Subject-Verb Agreement Exercises

Front

What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

Back

Subject-Verb Agreement is the grammatical rule that the subject of a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural) with its verb.

Front

When should a singular verb be used?

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A singular verb should be used when the subject is singular, for example, 'The cat runs fast.'

Front

When should a plural verb be used?

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A plural verb should be used when the subject is plural, for example, 'The cats run fast.'

Front

What is the rule for collective nouns?

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Collective nouns can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individuals. For example, 'The team wins' (singular) vs. 'The team are arguing' (plural).

Front

How does the presence of 'all' affect verb agreement?

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When 'all' refers to a plural noun, it takes a plural verb. For example, 'All of the cookies are gone.'

Front

How does the presence of 'none' affect verb agreement?

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'None' can be singular or plural depending on the noun it refers to. For example, 'None of the cake is left' (singular) vs. 'None of the cookies are left' (plural).

Front

What is the rule for subjects joined by 'and'?

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When subjects are joined by 'and', they typically take a plural verb. For example, 'Tom and Jerry are friends.'

Front

What is the rule for subjects joined by 'or' or 'nor'?

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When subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. For example, 'Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.'

Front

What is the rule for 'either/or' and 'neither/nor'?

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With 'either/or' and 'neither/nor', the verb agrees with the nearest subject. For example, 'Either the dog or the cats are making noise.'

Front

What is the rule for indefinite pronouns?

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Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone', 'someone', and 'nobody' are singular and take singular verbs. For example, 'Everyone is here.'