Subject Verb Agreement and its 12 Rules of usages

What is Subject Verb Agreement?

Subject Verb Agreements means that the real worth of subject of any sentence and the verb of that sentence should must agree in numbers. It can be defined as both of the subject and verb of any sentence must be plural or singular.

E.g. The author and professor of this book.......
a. is Dr. Koirla
b. has been Mr. Koirala
c. are Dr. Koirala
d. were Dr. Koirala

Ans: a. Is Dr. Koirala


Singular Subject (A Cow) ---------------------- Singular Verb (eats)
Plural (Cows) ------------------------------------- Plural (eat)

exception: I/You

12 Rules for Subject Verb Agreement

1. If subjects are connected with (and), we use plural. But if subjects are connected with (and), but the idea is singular, then in this case we use singular.
e.g. Pencil and bag are mine.
       Rice and curry is our food.
       -- same idea---

2. If two subjects are connected with different articles, we choose plural verb. But if two subjects are connected with single article, we choose singular verb.
e.g. The author and the poet are dead.
       Rita has a green and a blue saree. They are beautiful.
       The author and poet is dead.

3. We have to look subjects after Or/Nor
e.g. Ram or his friends are guilty.
       His friends or Ram is good.

4. As well as together with including with along with, etc
e.g. Students along with their teacher have gone to the picnic.

5. Indefinite pronouns: uses singular
    Each / either / every-body / one/no/any/some thing
e.g. Either of the students has passed.

6. Ending with (s) but they use singular verbs
    Politics / Ethics / Economics / Physics / Mathematics

7. There are certain words those are always plural.
    People / Police / Gentry / Cattle etc.

8. There are certain nouns (collection) which are both singular / plural. The usages tell us what they are:
    (Government / Committee / Staff / Jury)
    (Deer / Sheep / Fish )
e.g. The committee are divided into different opinions (plural)
       The committee is reached into conclusion (singular)

      A/The deer is grazing. (Singular)
      Deer are grazing. (No article used is plural)

9. If there are subjects standing in pairs, we always use plural verb.
    Scissors / glasses / stockings / socks / shoes / paints / shorts / sleeves / trousers / pajamas etc.

10. Names of books / places are singular.
e.g. 'The Three Musketeers' is written by A. Dumre.

11. Collectives are singular.
      A herd of cows is grazing.
      A school of fishes is swimming.
      A cake of soaps is bought.

e.g. Dozen of bananas is bought.
       Two dozen of bananas are bought.
       One third of students is present.
       Two third of students are present.
       A number of students (plural) are presnt.
       The number of students (singular) is present.

12. Measurements are singular.
       Length / Weight / Distance etc.
       (uncountable)

e.g. Ten kilos of rice is not heavy.
       50 km of distance is huge.