Worksheet Solutions: Subject Verb Agreement

Instructions

• Read the chapter thoroughly and answer the following questions.
• Attempt all questions.
• Marking scheme and word limit for each section will be provided at the beginning of the section.
• Detailed answers are provided at the end of the worksheet.

Section - A

Q.1. Choose the correct option to fill in the blank in each of the following sentences: (1 mark each, total 5 marks)

(i) Neither the teachers nor the principal _______ happy with the new schedule.
(a) is
(b) are
(c) was
(d) were

Ans: (a)

Explanation: With neither...nor the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it. Here the nearest subject is principal, which is singular, so the singular verb is is correct.

(ii) The committee _______ decided to postpone the meeting.
(a) has
(b) have
(c) had
(d) None of the above

Ans: (a)

Explanation: A committee is a collective noun and is usually treated as a single unit in this sense. Therefore a singular verb is used: The committee has decided.

(iii) The number of students in the class _______ increased.
(a) has
(b) have
(c) had
(d) were

Ans: (a)

Explanation: The phrase the number of is treated as singular and takes a singular verb. Hence the correct form is has increased.

(iv) A pair of shoes _______ on the floor.
(a) was
(b) were
(c) has 
(d) have

Ans: (a)

Explanation: Expressions like a pair of name a single item made of two parts and take a singular verb. So we say a pair of shoes was on the floor.

(v) Some of the students _______ participating in the competition.
(a) is
(b) are
(c) were
(d) have

Ans: (b)

Explanation: When some of refers to a plural noun like students, the verb is plural. Therefore are participating is correct.

Q.2. Short Questions (2 marks each, total 10 marks, word limit: 30-40 words)
Answer the following questions:
(i) What is subject-verb agreement?

Ans: Subject-verb agreement is the rule that the verb must match the subject in number and person. A singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb. This keeps sentences grammatically correct and clear.

(ii) Explain the rule for subject-verb agreement when the subjects are joined by 'and'.

Ans: When two subjects are joined by and, they usually form a compound subject and take a plural verb, for example, Ravi and Sita are coming. If both words refer to the same person or thing, a singular verb is used.

(iii) How does the subject-verb agreement change when the subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor'?

Ans: When subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it. For example, in Neither the teacher nor the students are ready, the verb are agrees with students.

(iv) What is the subject-verb agreement rule for collective nouns?

Ans: Collective nouns name a group and can take singular or plural verbs. Use a singular verb when the group acts as one unit (The team wins) and a plural verb when members act individually (The team are arguing).

(v) Give an example of subject-verb agreement with an indefinite pronoun as the subject.

Ans: Example: Everyone in the class is excited about the trip. Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, someone, nobody usually take singular verbs.

Q.3. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in brackets: (1 mark each, total 5 marks)
(i) The cat, along with her kittens, _______ (play) in the garden.

Ans: plays

(ii) The books and the pens _______ (be) on the table.

Ans: are

(iii) Neither the students nor the teacher _______ (want) to leave the class.

Ans: wants

(iv) The team _______ (work) hard to win the match.

Ans: is/are (depending on context)

(v) Some of the food _______ (taste) delicious.

Ans: tastes

Q.4. Match the subjects in Column A with the correct verb forms in Column B: (1 mark each)

Ans:

1. c) are
2. b) is
3. a) has
4. e) was
5. d) have

Q.5. State whether the following statements are true or false: (1 mark each)
(i) The subject-verb agreement rules are the same for all types of subjects.

Ans: False

Explanation: Different subject types have different rules. For example, collective nouns, indefinite pronouns and constructions like neither...nor or as well as follow special agreement rules.

(ii) When two subjects are joined by 'and', the verb is usually plural.

Ans: True

Explanation: Subjects joined by and usually form a compound subject and take a plural verb, as in The boys and the girls are here.

(iii) When two subjects are joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the subject closer to it.

Ans: True

Explanation: With or and nor the verb matches the nearer subject: Either the teacher or the students are ready - the verb agrees with students.

(iv) Collective nouns always take a singular verb.

Ans: False

Explanation: Collective nouns can take singular or plural verbs. Use singular when the group acts as one unit and plural when members act individually, for example, The jury is unanimous vs The jury are arguing.

(v) Indefinite pronouns usually take a singular verb.

Ans: True

Explanation: Many indefinite pronouns such as everyone, someone, nobody take singular verbs: Everyone knows. Note that some indefinite words like few, many are plural.

Q.6. Fill in the blanks with a verb form that agrees with the subject.

(i) Sita as well as her sister ___________ there. (was/were)

Ans: Sita as well as her sister was there.

(ii) The bunch of roses ___________ beautiful. (look / looks)

Ans: The bunch of roses looks beautiful. 
Collective nouns are usually followed by a singular verb when the group is thought of as a single unit.

(iii) The poet and singer ___________ always very punctual. (is/are)

Ans: The poet and singer is always very punctual. 
Here both nouns refer to the same person, so a singular verb is used and the article is used once.

(iv) The poet and the singer ___________ agreed to come. (has / have)

Ans: The poet and the singer have agreed to come. 
The two nouns refer to two different people, so a plural verb is required.

(v) The boy along with his sister ___________ (was / were) going to school.

Ans: The boy along with his sister was going to school.

(vi) Neither Vikram nor his friends ___________ Interested in the programme. (seem / seems)

Ans: Neither Vikram nor his friends seem interested in the programme. 
The verb agrees with the nearer subject friends, which is plural.

(vii) Mohit as well as his family ___________ always ready to help. (is / are)

Ans: Mohit as well as his family is always ready to help. 
The main subject Mohit is singular, so a singular verb is used.

(viii) Either Jani or Sita ___________ (has / have) to go.

Ans: Either Jani or Sita has to go. 
The verb agrees with the nearer subject Sita, which is singular.

(ix) Both Seema and Nita ___________ gone to school. (has / have)

Ans: Both Seema and Nita have gone to school. 
The construction both...and always takes a plural verb.

(x) There ___________ five pens in this box. (are / is)

Ans: There are five pens in this box. 
Use a plural verb after there when the following noun is plural.

(xi) There ___________ No water in the bottle. (is / are)

Ans: There is no water in the bottle.

(xii) Nobody ___________ how hard it is to get the first rank. (know / knows)

Ans: Nobody knows how hard it is to get the first rank.
Indefinite pronouns like nobody take a singular verb.

(xiii) The lady with six cats ___________ In the next house. (live / lives)

Ans: The lady with six cats lives in the next house. 
The subject is the lady, which is singular, so the verb is singular.

(xiv) Either my father or my mother ___________ me to school every day. (take / takes)

Ans: Either my father or my mother takes me to school every day. 
The verb agrees with the nearer subject mother, which is singular.

(xv) Anita as well as her brother ___________ the piano very well. (play / plays)

Ans: Anita as well as her brother plays the piano very well. 
With as well as, the verb agrees with the first subject (Anita), so a singular verb is used here.