Subject-Verb-Agreement

Rule

Example Sentence

When the subjects are joined by and, but refer to the same person or thing, use a singular verb.

Rice and curry is my favorite food.

Plural subjects takes a plural verb.

Dogs bark.

Singular subject takes a singular verb.

A dog barks.

When the subjects of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by and, use a plural verb.

The boys and the girls are fighting.

When two singular nouns are joined by or, neither……….nor or either ………or, the verb agrees with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.

1 My father or mother is coming today.

² Either Ram or Shyam is going to meet you.

3 Neither Ram nor Shyam is coming to the party.

4 Neither Ram nor his friend are going to the party.

When a phrase comes between the subject and the verb, the verb agrees with the subject and not with the noun or the pronoun in the phrase.

1 The bunch of lilies adds colour to the hall.

² Smita, as well as her friends, is coming.

3 One of my friends is coming today.

4 Father, along with his colleagues, is going to New York.

With phrases that indicate portions like a lot of, a majority of, some of, all of, look at the noun after of.

1 All of fruit is gone.

² All the fruits are gone.

Units of measurement or time usually take singular verbs.

1 Fifteen lakhs is a lot of money.

² Fifty three litre is required.

Identifies pronoun take singular verbs.

Each of the girls has a dog.

Some pronouns such as few, many, several both, all, some take plural verbs.

Many were strandard in the field.

Collective nouns usually take a singular verb.

The flock is dancing  in the meadow.

For subjects that are plural in form but singular in meaning, use singular verbs.

Physics is my favorite subject.

For things that are plural in form and meaning, use a plural verb.

The scissors are in the cupboard.

For names of organizations, nations or books or films, use a singular verb.

The United Nations has its headquarters in New York.