Subject-Verb Concord | Extra Documents, Videos & Tests for Class 10 PDF Download

A verb must agree with its Number and Person.

In other words, the Verb of a sentence agrees with the Number and Person of the Subject of that sentence.

Error of Proximity: Often, the ‘Verb’ is made to agree in number with a norm near it instead of its proper Subject. It is an error. This common error is called the ‘Error of Proximity’. It should be avoided. The verb must agree with its proper Subject.
1. The price of the apples was very high. (✓)
2. The price of the apples were very high. (✗)

Sentence no. 2 is wrong because in it the verb ‘were’ is wrongly agreed with the noun ‘apples’ near it. It is an Error of Proximity.

1. Number: The basic principle of Subject-Verb agreement is that singular subjects need singular verbs. Plural subjects need plural verbs:

2. Person: The rules regarding the person are as follows:

• The first person singular or plural takes a singular verb: I like this scenery.
• The second person singular or plural takes a singular verb: You like this scenery.
• The third-person singular takes a singular verb: He likes this scenery.
• The third person plural takes a plural verb: They like this scenery.

3. Uncountable Noun: When we use an uncountable noun as the subject of a verb, we use a singular form of the verb: Honesty is the best policy.

4. Singular and Plural Nouns: When we use a singular noun as the subject of a verb, we use a singular verb. Plural nouns take a plural verb: The moon was shining in the sky.

5. One of + Plural Noun: When the subject consists of ‘one of + plural noun’, the verb is singular: One of the girls was singing.

6. Long Subject: When a clause or a long group of words is the subject, we have to be careful to make the verb agree with the subject: The chairs which I bought yesterday are very costly.

7. Introductory ‘there’: The verb has to agree with the real subject that follows the introductory there. If the subject is singular, then there will be followed by a singular verb. If the real subject is plural, then ‘there’ will be followed by a plural verb: There is no chair in the room.
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8. Two or More Nouns: When two or more nouns function as the subject, a plural verb is used: Satish and his sister have gone to see a movie.

9. Distances, Weight, etc: For distances, weight, height, or amounts of money, we use a singular verb even when the subject is plural: Ten thousand rupees is not a small sum.

10. Plural Names: The title of a book, the name of a house or a hotel in plural takes a singular verb: “The Arabian Nights” has interesting stories.

11. Plural Nouns with Singular Meaning: Nouns which are plural in form but singular in meaning usually take a singular verb: Mathematics is not an easy subject.

12. Singular Nouns with Plural Verb: Some nouns which appear to be singular in form take a plural verb: The police have arrested three terrorists.

13. Collective nouns like group, crowd, flock, regiment, etc. are generally followed by a singular verb: A group of boys was playing in the ground.

14. ‘Class’ nouns such as food, furniture, clothing, etc. take a singular verb: This furniture is very old.

15. Some nouns which appear to be plural in form when preceded by a pair of take a singular verb, for example, shoes, scissors, trousers, etc: A pair of scissors was taken out of the drawer.
But when these nouns are used without ‘a pair of’, they take a plural verb: His shoes have worn out.

16. Some nouns are preceded by a lot of, a plenty of, a great deal of, etc. These nouns take a singular verb when they refer to amount or quantity. But they take a plural verb when they refer to number: A lot of people visit the exhibition.

17. When a singular subject is joined by as well as, in addition to, except, etc. with another noun or pronoun, we use a singular verb: Sohan as well as his brother has come.

18. A singular verb is used with singular pronouns, e.g. each, either, neither, anyone, etc: Each of the boys was given a prize.

19. When two or more subjects are connected by nor or or, the verb is used according to the number of the noun nearest to it: Neither she nor her sisters visit the temple.

20. A collective noun such as jury, committee, family, etc. takes a singular verb when it is considered one unit. But when they are regarded as individuals, they take a plural verb: The jury is about to give its decision.

21. When some nouns are regarded as one unit, they take a singular verb: Bread and butter is wholesome food.