AGREEMENT OF VERB WITH ITS SUBJECT

AGREEMENT OF VERB WITH ITS SUBJECT

We choose the number of the verb in a sentence based on whether the subject is singular or plural.

1. A singular subject requires a singular verb.

1. Neha has long hair.
2. She works for a multinational company.
3. Ravi is her colleague.

2. A plural subject requires a plural verb.

1. We are going on a trip to Malaysia.
2. People have gathered to discuss the problems in their town.
3. Children love ice cream.

III) Two or more nouns or pronouns joined by ‘and’ require a plural verb.

1) Ravi and Anil play chess.

2) Knowledge and wisdom have often no connection.

3. Shiela and Hari are partners in the business.

However, if the nouns denote the same person or thing, they take a singular verb.

   1) Slow and steady wins the race.

   2) The director and actor is dead. 

But

If the 2 nouns connected by ‘and’ have an article placed before each of them, they refer to two separate persons or things and take a plural verb

    1)The director and the actor are dead.

IV) Two or more singular subjects joined by ‘or’ require a singular verb.

1) Our happiness or our sorrow is largely because of our own actions.

2) The president or his secretary is coming.

3) Our failure or success depends on our efforts.

4) No nook or corner was left unexplored.

5) The Principal or the HOD inaugurates the science exhibition every year.

V) In sentences like either … or, neither … nor, the verb agrees with the subject  nearer to it.

1. Either a man or two women are required for that job.
2. Either two women or one man is required for that job.

  3)  Either Ravi or his parents have to see me.

  4)  Either Ravi’s parents or his sister has to see me.

  5)  Neither the teachers nor the principal was present at the meeting.

  6)  Neither John nor his friends are attending the party.

VI) When the subject consists of two or more nouns joined by with, as well as, the verb agrees with the noun preceding these.

1. Latin, as well as French, is taught here.
2. The king, with the queen and the rest of the royal family, was present.
3. Karina, as well as Priyanka, is beautiful.
4. The ministers, with the Prime minister, are discussing the issue.
5. The players, with their coach, are staying in this hotel.
6. The coach, with his players, is staying in this hotel.
7. The royals, as well as the commoners, follow the same rules.

VII) Some subjects always take a singular verb even though the meaning may   seem plural.

These subjects always take singular verbs:

1.  Someone in the game was hurt. 
2.  Everybody has arrived.
3.  Nobody has returned.
4.  Anyone who comes late will be punished.

[Note: But we sometimes use plural pronouns for singular subjects to make the meaning logical.  

1) Since everyone understood Hindi, I spoke to them in that language.

2) Everyone put on their coats and went home.

 3) As soon as everyone arrived, we spoke to them.]

VIII) ‘None’ refers to ‘not any’ or ‘not one’. So, it is singular but sometimes, based on the context, it takes a plural verb.

When ‘none’ is followed by a prepositional phrase containing a plural noun, it sounds more natural to use a plural verb.

 1) None of the jelly has set yet.

 2) None of your work is satisfactory.

 3) None of the gossip was about me.

 4) None of the men was/were arrested. (You can use ‘was’)

 5) None of the clothes are dry.

 6) None of the applicants seem to be satisfactory.

We can use a singular or a plural verb based on context—based on what sounds better or clearer.

1) None of the books is worth reading.

2) None of the books are worth reading.

      Both are correct.

3. None are so deaf as those who will not hear. (none of the people is understood)

IX) The following words may be singular or plural, depending upon their use in a sentence: some, any, all, most.

1. Most of the news is good. (singular) 
2. Most of the flowers were yellow. (plural)
3.  All of the pizza was gone. (singular)  
4. All of the children were late. (plural)

X) Some nouns which are singular in form, (maybe collective noun) but plural in use take a plural verb

1. Cattle are grazing.
2. The police are investigating the crime scene.

XI) Some nouns are plural in form but singular in meaning; they require singular verbs (viz. names of subjects and diseases)

1. This is bad news.
2. Mathematics is a branch of study in every school. (Civics, economics, graphics, statistics, physics)
3. Measles is a contagious viral disease.

XII) ‘There’ and ‘here’ are never subjects. In sentences that begin with these words, the subject is usually found later on in the sentence.

1. There were five books on the shelf. (‘were’ agrees with the subject books)
2. There was one book on the table.
3. Here is the report you wanted. (‘Is’ agrees with subject report)

XIII) Some nouns have only plural forms that represent singular objects.

1. His trousers are ill-fitting.
2.  The scissors are over there.
3.  My spectacles are missing. (sun glasses, goggles, shades, glares)

XIV) Sometimes the subject is singular in form but so strongly plural in meaning that it takes a plural verb.

1) A number of men are here.

2) A number of children are absent today.

3) A small number of houses are still unsold.

4) A lot of criminals get away with their crimes.

5) A lot of my friends like you, even though I don’t.

But

6) The number of workers in the industry has dropped.

7) The number of prisoners has decreased.

8. This lot of books was sold for a song.

In other words:

‘A number’ and ‘a lot’ take plural verbs

‘The number’, ‘this number’, ‘that number’ and ‘the lot’, ‘this lot’, ‘that lot’ take singular verbs.

XV) A unit of measure when it has a collective meaning is generally treated as a singular even if it is in a plural form, however when the fraction or measuring word is followed by a prepositional phrase containing a plural noun, or in some other way shows strong plurality, a plural verb is required.

1) Two thirds of the population is illiterate.

2) Six yards is too long.

3) Three quarters of the work is done.

4) Five thousand rupees is a high price for this dress.

 On the other hand

5) Two thirds of the population are farmers.

6) Half of the students were ill.

7) Three quarters of the soldiers were killed.

XVI) The singular verb is used with the phrase ‘one of my’

Example 1 One of my best friends is Raji.

Example 2 One of my favourite movies is Black.

Example 3 One of the best books on grammar is Wren and Martin.

Example 4 Microsoft is one of the leading software companies.

Note: ‘One of the’ is followed by a plural noun as in the above sentences- friends, movies, books, companies.

Refer the document: Subject-Verb agreement test