## **Quick Revision Note: Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord)** ### **Introduction** Subject-Verb Agreement, or Concord, is a fundamental principle of English Grammar. It means that the **verb** in a sentence must match its **subject** in number (singular or plural). A singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb. * **Singular Subject:** The boy **walks**. * **Plural Subject:** The boys **walk**. ### **Essential Rules and Short Tricks** 1. **Compound Subjects:** When two or more subjects are joined by **'and'**, they take a plural verb. * **Rule:** Subject + and + Subject = Plural Verb * **Trick:** If you can replace the subjects with 'they', the verb will be plural. * **Example:** Ramesh and Suresh **are** good friends. 2. **Subjects with 'as well as', 'along with', 'together with', 'with':** When a subject is followed by these phrases, the verb agrees with the **first subject** mentioned. * **Rule:** Subject₁ + phrase + Subject₂ = Verb agrees with Subject₁ * **Trick:** Ignore everything between the commas; the verb follows the first noun. * **Example:** The captain, along with his team, **is** celebrating. 3. **Indefinite Pronouns:** Pronouns like **each, every, either, neither, anyone, no one, everyone, everything, somebody, something, nobody** are always considered singular and take a singular verb. * **Rule:** Each/Every/No/Any/Some + Body/One/Thing = Singular Verb * **Trick:** Think of them as referring to a single person or item. * **Example:** Each of the students **has** submitted the project. 4. **Collective Nouns:** A collective noun (e.g., team, committee, army, class) can be singular or plural. If the group acts as a single unit, the verb is singular. If the members of the group are acting individually, the verb is plural. * **Example (singular):** The committee **has** submitted its report. (The committee acts as a single unit). * **Example (plural):** The committee **were** arguing among themselves. (The members are acting individually). 5. **Correlative Conjunctions:** With **either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also**, the verb agrees with the subject **nearest** to it. * **Rule:** Noun₁ + conjunction + Noun₂ = Verb agrees with Noun₂ * **Trick:** The verb is 'closest' to its subject, so it agrees with the one right next to it. * **Example:** Neither the students nor the teacher **was** present. 6. **Gerunds and Infinitives as Subjects:** When a gerund (verb+ing) or an infinitive (to+verb) acts as the subject, it always takes a singular verb. * **Example:** Swimming **is** a good exercise. * **Example:** To err **is** human. 7. **Expressions of Quantity (A number of / The number of):** * **'A number of'** takes a plural verb. * **'The number of'** takes a singular verb. * **Example:** A number of students **were** absent. * **Example:** The number of students in the class **is** 40. ### **Exam-Oriented Concepts (Important for Exams)** * **Titles of books, movies, or phrases:** Even if they contain plural words, their titles are considered a single entity and take a singular verb. * *Gulliver's Travels* **is** a famous book. * **Plural Nouns with Singular Meaning:** Some nouns are plural in form but singular in meaning (e.g., news, physics, mathematics, measles, economics). They take a singular verb. * The news **is** good. * **Plural Nouns with Inseparable Parts:** Nouns like scissors, trousers, glasses, spectacles, etc., are always plural and take a plural verb. However, when preceded by 'a pair of', the verb becomes singular. * My scissors **are** sharp. * A pair of scissors **is** lying on the table. * **Hypothetical Sentences (Subjunctive Mood):** Sentences expressing an unreal or hypothetical situation (often with 'if' or 'wish') use the plural verb **'were'** regardless of the subject. * I wish I **were** a king. *** ### **20 Objective-Type Questions with Answers** 1. My brother, as well as his friends, ______ studying for the exam. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 2. Bread and butter ______ his favourite breakfast. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 3. Neither of the two boys ______ submitted his project. (has/have) * **Answer:** has 4. Everyone in the room ______ present today. (was/were) * **Answer:** was 5. The jury ______ divided in their opinions. (was/were) * **Answer:** were 6. Mathematics ______ a difficult subject for many. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 7. The principal, together with his staff, ______ arriving soon. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 8. Fifty kilometers ______ a long distance to walk. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 9. Each of the participants ______ given a certificate. (was/were) * **Answer:** was 10. The mob ______ dispersed by the police. (was/were) * **Answer:** was 11. To read good books ______ a habit. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 12. A number of students ______ failed the test. (has/have) * **Answer:** have 13. The news ______ shocking to everyone. (was/were) * **Answer:** was 14. `Three Idiots` ______ a very popular movie. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 15. Neither he nor his parents ______ come. (has/have) * **Answer:** have 16. My spectacles ______ lost. (is/are) * **Answer:** are 17. If she ______ here, she would help you. (was/were) * **Answer:** were 18. The herd of cattle ______ grazing in the field. