Class 7 :: Language and Grammar :: Subject-verb Agreement
Subject-verb Agreement
A. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb.
1. The ballerina dances (dance) well.
2. They practise (practise) every day.
3. I watch (watch) movies on Sunday.
4. Peter skates (skate) every evening.
5. The jukebox plays (play) old songs.
6. You are (be) very reliable.
7. Our goals are (be) clear.
8. As she works (work), she sings.
9. The customers want (want) good services.
10. Bees keep (keep) busy making honey.
Rules for subject-verb agreement:
1. If the subject is a third person singular noun, or the pronoun he, she, it, this or that, use a singular verb.
For example:
Kajol lives here.
He/She works hard.
It rains often.
This/That looks nice.
2. If the subject is a third person plural noun, or the pronoun I, you, we or they, use a plural verb.
For example:
I like to sing.
You work hard.
Pulkit and Richa cook at home.
They reply on time.
3. If two subjects are joined by and(compound subject), use a plural verb.
For example:
Harsha and I enjoy reading.
Megha and Suhana travel together.
4. If the subject is an indefinite pronoun ending in -body, -one, -thing or -where, or a pronoun that implies 'one', such as either, neither, each and none, use a singular verb.
For example:
Everybody excercises.
Nobody wants sorrows.
None fits me.
Everything looks fine.
Anywhere is a good place.
Neither (of the two) has a battery.
5. If the subject is an indefinite pronoun such as both, many, much, all, few or a few, use a plural verb.
For example:
Both the twins are going to the fair.
Many have attempted this.
Few have already left.
All love honest people.
6. If the subject is a determiner such as most, some or followed by a noun, consider whether the noun is countable (singular or plural) or uncountable, and use the verb in agreement.
For example:
Most lakes are dry. ( countable noun lakes following most; plural verb. )
Most money belongs to her. ( uncountable noun money following most; singular verb )
Some tea is still left. ( uncountable noun tea following some; singular verb )
Some files are missing. ( countable plural noun flies following some; plural verb )
All water has dried up. ( uncountable noun water following all; singular verb )
All children eat ice cream. ( countable plural noun children following all; plural verb )
B. Tick the verbs that agrees with the subject.
1. All (has/have) attended the meeting, but only a few (has/have) signed the agreement.
2. Everybody (like/likes) to stay at home at holiday, though most (do/does) step out for shopping.
3. Some bread (is/are) already served, but not many (is/are) fond of it.
4. All the grain (is/are) not gone as only some pigeons (has/have) pecked it.
5. One of my hobbies (is/are) collecting pebbles, and nobody (appreciate/appreciates) it.
6. Both (is/are) expensive, so either (break/breaks), you (pay/pays) for it.
7. Aunt's walks (is/are) long and boring, so nobody (accompany/accompanies) her.
8. Oceans (do/does) not freeze because the presence of salt (reduce/reduces) the freezing point of water farther.
9. Though they (is/are) poles apart, neither (want/wants) to move out the apartment.
10. Several mistakes (was/were) spotted; few (seem/seems) to have been corrected.
7. Sometimes there are other words between the subject and the verb.
For example:
The jar is on the table.
The jar with cookies is on the table.
In both sentences, the verb agrees with the subject the jar. It will be wrong to consider cookies in the second sentence as the subject; cookies is only the object of the prepositional phrase with cookies and not the actual subject.
The clothes are ironed.
The clothes in the wardrobe are all ironed.
In both the sentences, the verbs agrees with the subjects the clothes. It will be wrong to consider wardrobe in the second sentence as the subject; wardrobe is only the object of the prepositional phrase in the wardrobe and not the actual subject.
C. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of verbs in the brackets.
1. The students sitting in the room prefer (prefer) to play carom, while those outside play (play) tennis.
2. Many pages from this book are (be) missing, and one of my classmates has (have) admitted removing them.
3. Neither of the boys admits (admit) having broken the jar, though everybody feels (feel) either of them has (have) broken it.
4. None of these artists uses (use) water colour; most work (work) with oil paints.
5. The lamps in the street glow (glow) all night; rarely do they grow (grow) dull.
6. Some of these news channels telecast (telecast) national news, but none telecasts (telecast) local news.
7. Our holiday in the Maldives begins (begin) on Monday, and all the family members expect (expect) it to be fun.
8. Each seat in the room has (have) a name tag, but nobody among the officers present knows (know) what language it is in.
9. The series Tom and Jerry is (be) popular, and the characters Tom and Jerry amuse (amuse) children a lot.
10. Here, everyone dealing with tourists speaks (speak) English, though many know (know) other languages too.