📚 SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT

କର୍ତ୍ତା ଓ କ୍ରିୟାର ସମନ୍ୱୟ

🌟 What is Subject–Verb Agreement?

“The verb must agree with its subject in number and person.”

ଗୋଟିଏ ବାକ୍ୟରେ Subject ଏବଂ Verb ମଧ୍ୟରେ number ଓ person ଅନୁସାରେ ସମନ୍ୱୟ ରହିଥାଏ।

👤 Singular Subject → Singular Verb

👥 Plural Subject → Plural Verb

🔵 Basic Examples

Subject	Verb	Sentence
I	am	I am playing.
He	is	He is playing.
They	are	They are playing.
We	are	We are playing.

💡 Remember: First find the real subject of the sentence. Then choose the correct verb.

🔴 RULE 1 — Special Use of “Were”

With imaginary, unreal or contrary-to-fact situations, were can be used even with a singular subject.

📌 Examples:

I wish I were a bird.
If I were you, I would accept the offer.
If she were here, she would help us.
She behaved as if she were my mother.

⭐ Exam Tip: In unreal/imaginary conditions, remember → I/he/she/it + were.

🟣 RULE 2 — Bless, Save, Help, Live

When these verbs express a wish, prayer or blessing, they may appear in their base form even with a singular subject.

God save the King.
God help you.
God bless you.
Long live the King.

🔵 RULE 3 — Need & Dare as Modals

When need and dare are used as modal verbs, they do not take -s with a singular subject.

Correct	Incorrect
He need not go.	❌ He needs not go.
She dare not oppose him.	❌ She dares not oppose him.
Need he go there?	❌ Needs he go there?

🟠 RULE 4 — Two Nouns Referring to One Person

When two nouns joined by and refer to the same person, a singular verb is used.

The poet and painter has died.
The Project Director and Additional Collector is on tour.

💡 Clue: Usually only one article is used before the first noun when both nouns refer to the same person.

🔷 RULE 5 — Two Words Expressing One Idea

When two nouns together express one idea or concept, a singular verb is used.

Bread and butter is my favourite breakfast.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Early to bed and early to rise is a good habit.

🔵 RULE 6 — Either...or / Neither...nor

When two singular subjects are joined by either...or or neither...nor, use a singular verb.

Either Sita or Ram was present.
Neither he nor she is responsible.
No man or woman was present.

💗 RULE 7 — Different Numbers with Either...or / Neither...nor

When the subjects differ in number, the verb generally agrees with the subject nearest to it.

Neither the Principal nor the teachers were present.
Either Ramesh or his friends have stolen the watch.
Either the teachers or the Principal is responsible.

🎯 Golden Rule: Look at the subject nearest to the verb.

🌿 RULE 8 — Different Persons

With either...or / neither...nor, when subjects are of different persons, the verb agrees with the nearest subject.

Either you or I am to go there.
Neither he nor you are responsible.
He or I am going there.

🟡 RULE 9 — Collective Nouns

Collective nouns such as committee, army, jury, team, family, audience generally take a singular verb when the group acts as one unit.

The committee has taken a decision.
The jury has given its verdict.
The army was deployed at the border.

But when members act separately:

The committee are divided in their opinions.
The audience were taking their seats.

🟣 RULE 10 — Quantity as One Unit

A plural-looking quantity takes a singular verb when it represents one unit or amount.

Five kilograms is not a heavy weight.
One hundred rupees is a large amount for him.
Six miles is not a long distance.

But when individual units are emphasized, a plural verb may be used:

Five years have passed.
Two thousand rupees were distributed among the winners.

🟢 RULE 11 — Plural-looking Nouns with Singular Meaning

Some nouns look plural but usually take a singular verb when they refer to a subject/field or a single concept.

Noun	Example
Mathematics	Mathematics is interesting.
Physics	Physics is difficult for some students.
News	The news is shocking.
Billiards	Billiards is an interesting game.

🔹 RULE 12 — Each & Every

Each and every take a singular noun and a singular verb.

Each boy and girl has to attend the function.
Every man, woman and child was happy.
Each minute and each second is precious.

⭐ Remember: Each / Every → Singular Verb

🟠 RULE 13 — Plural-meaning Nouns

Some nouns such as cattle, people, police normally take plural verbs.

The cattle are grazing in the field.
The people were satisfied.
The police have arrested the thief.

🟣 RULE 14 — Not only...but also

The verb agrees with the subject nearest to it.

Not only the Principal but also the teachers were present.
Not only the teachers but also the Principal was present.

🟢 RULE 15 — As well as / Along with / Together with

The verb agrees with the main subject, not with the noun following these expressions.

The President, as well as the members, has arrived.
The teacher, along with the students, is going to the museum.
The house, together with all its belongings, was sold.

🔴 RULE 16 — Other & Another

There are many other hotels nearby.
There is another hotel near the railway station.

👉 another + singular noun → singular verb
👉 other + plural noun → plural verb

🔷 RULE 17 — The Poor, The Rich, The Young...

Expressions such as the poor, the rich, the young, the old, the disabled refer to groups of people and take plural verbs.

The poor are often neglected.
The rich are not always happy.
The young are energetic.

❌ Do not write: The poors / The riches

🔵 RULE 18 — Two Subjects Joined by “And”

Two separate singular subjects joined by and normally take a plural verb.

Ram and Rahim are friends.
He and she were present.

⚠️ Exception: If the two nouns express one person or one idea, use a singular verb.

🌱 RULE 19 — Hair

His hair is black.
There are five hairs on the brush.

Hair as a mass noun → singular verb.
Individual hairs → plural verb.

