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A Verb must agree with its Subject in Number and Person. The verb must agree with the Subject when the Subject is the combination of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by ‘and’. When the Subject is formed by the conjunctions such as ‘with’ as well as, along with etc’ the verb should be in singular form. Two singular Subjects. Most native English speakers know the standard verb-subject combinations by ear. Examples of these combinations are he talks, not he talk and she has, not she have. However, if you don’t trust your ear or you find simple sentence formations confusing, just follow these simple rules and you will be ready to write flawless sentences in no time! ENGLISH GRAMMAR, TENSES Page 9 of 38 Present Perfect Tense I have sung The present perfect tense is a rather important tense in English, but it gives speakers of some languages a difficult time. That is because it uses concepts or ideas that do not exist in those languages. In fact, the structure of the present perfect tense is very simple.

‘Subject’ and ‘verb’ are parts of a sentence. ‘Subject’ is a noun or pronoun that tells us what the sentence talks about and ‘verb’ in the sentence represents the action.

What is ‘subject verb agreement/concord’?

Subject verb concord means that the subject and the verb in a sentence should match, else the sentence will not make correct sense. Following are the basic rules of subject-verb concord.

Rule 1

Rules Of Concord In English Pdf File

The verb and subject must agree in number (singular or plural)

If the subject is singular, the verb should be singular and in the same way if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural.

Examples:

He writes an essay daily. (SINGULAR)

They write an essay daily. (PLURAL)

Rule 2

Singular or plural number of subject will not change due to words/phrases in between the subject and the verb. So be careful to find out the number of the particular subject.

Examples:

One of the boys is guilty. (the subject is ‘one’, the verb is ‘is’).

The bunch of ripe grapes looks so beautiful. (Here, ‘bunch’ is the subject and not ‘grapes’ and it is singular)

Rule 3

Subjects that are joined by ‘and’ in a sentence, use a plural verb.

Examples:

Radha and Meera are coming home.

Rule 4

When subjects are joined by ‘either/or’, neither/nor’ then the verb is used according to the second subject.

Neither Akshay nor Rohit is coming home.

Either my dad or my brothers are arriving today.

Rule 5

The verb in a sentence containing ‘or’, ‘either/or’, ‘neither/nor’ agrees with the noun or pronoun closest to it.

Examples:

Neither the shoes nor the bag matches the dress. (Here, ‘bag’ is closest to the verb, hence ‘matches’)

Neither the bag nor the shoes match the dress. (Here, ‘shoes’ is closest to the verb, hence ‘match’)

Rule 6

When the two subjects are joined by ‘along with’, The verb is used according to the first main subject.

Examples:

He along with his parents was going to the market.

Two sisters, along with their brother, were going to school.

Rule 7

In sentences that begin with ‘here’, ‘there’, the true subject usually follows the verb.

Examples:

Here are the chocolates.

There is a big puddle on the road.

Rule 8

Rules Of Concord In English Pdf Free

In sentences that include sums of money, periods of time or distances etc. (as a unit), use singular verbs.

Examples:

500 rupees is a high price to pay.

62 years is the minimum age of retirement.

10 kilometers is too far to walk.

Rule 9

In the case of words such as ‘a lot of’, all’, ‘some’ etc. in a sentence, pay attention to the noun after ‘of’. If the noun after ‘of’ is singular then use a singular verb, if plural, use a plural verb.

Examples:

All of the cake is gone.

All of the cakes are gone.

A lot of the cake is gone.

A lot of the cakes are gone.

Some of the cake is gone.

Some of the cakes are gone.

Rule 10

In the case of collective nouns such as ‘group, ‘population’, ‘family’, in a sentence, the verb can be singular or plural depending on their use in the sentence.

Examples:

Most of my family is here OR are here.

Half of the population was against the bill OR were against the bill.

Rule 11

Nouns such as ‘mathematics’, ‘civics’, ‘news’ etc. while plural in form, are singular in meaning and use singular verbs.

Examples:

Mathematics is very difficult for some people.

The news is very saddening.

Rule 12

In sentences that express a wish, request or contrary to fact, the word ‘were’ is used instead of ‘was.

Examples:

I wish my sister were here.

Aditya requested that she raise her glass.

Rule 13

When the two subjects are joined with ‘as well as’, the verb is used according to the first subject.

Examples

He as well as his friends was playing cricket.

They as well as their dog were there.

Rule 14

When ‘besides’, ‘not’ etc. come with the main subject, the only main subject is considered and verb is used according to it, and other subjects are ignored.

Besides his parents, he is also going on tour.

He not his parents is going to Delhi.

