Subject–Verb Agreement in English: A Complete Guide

Subject–Verb Agreement is one of the most important grammar rules in English.
If the subject changes, the verb must also change — otherwise the sentence becomes incorrect.

Many learners make mistakes like:
❌ She go to school.
❌ They is playing.
❌ The list of items are long.

In this guide, you’ll learn ALL the essential rules with examples, common mistakes, and easy tips.

🔹 What Is Subject–Verb Agreement?

Definition:
Subject–Verb Agreement means the verb must match the subject in number:

Singular subject → Singular verb
Plural subject → Plural verb

Examples:

✔️ She plays. / ❌ She play.
✔️ They play. / ❌ They plays.

1️⃣ Singular and Plural Subjects

✔️ Singular subject → Verb ends in -s

He reads.
The child runs.

✔️ Plural subject → Verb does not end in -s

They read.
My friends run.

2️⃣ Subjects Joined by “And”

Two subjects joined by and take a plural verb.

✔️ Riya and Neha are friends.
✔️ The teacher and the student are talking.

Exception: When both refer to the same person or idea
✔️ Bread and butter is my breakfast.
✔️ My friend and guide is here.

3️⃣ Subjects Joined by “Or / Nor / Either / Neither”

The verb agrees with the nearest subject.

✔️ Either Riya or her friends are coming.
✔️ Neither the students nor the teacher is available.
✔️ The pen or the notebooks are on the table.

4️⃣ Indefinite Pronouns

Some are always singular:
everyone, someone, anybody, everybody, each, every, no one

✔️ Everyone is ready.
✔️ Each of the boys has a book.

Some are always plural:
few, many, several, both

✔️ Many are waiting.
✔️ Few were chosen.

Some can be singular or plural depending on context:
all, most, some, none

✔️ Some of the water is gone.
✔️ Some of the students are absent.

5️⃣ Words Between Subject and Verb

The verb agrees with the main subject, NOT the nearby noun.

✔️ The bouquet of flowers was beautiful.
(Subject = bouquet)

✔️ The list of names is long.
(Subject = list)

6️⃣ Collective Nouns

Group, team, family, government, committee

Singular meaning (acting as one unit):

✔️ The team is winning.

Plural meaning (individual members):

✔️ The team are arguing among themselves.

(Both are correct depending on meaning.)

7️⃣ Titles and Names

Movie titles, books, organisations take a singular verb.

✔️ The United Nations is meeting today.
✔️ Gulliver’s Travels is a famous book.

8️⃣ Fractions, Percentages, and Quantities

The verb depends on the noun after them.

✔️ Half of the cake is eaten.
✔️ Half of the students are absent.
✔️ Ten litres of water is enough.

9️⃣ “There is” / “There are”

Verb agrees with the actual subject that comes after it.

✔️ There is a book on the table.
✔️ There are many books on the table.

🔟 Common Mistakes Learners Make

❌ Your clothes is dirty.
✔️ Your clothes are dirty.

❌ The information are useful.
✔️ The information is useful.

❌ Each students are present.
✔️ Each student is present.

📝 Quick Practice

Choose the correct verb:

The dogs ___ playing. (is / are)
Either my sister or my friends ___ coming. (is / are)
Everyone ___ happy today. (is / are)
Ten kilometres ___ a long walk. (is / are)
The quality of the apples ___ good. (is / are)

Answers:

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