Master Subject-Verb Agreement: 30 Key Grammar Rules

Rule 2 : Plural Subjects take Plural verbs

If the subject of a sentence is plural, the verb in that sentence must be plural in form. with plural subject, we never use ‘s/es’ at the end of verb in simple present tense.

Examples:

• They conduct the class at the weekend. (” They” is plural subject, that is why the verb “conduct” is without ‘s/es’. )
• My colleagues always co-operate with me. ( The subject “my colleagues” is plural, so the verb “co-operate” is in the base form without ‘-s’. )

Rule 3: Subjects Joined by “And” Usually Take Plural Verbs

When two or more subjects are joined by ‘and’, the verb should be plural because the compound subject is considered plural.

Examples:

• Priya and Rekha have confomed to the rules.
• My phone and my laptop are running out of battery.

Important Note 1 :

When two nouns are joined by “and” but refer to the same person or thing, the verb remains singular. This commonly happens when only one article (like “the”) or one possessive (like “my,” “our”) is used before the first noun.

This construction signals that both nouns are used to describe a single identity.

Examples:

• The friend and philosopher is speaking at the seminar.
  (Refers to one person who is both a friend and a philosopher.)
• My guide and mentor was proud of my achievement.
  (Refers to one individual with two roles.)
• The friend and philosopher are speaking. (Incorrect: the use of single definite article only before the first subject and not before the second subject refers to a single person being friend as well as philosopher. )
• The friend and the philosopher are speaking. (Correct; friend and philosopher are two different people and that is why ‘the’ has been used individually before each subject to define them.)
  (Now refers to two different individuals — a friend and a philosopher.)

Tip: If each noun has its own article, you’re usually talking about two separate things → use a plural verb.

Important Note 2 :

Sometimes two nouns joined by “and” are understood as a fixed pair, idiomatic expression, or a single conceptual unit. In these cases, the subject is treated as singular, and takes a singular verb.

This applies especially to food combinations, abstract pairs, or culturally familiar expressions.

Examples:

• Rice and curry is my comfort food.
• Macaroni and cheese is a classic American dish.
• Bread and butter was served with tea.
• Virtue and vice is a central theme in literature.
• Slow and steady wins the race.

Tip: Ask yourself: “Are these being thought of as one unit or one idea?” If yes, go singular.

Rule 4: With “Either/Or” and “Neither/Nor,” Verb Agrees with the Closest Subject

Subject-verb agreement changes based on how “either” and “neither” are used. Let’s break it into two parts for clarity:

A. When “either” or “neither” is used alone (without “or”/“nor”)

They are singular and always take a singular verb.

Examples:

• Either of the options is fine with me.
• Neither of the answers makes sense.
• Neither of the options is worth considering.
• Neither works for this situation.
• Either is acceptable.

B. When “either…or” or “neither…nor” is used

In this case, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. This is called the proximity rule.

Examples:

• Either the teacher or the students are responsible.
  → “Students” is plural and closest to the verb — so use “are.”
• Neither the players nor the coach is attending.
  → “Coach” is singular and closest to the verb — so use “is.”
• Either the manager or the employees are expected to respond.

Important Note:

Avoid assuming that “either” and “neither” always take singular verbs — it depends on how they’re used.

• When ‘either’ or ‘neither’ used Alone → always singular
• When ‘either’ or ‘neither’ used with or/nor → follow the closest subject

Rule 5: Verb Agrees with the Main Subject, Not the Phrase After “Of “

When determining verb agreement, ignore prepositional phrases like “of the…” that come after the main subject. These phrases do not affect whether the verb should be singular or plural. Always match the verb with the core subject, not the noun in the “of “ phrase.

Key Point:

Prepositional phrases — especially those starting with “of” — may contain plural or singular nouns, but they do not change the number of the subject.

Examples:

• The quality of the apples is excellent.
• A group of boys was playing in the field.
• The structure of these buildings is very old.
• The sound of the drums was thrilling.

Common Mistakes:

• The quality of the apples are excellent. (Incorrect)
• A group of boys were playing in the field. (Incorrect)

Rule 6: Phrases Like “As Well As,” “Along With,” “Together With” Don’t Affect the Verb

In subject-verb agreement, when the subject is followed by intervening phrases such as “as well as,” “along with,” “together with,” “in addition to,” or “including,” the verb must still agree with the original subject, not with the additional noun in the modifying phrase.

These phrases do not join subjects like “and” does — instead, they add extra, non-essential information.

