The basic rule of subject-verb agreement is simple. A singular subject should be followed by a singular verb and a plural subject should be followed by a plural verb.

When we connect two singular subjects with ‘and’, the verb should be plural.

• Juhi and her brother have arrived.
• Sam and Rahim are good friends.

When we connect two singular subjects with ‘or’, the verb should be singular.

• Juhi or her brother has to go.

When we connect two singular subjects with either/or or neither/nor, the verb should be singular.

• Neither Juhi nor her brother has come.
• Either Sam or Rahim has to go.

When we connect a singular subject and a plural subject with either/or or neither/nor, the verb should agree with the subject closest to it.

• Neither Juhi nor her brothers have any interest in video games.
• Neither you nor I am qualified to do this.

When we connect two nouns with as well as, along with or with, the verb agrees with the first noun.

• The manager as well has his subordinates was present at the meeting.
• The mother cat along with her kittens is sleeping in the patio.

Worksheet 1

Fill in the blanks with a verb form that agrees with the subject.

1. Janaki and her husband ……………………… throwing a party next month. (is / are)

2. Dogs ……………………….. get along with cats. (do not / does not)

3. She ……………………… returned the camera she borrowed from me. (hasn’t / haven’t)

4. Where ……………………… they gone? (have / has)

5. My mother ………………………. me to be a successful writer. (want / wants)

6. He along with his wife ……………………… his native place very often. (visit / visits)

7. One of my cousins ………………………….. a forensic surgeon. (is / are)

8. None of them ………………………………… here today. (is / are)

9. Neither he nor you …………………………. right. (is / are)

10. The cost of living ………………………. increased over the years. (has / have)

11. Trespassing ………………………… prohibited. (is / are)

12. The police ……………………………… searching for a bald man in his thirties. (is / are)

13. The audience ………………………….. enthralled by the performance. (was / were)

14. Running …………………………… good for health. (is / are)

15. Excessive consumption of fatty foods …………………………… one of the main causes of obesity. (is / are)

16. Flying kites …………………………….. his favourite pastime. (is / are)

17. I can’t find my glasses. Where …………………………….? (is it / are they)

18. Neither James nor his parents …………………………… involved in this. (is / are)

19. Either Raju or Shyam ………………………. to go. (has / have)

20. Neither approach ………………………….. right. (seem / seems)

Answers

1. are, 2. do, 3. hasn’t, 4. have, 5. wants, 6. visits, 7. is, 8. is, 9. are(Here the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.), 10. has (Here the subject is the singular noun cost.), 11. is, 12. are, 13. was / were, 14. is, 15. is (Here the subject is the singular noun consumption.), 16. is (Here the subject is the gerund flying.), 17. are they, 18. are (When you connect two nouns with neither/nor, the verb agrees with the latter.), 19. has (When you connect two nouns with either/or, the verb agrees with the latter noun.), 20. seems (Use a singular verb with neither.)

Worksheet 2

Fill in the blanks with a verb form that agrees with the subject.

1. Everybody …………………… gone home. (has / have)

2. Hundred rupees …………………… not a big amount. (is / are)

3. One of the members …………………… raised objections. (has / have)

4. Each of the boys …………………….. rewarded. (was / were)

5. One of the students ……………………. absent today. (is / are)

6. The officer as well as his subordinates ……………………… present. (was / were)

7. Sam as well as his brothers ……………………. guilty. (is / are)

8. Neither Radhika nor Janaki ……………………. present today. (was / were)

9. Neither of the employees ………………….. skilled. (is / are)

10. Either Raju or Shyam ……………………. to do this. (has / have)

11. Neither of the claims ………………….. true. (is / are)

12. Either you or she …………………. lying. (is / are)

13. My pants …………………….. loose for me. (is / are)

14. Where ……………………… my spectacles? (is / are)

15. The police …………………….. called. (was / were)

16. Hundred dollars ………………………….. not enough. (is / are)

Answers

1. has (Use a singular verb after everybody and everyone.)

2. is (We use a singular verb when we talk about a sum of money.)

3. has (Use a singular verb after one of + plural noun.)

4. was (Use a singular verb after each; use a singular verb after every.)

5. is

6. was (When we connect two nouns with as well as, the verb agrees with the noun preceding as well as.)

7. is

8. was (When we connect two singular nouns with neither/nor, the verb is singular.)

9. is (Use a singular verb after neither.)

10. has (When we connect two singular nouns with either /or, the verb is singular.)

11. is

12. is (When we connect two pronouns with either/or or neither/nor, the verb agrees with the pronoun following or/nor.)

13. are (Use a plural verb with pants, trousers, jeans, glasses, scissors, binoculars etc.)

14. are

15. were

16. is