Everything you need to use subject-verb agreement correctly: the formula, when to use it, signal words, common mistakes and exercises with answers.
Subject and verb must agree in number: a singular subject takes a singular verb, a plural subject a plural verb. The basic rule: Singular subject + verb(s/es) | Plural subject + base verb; Tricky subjects - singular: everyone/everybody/everything/someone/nobody + singular verb; Tricky subjects - plural and exceptions: A and B → plural verb | Either A or B → agrees with B | There is/are → agrees with the noun that follows. Signal words: everyone/everybody → singular, each/every + noun → singular, A and B → plural, either...or / neither...nor → agrees with the nearer noun, there is/are → theo N sau, the number of → singular.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The basic rule | Singular subject + verb(s/es) | Plural subject + base verb He plays / They play | She goes / We go | The dog runs fast. The dogs run fast. This applies to the present simple. The past simple makes no distinction, apart from was/were. |
| Tricky subjects - singular | everyone/everybody/everything/someone/nobody + singular verb Everyone IS here. Nobody KNOWS. Something IS wrong. | Everybody wants to be happy. each, every + noun → singular verb: Each student HAS a book. |
| Tricky subjects - plural and exceptions | A and B → plural verb | Either A or B → agrees with B | There is/are → agrees with the noun that follows Tom and Jerry ARE friends. Either Tom or his friends ARE coming. | Neither the teacher nor the students were ready. There is + singular noun / There are + plural noun |
Two subjects joined by 'and' take a plural verb
The verb agrees with the nearer subject
family, team, class, group take a singular verb for the unit, or a plural one for the members
| Word | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| everyone/everybody | Everyone is excited. | Always takes a singular verb |
| each / every | Each student has a textbook. | each/every + singular noun → singular verb |
| the number of | The number of students is increasing. | 'the number of' refers to the figure itself → singular verb |
| a number of | A number of students are absent. | 'a number of' means several → plural verb |
| either...or | Either you or he is wrong. | The verb agrees with the noun nearest to it (he → is) |
Fill in the blank, then open the answer to check it.
Options: are knowing · have known · know · knows
knows. 'Everyone' always takes a singular verb: knows.
Options: is playing · play · playing · plays
play. 'dogs' is plural, so the base verb: play.
Options: are having · has · have · having
has. 'Each' + singular noun takes a singular verb: has.
Options: are · has been · is · was
are. A and B makes two, so a plural verb: are.
Options: am · are · is · were
is. With either...or the verb follows the nearer noun (he), so 'is'.
Options: are · have been · is · were
is. 'news' ends in -s but is uncountable, so a singular verb: is.
Options: are · have been · is · were
is. 'The number of' takes a singular verb: is.
Options: are · has been · is · was
are. 'A number of' takes a plural verb: are.
Options: are · have · is · were
is. With 'there + be' the verb follows the first noun (a book, singular), so 'is'.
Options: are · have been · is · were
is. 'Mathematics' is a school subject, so a singular verb: is.
Options: are · have been · is · were
is. The subject is 'box', which is singular; 'of chocolates' is just a prepositional phrase, so 'is'.
Options: are knowing · know · knowing · knows
knows. 'Nobody' is an indefinite pronoun, so a singular verb: knows.
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