Examples:

• The teacher, as well as her students, is attending the seminar.
• My brother, along with his friends, has completed the project.
• The captain, together with his team, was congratulated.
• The director, in addition to the cast, was present at the launch.
• I, along with my brother, am going to take that crucial decision.

Incorrect Usage:

• The teacher, as well as her students, are attending the seminar. (Incorrect)
• My brother, along with his friends, have completed the project. (Incorrect)

Punctuation Tip:
Always place commas before and after phrases like:
“as well as,” “along with,” “together with,” “including,” etc., because they are not part of the core subject.

✔ Correct:

• We, along with our teacher, are attending the seminar.
• You, as well as your friends, have done a great job.
• They, together with their cousins, are shifting tomorrow.

Incorrect:

• We along with our teacher is attending the seminar.
• You as well as your friends has done a great job.
• They together with their cousins is shifting tomorrow.

SECTION B (Rules 7–12): Indefinite Pronouns & Quantifiers

Rule 7: Indefinite Pronouns Always Take Singular Verbs

Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, someone, anyone, each, nobody, and everybody are grammatically singular and are followed by singular verbs.

Examples:

• Everyone in the room is waiting.
• Each of the cookies tastes delicious.
• Somebody wants to speak with you.
• Everybody is eager to perform in the competition.
• Nobody is above the law.

Common Error:

Everyone have completed the project. (Incorrect)

Nobody were present at that spot. (Incorrect)

Choosing Between ‘His/Her’ and ‘Their’ for Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns like everyone, someone, and nobody are singular, but many learners feel awkward using “his or her.”

Formal Usage:

Use “his or her” in formal contexts to maintain grammatical agreement.

• Everyone has submitted his or her homework.
• Someone left his or her umbrella.
• Each student presented his or her views.

Modern/Inclusive Usage:

In informal or inclusive writing, “their” is widely accepted as a gender-neutral singular pronoun.

• Everyone has submitted their homework.
• Someone left their phone on the desk.
• Nobody has shared their feedback yet.

Use “his or her” in exams or academic writing.
Use “their” in casual writing, blogs, and speech.

Special Note: When “Each” Follows a Plural Noun

When “each” comes after a plural noun or number, the verb is usually plural, because the noun is the actual subject.

Examples:

• The students each have a unique project.
• Fifty people each have their own seat.
• The members each contribute monthly.

Rule 8: Quantifiers Agree with the Noun After “of”

When quantifiers like some, all, most, none, or half are followed by a phrase with “of,” the verb agrees with the noun immediately following “of.”

Examples:

• Some of the cake is left. (“cake” is uncountable → singular verb)
• Some of the students are missing. (“students” is countable plural → plural verb)
• All of the water was spilled.
• All of the books were returned.
• None of the information is accurate.
• None of the boys have arrived yet

Note:

“None” can be singular or plural depending on the noun it refers to

• None of the option is practical
• None of the options are practical.

For the full picture on how no, not, none, and no one differ beyond just verb agreement, read our post on [No vs. Not vs. None vs. No One — The Negation Quartet That Trips Up Even Careful Writers].

Rule 9: “A lot of”, “Lots of”, “Plenty of” follow the noun after “of”

Quantifiers like “a lot of“, “lots of“, “plenty of“ don’t decide whether the verb is singular or plural. The Verb agrees with the noun that comes immediately after “of” .

Examples:

• A lot of water has flown down the river since the last incident. (‘singular‘ verb in place because the noun ‘water’ is uncountable)
• Lots of participants have shown interest in any future event like this. (‘participants’ = plural, so the verb is plural ‘have‘)
• A lot of opportunities were given to him.
• Plenty of reasons are there behind his sacking. (‘reasons’=plural, so the plural verb ‘are‘)

Note:

Avoid the mistakes of assuming these expressions always take plural verbs. Focus on whether the noun after “of” is countable plural or unntable.

Rule 10: “Many’, “few’, ‘both’, and “several” always take plural verbs

The determiners many, few, both and several refer to more than one person or thing, so they always take plural verbs.

• Many people have engaged with their recent post.
• Few areas are yet to be highlighted.
• Both the trainees were part of the delegation.
• Several candidates have applied for this exam.

Common Error:

Both of them is present in the meeting. (incorrect)

Both of them are present in the meeting. (correct)

Tip:

To express different shades of meaning with few and a few

• A few clients have placed the order. (Positive sense: some have placed the order.)
• Few clients are ready to accept the new policy. (Negative sense: hardly any )

Advanced Note: “Many a + Singular Noun” Takes a Singular Verb

Although “many” is plural, the phrase “many a + singular noun” is treated as singular and takes a singular verb. It emphasizes each individual within the group.

