
25. Fifty rupees is enough. → Money as a whole = singular.

12. Titles of Books, Movies, Subjects → Singular Verb

26. Mathematics is tough. → Subject name = singular.
27. “The Avengers” is a popular movie. → Title treated as one.

13. Words Ending in -s but Singular in Meaning

28. Politics is interesting. → Always singular.
29. Economics is difficult. → Subject treated as singular.

14. Words in Between Do Not Affect Verb

30. The bouquet of flowers is beautiful. → Subject = bouquet, not flowers.
31. The dogs in the park are barking. → Subject = dogs.

15. With / Along with / As well as → No Change in Subject

32. The teacher, along with students, is going. → Subject = teacher.
33. My brother, as well as my parents, was happy. → Subject = brother.

16. Singular Nouns with Plural Meaning

34. The United States is powerful. → Country name = singular.
35. The news is shocking. → News = uncountable singular.

17. Phrases Like More Than One → Singular Verb

36. More than one student has failed. → Treated as singular.
37. More than one reason is valid. → Singular meaning.

18. Fractions and Percentages

38. One-third of the cake is gone. → Cake = singular.
39. One-third of the students are absent. → Students = plural.
40. Fifty percent of the water is clean. → Water = uncountable.
41. Fifty percent of the people are women. → People = plural.

19. Either of / Neither of → Singular Verb

42. Either of the options is correct. → Either = singular.
43. Neither of the boys was selected. → Neither = singular.

20. One of + Plural Noun → Singular Verb

44. One of the boys is absent. → One = singular.
45. One of my friends has called me. → Subject = one.

21. Gerund as Subject → Singular Verb

46. Reading is a good habit. → Reading = singular.
47. Swimming helps in fitness. → Swimming = singular.

22. Uncountable Nouns → Singular Verb

48. Water is essential. → Uncountable = singular.
49. Sugar is sweet. → Uncountable = singular.

23. Special Cases

50. The police are investigating. → Police = plural.
51. The cattle are grazing. → Cattle = plural.
52. The staff are working hard. → Plural sense.
53. The staff is supportive. → Singular group sense.

24. Relative Pronouns

54. He is one of the boys who play cricket. → Verb agrees with boys.
55. She is the only one who plays well. → Verb agrees with one.

25. Time, Money, Distance (Singular)

56. Five years is a long time. → Duration = singular.
57. A thousand rupees is a big amount. → Money = singular.

26. Words like None, Any, All (Uncountable = Singular)

58. All the information is correct. → Information = singular.
59. None of the advice is useful. → Advice = singular.

27. Difficult Plural Forms

60. Scissors are sharp. → Plural form, always plural.
61. Trousers are new. → Always plural.

28. Sentences with Here / There

62. There is a book on the table. → Subject = book.
63. There are many books on the table. → Subject = books.

29. Expressions with A Number of / The Number of

64. A number of students are absent. → A number of = plural.
65. The number of students is large. → The number of = singular.

30. Difficult Cases with Plural Meaning

66. The jury is giving its verdict. → Singular group.
67. The jury are divided in their opinion. → Plural individuals.

31. Relative Pronoun Who/Which

68. It is I who am responsible. → Verb agrees with I.
69. You are the one who is late. → Verb agrees with one.

32. Intervening Phrases

70. The quality of the apples is good. → Subject = quality.
71. The colors of the rainbow are beautiful. → Subject = colors.

33. Plural Names but Singular Meaning

72. The Philippines is a country. → Treated as singular.
73. The United Nations is meeting today. → Singular body.

34. Idiomatic Usage

74. Ten miles is too far to walk. → Distance = singular.
75. Two hours is sufficient. → Time = singular.

35. Difficult Indefinite Pronouns

76. Each of the players is tired. → Each = singular.
77. Every one of them was present. → Singular sense.

36. Sentences with Both / Few / Many

78. Both of them are intelligent. → Both = plural.
79. Few people were interested. → Few = plural.
80. Many students are preparing for exams. → Many = plural.

37. Sentences with Little / Much

81. Little knowledge is dangerous. → Singular.
82. Much effort is required. → Singular.

38. Collective Activities

83. The team is winning. → Singular sense.
84. The team are wearing different jerseys. → Plural sense.

39. Special Nouns Ending in -ics

85. Physics is a difficult subject. → Treated as singular.
86. Statistics is taught in college. → Subject name = singular.
87. The statistics are misleading. → Data = plural.

40. Relative Clauses

88. He is one of those men who work hard. → Men = plural.
89. She is the girl who writes poems. → Girl = singular.

41. Sentences with All / Some (Plural Nouns)

90. All the boys are present. → Boys = plural.
91. Some of the girls were absent. → Girls = plural.

42. Formal Subjects (It / There)

92. It is raining. → Dummy subject It.
93. There are many students here. → Subject = students.

43. Special Quantities

94. Half of the cake is eaten. → Cake = singular.
95. Half of the apples are rotten. → Apples = plural.

44. Names of Diseases

96. Measles is a dangerous disease. → Singular sense.
97. Diabetes is common nowadays. → Singular.

45. Plural Names of Subjects

98. Politics is confusing. → Always singular.
99. Civics is important in schools. → Singular subject.

46. Special Case with Money

100. Five hundred rupees is a large sum. → Money = singular unit.

Tips for Students and Competitive Exam Aspirants

• Always identify the subject first before choosing the verb.
• Ignore words between the subject and verb.
• Be careful with indefinite pronouns (each, every, someone).
• Watch out for collective nouns (team, committee).
• Practice with error spotting exercises, as these appear frequently in exams like SSC, Banking, UPSC, and State Public Service exams.
• Remember: singular subject = singular verb, plural subject = plural verb.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What is the golden rule of subject verb agreement?
The golden rule is: A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Q2: Why is subject verb agreement important?
It ensures grammatical correctness and makes sentences easy to understand, which is crucial in academic writing, exams, and communication.

Q3: How do competitive exams test subject verb agreement?
They usually give sentences with errors in subject-verb agreement and ask you to correct them or spot the mistake.

Conclusion on Subject Verb Agreement Rules in English

Understanding subject verb agreement rules in English is the key to error-free writing. With these rules, examples, and tips, students and candidates can strengthen their grammar and perform better in academic as well as competitive exams.

Disclaimer on Subject Verb Agreement Rules in English

This article is for educational purposes only. Rules and examples are based on standard English grammar guidelines used in schools and competitive exams.

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