The verb has to agree with the subject in number and person. That means we have to use a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural subject.

Singular verbs – is, was, does, has

Plural verbs – are, were, do, have

Verbs used with first person singular pronoun I – do, am, was, have

Verbs used with second person singular and plural pronoun you – do, are, were, have

Basic rules

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

• Raju and Radha are siblings.

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

• Raju or Radha has to do this.

Use a singular verb after each, every, either and neither.

• Each person has their problems.
• Every problem has a solution.
• Either option is acceptable.
• Neither answer is correct.

Use a singular verb with little and much.

• Much patience is required to learn a new language.

Use a plural verb with many and few.

• Many people are against the idea.

Worksheet

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

1. Either he or you …………………. wrong. (is / am / are)

2. Neither Raju nor I ………………. selected. (is / am / are)

3. Rohan and Sania ……………….. siblings. (is / are)

4. My father and his brothers together …………………. a supermarket in town. (run / runs)

5. Jogging ………………. a good form of exercise. (is / are)

7. Working women ……………….. many challenges. (face / faces)

8. Neither my brother nor my sister ………………… my birthday. (remember / remembers)

9. He or you …………………. to go. (has / have)

10. It ………………… get better than this. (doesn’t / don’t)

11. Children usually ………………… about. (rush / rushes)

12. Not all birds …………………… (sing / sings)

13. Each student …………………. asked to recite the poem. (was / were)

14. Neither my parents nor I ………………. Hindi. (speak / speaks)

15. Shyam or his brothers ………………….. to pay for this. (has / have)

16. Rohan or his brother ………………… broken the window. (has / have)

17. My sister and I ……………….. learning classical dance. (am / is / are)

18. What …………………. you doing at 7 o’clock yesterday evening? (are / were / was / is)

19. Where ……………….. Sandra gone? (has / have)

20. What ………………. I done to make him angry? (am / has / have)

Answers

1. are, 2. am, 3. are, 4. run, 5. is, 7. face, 8. remembers, 9. have, 10. doesn’t, 11. rush, 12. sing, 13. was, 14. speak, 15. have, 16. has, 17. are, 18. were, 19. has, 20. have