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 19. Slow and steady ______ the race. (win/wins) * **Answer:** wins 20. The majority of the students ______ in favour of the motion. (is/are) * **Answer:** are --- *Last updated: 19/8/2025*
## **Quick Revision Note: Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord)** ### **Introduction** Subject-Verb Agreement, or Concord, is a fundamental principle of English Grammar. It means that the **verb** in a sentence must match its **subject** in number (singular or plural). A singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb. * **Singular Subject:** The boy **walks**. * **Plural Subject:** The boys **walk**. ### **Essential Rules and Short Tricks** 1. **Compound Subjects:** When two or more subjects are joined by **'and'**, they take a plural verb. * **Rule:** Subject + and + Subject = Plural Verb * **Trick:** If you can replace the subjects with 'they', the verb will be plural. * **Example:** Ramesh and Suresh **are** good friends. 2. **Subjects with 'as well as', 'along with', 'together with', 'with':** When a subject is followed by these phrases, the verb agrees with the **first subject** mentioned. * **Rule:** Subject₁ + phrase + Subject₂ = Verb agrees with Subject₁ * **Trick:** Ignore everything between the commas; the verb follows the first noun. * **Example:** The captain, along with his team, **is** celebrating. 3. **Indefinite Pronouns:** Pronouns like **each, every, either, neither, anyone, no one, everyone, everything, somebody, something, nobody** are always considered singular and take a singular verb. * **Rule:** Each/Every/No/Any/Some + Body/One/Thing = Singular Verb * **Trick:** Think of them as referring to a single person or item. * **Example:** Each of the students **has** submitted the project. 4. **Collective Nouns:** A collective noun (e.g., team, committee, army, class) can be singular or plural. If the group acts as a single unit, the verb is singular. If the members of the group are acting individually, the verb is plural. * **Example (singular):** The committee **has** submitted its report. (The committee acts as a single unit). * **Example (plural):** The committee **were** arguing among themselves. (The members are acting individually). 5. **Correlative Conjunctions:** With **either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also**, the verb agrees with the subject **nearest** to it. * **Rule:** Noun₁ + conjunction + Noun₂ = Verb agrees with Noun₂ * **Trick:** The verb is 'closest' to its subject, so it agrees with the one right next to it. * **Example:** Neither the students nor the teacher **was** present. 6. **Gerunds and Infinitives as Subjects:** When a gerund (verb+ing) or an infinitive (to+verb) acts as the subject, it always takes a singular verb. * **Example:** Swimming **is** a good exercise. * **Example:** To err **is** human. 7. **Expressions of Quantity (A number of / The number of):** * **'A number of'** takes a plural verb. * **'The number of'** takes a singular verb. * **Example:** A number of students **were** absent. * **Example:** The number of students in the class **is** 40. ### **Exam-Oriented Concepts (Important for Exams)** * **Titles of books, movies, or phrases:** Even if they contain plural words, their titles are considered a single entity and take a singular verb. * *Gulliver's Travels* **is** a famous book. * **Plural Nouns with Singular Meaning:** Some nouns are plural in form but singular in meaning (e.g., news, physics, mathematics, measles, economics). They take a singular verb. * The news **is** good. * **Plural Nouns with Inseparable Parts:** Nouns like scissors, trousers, glasses, spectacles, etc., are always plural and take a plural verb. However, when preceded by 'a pair of', the verb becomes singular. * My scissors **are** sharp. * A pair of scissors **is** lying on the table. * **Hypothetical Sentences (Subjunctive Mood):** Sentences expressing an unreal or hypothetical situation (often with 'if' or 'wish') use the plural verb **'were'** regardless of the subject. * I wish I **were** a king. *** ### **20 Objective-Type Questions with Answers** 1. My brother, as well as his friends, ______ studying for the exam. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 2. Bread and butter ______ his favourite breakfast. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 3. Neither of the two boys ______ submitted his project. (has/have) * **Answer:** has 4. Everyone in the room ______ present today. (was/were) * **Answer:** was 5. The jury ______ divided in their opinions. (was/were) * **Answer:** were 6. Mathematics ______ a difficult subject for many. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 7. The principal, together with his staff, ______ arriving soon. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 8. Fifty kilometers ______ a long distance to walk. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 9. Each of the participants ______ given a certificate. (was/were) * **Answer:** was 10. The mob ______ dispersed by the police. (was/were) * **Answer:** was 11. To read good books ______ a habit. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 12. A number of students ______ failed the test. (has/have) * **Answer:** have 13. The news ______ shocking to everyone. (was/were) * **Answer:** was 14. `Three Idiots` ______ a very popular movie. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 15. Neither he nor his parents ______ come. (has/have) * **Answer:** have 16. My spectacles ______ lost. (is/are) * **Answer:** are 17. If she ______ here, she would help you. (was/were) * **Answer:** were 18. The herd of cattle ______ grazing in the field. (is/are) * **Answer:** is 19. Slow and steady ______ the race. (win/wins) * **Answer:** wins 20. The majority of the students ______ in favour of the motion. (is/are) * **Answer:** are --- *Last updated: 19/8/2025*