🟠 RULE 20 — All & Some

Noun Type	Example
Countable	All the students are present.
Uncountable	All the money was taken.
Countable	Some books are missing.
Uncountable	Some milk is needed.

💗 RULE 21 — Most of / Half of

The verb depends on the noun after of.

Most of the students are present.
Most of the milk is fresh.
Half of the students were absent.
Half of the milk was spoiled.

🌿 RULE 22 — There + Verb

After there, the verb agrees with the real subject that follows it.

There is a girl in the room.
There are ten students in the class.
There was a queen.
There were several ministers.

🟣 RULE 23 — Uncountable Nouns

Words such as furniture, luggage, information, advice, knowledge, equipment, scenery, traffic, electricity, music are normally uncountable.

The furniture is beautiful.
His advice is useful.
The information was correct.
The scenery is beautiful.

❌ an advice ❌ informations ❌ furnitures
✅ some advice ✅ some information ✅ some furniture

🔵 RULE 24 — “As follows”

The correct expression is as follows, not as follow.

The main points are as follows.
The details are as follows.

⭐ RULE 25 — The Following

The following is the summary.
The following are the new prices.

👉 Singular subject → is
👉 Plural subject → are

🟠 RULE 26 — Repeated Singular Noun

When a singular noun is repeated with a preposition, a singular verb is used.

Man after man was entering the room.
One month after another has passed.
Ship after ship is arriving.

🔵 RULE 27 — Pair Nouns

Nouns such as scissors, trousers, spectacles, shoes are normally plural.

My shoes are new.
The scissors are blunt.
His trousers are clean.

But with a pair of, use a singular verb:

A pair of shoes is required.
A pair of scissors was purchased.

🟣 RULE 28 — Sheep, Fish, Deer

Some nouns have the same singular and plural form.

A sheep is grazing.
Many sheep are grazing.
A deer is in the forest.
Many deer are in the forest.

⚠️ Fish is commonly used for both singular and plural when referring to the animals generally.

🌱 RULE 29 — Gerund, Infinitive & Clause as Subject

When a gerund, infinitive, phrase or clause functions as the subject, it normally takes a singular verb.

Swimming is good exercise.
To swim is good for you.
How to start it is a big question.
That she is poor is known to me.

🔴 RULE 30 — More than One

More than one + singular noun normally takes a singular verb.

More than one student was absent.
More than one worker was injured.

🔷 RULE 31 — More...than One

When the expression is more + plural noun + than one, a plural verb is used.

More students than one have attended the class.
More girls than one were present.

🟠 RULE 32 — Noun + Preposition + Noun

The verb usually agrees with the first/main noun, not with the noun after the preposition.

The quality of these goods is excellent.
The colour of these shirts is attractive.
The details of the accident were received.
The cost of production is increasing.

🎯 Find the main subject before “of”.

🔷 RULE 33 — A Number / The Number

Expression	Verb	Example
A number of	Plural	A number of students are absent.
The number of	Singular	The number of students is increasing.

💗 RULE 34 — None

In modern English, none can take either a singular or plural verb depending on the meaning and the noun that follows.

None of the information is useful.
None of the students are present.

🟢 RULE 35 — Relative Pronouns

The verb after who, which, that agrees with its antecedent.

The book that is here is mine.
The books that are here are mine.
The woman who is standing there is my sister.
The women who are standing there are my sisters.

🟣 RULE 36 — One of + Relative Pronoun

He is one of those who work hard.
She is one of the students who have passed the examination.

⭐ The relative pronoun refers to the plural noun those/students.

🟡 RULE 37 — Nothing but

When nothing but is the subject, the verb is generally singular because the head word is nothing.

Nothing but birds is seen.
Nothing but a few trees is visible.

🌿 RULE 38 — No + Singular Noun

No boy and no girl was present.
No man and no woman was there.

🔵 RULE 39 — Figures Joined by “And”

When figures are treated as one calculation/unit, a singular verb may be used.

Four and four is eight. ✔️
Four and four are eight. ✔️ (possible when viewed as separate numbers)

🔴 RULE 40 — “As” with an Implied Subject

There were not so many workers as were required.
There was not so much work as was expected.

The verb after as agrees with the understood subject.

🟢 RULE 41 — Indefinite Pronouns

The following normally take singular verbs:

Everyone • Everybody • Nobody • Somebody • Someone • No one • Each one

Everyone was happy.
Somebody is coming.
Each one was given a gift.
No one is responsible.

🟣 RULE 42 — Each of / Either of / Neither of

These expressions normally take a singular verb.

Each of the students was given a gift.
Either of the books is useful.
Neither of the boys was present.

🟠 RULE 43 — Subject + Complement

The verb agrees with the subject, not necessarily with the complement.

Our only guide was the stars.
The stars were our only guide.

🎯 Find the real subject first.

🚀 QUICK REVISION — SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT

Rule	Remember
1	Singular subject → Singular verb
2	Plural subject → Plural verb
3	I wish I were...
4	Each / Every → Singular verb
5	Either...or / Neither...nor → Nearest subject
6	Not only...but also → Nearest subject
7	As well as / along with → Main subject
8	A number of → Plural
9	The number of → Singular
10	There is/are → Follow the real subject
11	Uncountable nouns → Singular verb
12	More than one + singular noun → Singular verb
13	Collective noun as one unit → Singular
14	Gerund/Infinitive as subject → Singular
15	Relative pronoun → Agree with antecedent

🧠 SUPER MEMORY TRICK

“FIND THE SUBJECT → CHECK THE NUMBER → CHOOSE THE VERB.”

👤 Singular → is / was / has / does
👥 Plural → are / were / have / do

⭐ Never be confused by the words between the Subject and Verb!

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✨ Subject–Verb Agreement ✨