Examples:

• Many a player has failed to clear the fitness test.
• Many a teacher has faced this challenge.
• Many a writer has used this technique.

Rule 11: “More than one” takes a Singular Verb

Even though “more than one” refers to several items, it is treated as singular in grammar because the focus is on the word one. Therefore, it always takes a singular verb.

Examples (Correct):

• More than one student has submitted the assignment.
• More than one person has complained about the issue.

Incorrect:

• More than one student have completed the task. (incorrect)
• More than one participent were absent. (incorrect)

Quick Tip:

Don’t confuse “more than one” with “more than two” or “more than three”. when the phrase mentions two or more explicitly, the verb becomes plural:

• More than two students have joined the class.
• More than three teachers were shortlisted.

Rule 12: “One of the…” always takes a Singular Verb

When a sentence begins with “one of the + plural noun”, the verb that follows must be singular, because the true subject is “one”, not the plural noun that follows of. The phrase “one of the” always takes a plural noun after it.

Examples (Correct):

• One of the students has not understood the subject-verb agreement.
• One of the books was missing
• One of the teachers teaches English literature.

Incorrect:

• One of the students have failed to submit the assignment. (incorrect)
• One of the players were injured. (incorrect)

SECTION C (Rule 13-18): Special Noun Types

Rule 13 : Uncountable Nouns Take Singular Verbs

Uncountable nouns like information, advice, furniture, knowledge, and equipment are treated as singular because they represent a whole quantity, not countable items. That’s why, they take singular verbs.

Examples:

• The information shared with the investigating agency was a valuable one. (Correct)
• Your advice helps me a lot. (Correct)
• Their advices were not sought for. (Incorrect)

Tip:

Never use “many” or “few” with uncountable nouns — use “much” or “a little“.

Rule 14: Nouns Ending in -s but Singular in Meaning

Certain nouns end in -s but are singular in meaning, usually academic subjects, fields, or abstract ideas. They always take a singular verb.

Examples:

• Mathematics is my favourite subject. (Correct)
• The news seems shocking. (Correct)
• Economics are difficult to understand. (Incorrect)

Rule 15: Nouns That Are Always Plural

Some nouns are always plural and always take plural verbs, even if they look singular. Common examples: police, people, children, cattle

Examples:

• The police are investigating the case. (Correrct)
• The police is failing to control the law and order situation. (Incorrect)
• The people have gathered in the square. (Correct)

Rule 16: Titles of Books, Movies, and Organization Take Singular Verbs

Titles and names refer to one complete unit, even if they appear plural. Hence, they take singular verbs.

Examples:

• The United Nations plays an important role in global peace. (Correct)
• The Chronicles of Narnia is a famous fantasy series. (Correct)
• The Chronicles of Narnia are interesting. (Incorrect)

Rule 17: Time, Distance, Money & Measurement Used as a Unit Take Singular Verb

When time, distance, money, or measurement is considered as a single unit, it takes a singular verb. When referring to seperate or countable units, use plural.

Examples:

• Ten kilometers is too long to run. (Correct)
• Five hundred rupees is a fair deal for this product. (Correct)
• Ten kilometers are too long. (Incorrect)

Note:

Use plural only when highlighting the individual parts — Ten kilometers were measured seperately.

Rule 18: Collective Nouns Depend on Context

Collective Nouns (team, committee, jury, family, audience) can be singular or plural depending on the meaning:

• Singular — when the group acts as one unit.
• Plural — when members act individually.

Examples:

• The team is winning the match (singular) {Correct}
• The team are arguing among themselves. (Plural) {Correct}

SECTION D (Rule 19-24) : Structural & Complex Patterns

Rule 19: Inverted Sentences– Verb Follows the Real Subject

In sentences that begin with here or there, the verb agrees with the true subject that comes after the verb — not with here or there.

Examples:

• Here comes the teacher. (Correct)
• There is bank right opposite the hospital. (Correct)
• There are many reasons to learn English. (Correct)
• Here come the teacher. (Incorrect)
• There is many books on the shelf. (Incorrect)

Rule 20: Relative Pronouns– Verb Agrees with Antecedent

When who,which, or that act as relative pronouns, their verbs agree with the noun(antecedent) that they refer to.

Examples:

• She is one of the students who play football. (Correct)
• He is the only one who works hard. (Correct)
• This is the book that belongs to me. (Correct)
• She is one of the students who plays football. (Incorrect)
• He is the only one who work hard. (Incorrect)

Rule 21: “A Number Of” Takes a Plural Verb

When the phrase “a number of” is used, it means several and thereforetakes a plural verb.

