Rules for subject verb agreement

 Rules for subject verb agreement and how to use them in your exams:

1. Verb-number agreement

Singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs.

The list of to-dos was too long for me to handle.

The lists of to-dos were too long for me to handle.

Even an animal has its own territory.

Even animals have their own territory.

EXCEPTION to this rule:

A plural verb is always required after ‘YOU’ even when it is used in singular, referring to one person. For e.g:

You were going to send over the document.

2. Rule for when verb has ‘s’ at the end

The ‘s’ added after a noun indicates plural. But an ‘s’ after a verb indicates THIRD PERSON SINGULAR i.e. the sentence is in third person and the subject is singular. For e.g:

She goes to the library every single day.

They go to the restaurant every day for their favorite dish.

3.  The verb has to agree only with the true, main subject. Not with the intervening plural object of a preposition or any other intervening plural.

The box of Nestle’s chocolates is missing.

Here, the main subject is box, not chocolates. Hence, we use ‘is’ instead of ‘are’.

More examples:

His experience as a teacher to young kids gives him a lot of understanding.

The prices of the new iphone vary from country to country.

4. Subjects joined by ‘AND’ are usually plural and take plural verbs.

His laptop and my ipad were stolen from the desk.

Chennai and Kolkata have very hot weather.

6. Rule when both singular and plural subjects are present.

If the subject is made up of both singular and plural words connected by or, nor, either – or, neither – nor, not only, but also then the verb agrees with the nearer part of the subject.

Neither the quality nor the prices have changed.

Neither the prices nor the quality has changed.

Neither the salesman nor the buyers are in favor of the system of management.

Neither the buyers nor the salesman is in favor if the system of the management.

7. Rule for neither-nor, either-or & or

If the subject consists of two singular words connected by ‘or, neither- nor, either – or’, the subject is singular and requires a singular verb.

Neither the laptop nor the phone was in working order.

Either January or February is going to be her wedding month.

8. Rule for nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning

Nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning such as news, measles, mumps, physics, electronics, tactics, and economics and so on usually take singular verbs.

A linking verb usually agrees with its subject, not with its compliment.

Excessive absences were the reason for his failure.

The reason of his failure was excessive absences.

10. Rule for nouns that do not have singular forms

Plural verbs are required for many nouns that have  no singular form, such as proceeds, goods, ashes, remains, credentials, premises etc.

The proceeds of the magic show are to be given to the fund for soldier’s welfare.

The goods are being dispatched today by goods train.