This is the head noun and the verb must agree with it. It will not always be the noun or pronoun directly in front of the verb.
Collective nouns like family, community and majority take a singular verb if their focus is on the whole entity. However, they take a plural verb if the focus is on individual members of the entity.
- Some words appear to be plural but are actually singular, so they take a singular verb (e.g. politics, athletics, news).
- You cannot make plurals out of some commonly used academic words (e.g. evidence, information).
Rule No 1. Singular subject must have plural verb.
Rule No 2. Plural subject must have singular verb.
Rule No 3. Two subjects joined by ‘and’ will always take a plural verb.
Rule No 4. If two subjects express one idea, use a singular verb.
Rule No 5. Two singular subjects joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ will take a singular verb.
Rule No 6. A singular subject and a plural subject joined by ‘or’, ‘either-or’, ‘neither- nor’, ‘none but’, ‘not only but also’; will take a singular or plural verb depending on, which subject is near the verb:
Rule No 7. If two subjects are joined together by ‘as well as’, ‘with’, ‘along with’, ‘together with’, ‘besides’, ‘in addition to’, ‘and not’, ‘rather than’, the verb will act according to the main subject:
Rule No 8. Indefinite pronouns such as someone, somebody, no body, one, no one, everyone, everybody, either, neither, etc. always take a singular verb.
Rule No 9. Indefinite plural pronouns (several, all, few, both and many) always take plural verbs:
Rule No 10. Title of the books need singular verbs:
Rule No 11. The subject ‘Many a’ …… is always followed by the singular verb.
Rule No 12. If the subject is ‘the number of’..…use a singular verb.
Rule No 13. If the subject begins with ‘A number of’, (A large number of, A Great number of, many) use a plural verb:
Rule No. 14. Some nouns in the plural form represent an amount, a fraction or an element of time (sum, distance, quantity, and time period) are considered singular and hence take singular verbs.
Choose the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject.
Example 1: Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.
Ans: Annie and her brothers are at school.
Example 2: Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.
Ans: Either my mother or my father is coming to the meeting.
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