Examples:

• A number of students are participating. (Correct)
• A number of books have been donated. (Correct)
• A number of students is participating. (Incorrect)

Tip:

Think of “a number of” as “many” — plural verb

Rule 22: “The Number Of” Takes a Singular Verb

When the phrase “the number of” is used, it acts as a single unit and takes a singular verb.

Examples:

• The number of students is increasing every year. (Correct)
• The number of applicants has risen. (Correct)
• The number of students are increasing. (Incorrect)

Rule 23: Sentences with “There is/ There are”

In sentences beginning with there is or there are, the verb must agree with the noun that follows.

Examples:

• There is a book on the table. (Correct)
• There are many books on the table. (Correct)
• There is one pen and two pencils (Correct) {Note: The verb agrees with the first noun “pen”.}
• There are a book on the table. (Incorrect)

Rule 24: Gerunds as Subjects — Singular and Plural Agreement Rules

When a verb+ing form (called a gerund) acts as the subject of a sentence, it is treated as singular– therefore, it takes a singular verb.

Examples:

• Swimming is good for health. (Correct)
• Reading helps improve vocabulary. (Correct)
• Swimming are good for health. (Incorrect)

Tip:

A gerund behaves like a singular noun because it names an activity or idea.

Exception– When Two Gerunds Are Joined by “and”

If two gerunds are connected by and, the subject becomes plural, and therefore the verb must also be plural.

Examples:

• Reading and writing are essential skills. (Correct)
• Singing and dancing make her happy. (Correct)
• Walking and cycling help you stay fit. (Correct)
• Reading and writing is essential skills. (Incorrect)

Tip:

Two adjectives joined by and are treated as more than one subject, so the verb should be plural.

SECTION E (Rule 25-30): Advanced & Contextual Agreement

Rule 25: Verb Agreement with Percentages, Fractions, and Portions

When the subject expresses a fraction, percentage, or portion(like”one-third”, “half”‘ “two-thirds“, “60%”‘, “most of”, “all of”, “some of”, etc.), the verb agrees with the noun that follows “of”.

A. When the object of “of” is singular — use singular verb

• One-third of the population is illiterate.
• Sixty percent of the city is underwater.
• Half of the cake has been eaten.

B. When the object of “of” is plural — use plural verb

• One-third of the students are present.
• seventy percent of the people support the new law.
• Half of the mangoes were rotten.

C. When “of” phrase refers to an uncountable noun– use singular verb

• Most of the water is wasted.
• Twenty percent of the information was incorrect.

Rule 26: Clauses Beginning with “What”, “Who”, “Whatever”, “Whichever”

In clauses like “what”, “who”, “whatever”, “whichever”, the verb agrees with the logical subject inside the clause— not automatically singular or plural.

Examples:

• What we need are honest leaders.
• What she wants is peace.
• whoever wins deserves a prize.

Rule 27: “A Majority of” vs. “The Majority of”

Both may look similar but behave differently. A majority of + plural noun- plural verb

• A majority of students have submitted the form.

The majority of + singular noun– singular verb

• The majority of the population supports the new law.

Rule 28: Identify the True Subject in Sentences with “What”, “Who”, “This”, “That”, “Which”

When the sentence begins with demonstrative or relative pronouns, locate the real subject before deciding the verb form.

Examples:

• This is my favourite book.
• What she needs now is rest.
• What they demand now are more resources.

Rule 29: Subject-Verb Agreement After “One of Those Who..”

When a sentence begins with “one of those who” (or “one of the people who,” “one of the students who”), the verb agrees with the plural noun that follows “those who“, not with “one“.

Examples:

• He is one of those teachers who inspire students. (Correct)
• She is one of the players who train hard every day. (Correct)
• He is one of those teachers who inspires students. (Incorrect)

Rule 30: Verb Agreement After “More Than One” and “More Than Two”

When the expression “more than one” is used as the subject, it always takes a singular verb because the sense is treated as each individual one. However, when you use “more than two” or any higher number, the verb becomes plural since it clearly refers to more than one person or thing.

Examples:

• More than one student has submitted the assignment. (Correct)
• More than one reason was given for the delay. (Correct)
• More than two players were selected for the finals. (Correct)
• More than one student have submitted the assignment. (Incorrect)

Mastering subject-verb agreement rules ensures your English sounds natural and error-free. Keep practising these grammar rules with examples to avoid common mistakes in writing and speaking.

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