For better understanding, take Free Video lecture on Subject-Verb Concord

Solved Examples for You on Subject Verb Concord

Question: Choose the correct subject verb combinations in the sentences below.

The lady in the car (look/looks) like your mother.

Most of the milk (is/are) gone.

One of the flowers (has/have) wilted.

Either Ram or Shyam (is/are) coming today.

Here (is/are) the newspaper.

The group of dancers (is/are) here.

Civics (is/are) my favorite subject.

Solution:

The lady in the car looks like your mother.

Most of the milk is gone.

One of the flowers has wilted.

Either Ram or Shyam is coming today.

Here is the newspaper.

The group of dancers is OR are here.

Civics is my favorite subject.

Exercise: Choose the right option.

1. The captain with his crew was/were drowned.

2. Many a boy is/are doing their work.

3. If you work/ will work hard, you will pass.

Rules Of Concord In English Language Pdf

4. Each of those mangoes is/ are rotten.

5. Neither he nor I was/were there.

6. Either he or his brother has/have made the mistake.

7. Man and woman is/are complementary to each other.

8. Plenty of mangoes and bananas is/are available in this season.

9. A dictionary and an atlas is/are missing from the library.

10. The leader as well as his brothers belong/belongs to the same tribe.

11. Cats and dogs do/does not get along.

12. The brothers as well as their sister is/are good at their studies.

13. The teacher with his students has/have gone on a picnic.

14. A lot of houses has/have collapsed in the storm.

15. The children as well as their mother is/are missing.

16. A large sum of money was/were stolen.

Answers:

1. Was
2. Is
3. Work
4. Is
5. Was
6. Has
7. Are
8. are
9. Are
10. Belongs
11. Do
12. Are
13. Has
14. Have
15. Are
16. was

Basic English Grammar rules can be tricky. In this article, we’ll get you started with the basics of sentence structure, punctuation, parts of speech, and more.

We also providing Extra Questions for Class 9 English Chapter wise.

Subject-Verb Concord Exercises for Class 9 CBSE With Answers PDF

Here are some rules that govern the agreement of subject and verb:

Rule 1.
A singular subject takes the verb in the singular and a plural subject takes the verb in the plural. Note: All English verbs are plural, we make them singular by adding s or es to the verb.
Examples:
(i) Naina goes for a walk every day.
(ii) The workers are on strike.

Rule 2.
Two or more singular nouns or pronouns joined by ‘and’ generally take a plural verb.
Examples:

• She and I were playing.
• Both, her books and pen, have been lost.

Rule 3.
When two singular nouns refer to the same person, the verb must be in singular.
Examples:

• Her friend and classmate is dead.
• Ankur’s wife and boss has met with an accident.

Rule 4. When a singular subject is qualified by ‘each’, ‘every’, ‘neither’ or ‘either’, the verb must be in singular.
Examples:

• Each one of you has to attend the match
• Neither of the teams was very strong.

Rule 5.
When two subjects are joined by either-or/neither-nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearest it.
Examples:

• Neither the guru nor his disciples are present.
• Either the boys or the teacher is wrong.

Rule 6.
When the nouns are compound in form, making one unit, the verb must be singular.
Examples:

• Bread and butter is their only food.
• Here comes my friend and philosopher.

Rule 7.
When a sentence begins with introductory ‘there’, the verb must agree with the noun that follows it.
Examples:

• There are ten apples in the basket.
• There is a swimming pool in my house.

Rule 8.
The nouns plural in form but singular in meaning take the verb in singular. ‘
Examples:

• The news is true.
• Mathematics is not an easy subject.

Rule 9.
Collective nouns take verb in singular but when the individuals are taken separately, the verb can be in plural.
Examples:

• A herd of cattle is grazing.
• The jury were divided in their opinion.

Rule 10.
A plural noun referring to distance, weight, height, amount of money represent a single figure or quantity, the verb must be singular.
Examples:

• Five kilometers is a long distance for walk.
• She gives him an old five hundred rupee note.

Rule 11.
Nouns such as food, furniture, crockery, stationery, etc. are singular, so the verb must be singular.
Examples:

• The furniture has been polished.
• The stationery is damaged during the transit.

Rule 12.
Phrases like—‘a lot of’, ‘plenty of’, ‘most of’ are used in singular when they refer to the amount or quantity, but they take plural verb when they refer to number.
Example:

• A lot of work needs to be done.
• Most of the boys like these candies.

Use the correct form of the words given in brackets to complete the dialogue given below.

People (a) ………………………. (be) seldom aware that their comfortable living (b) ………………………. (depend) upon the work of several thousands of persons. The first thing, for instance, what almost everyone (c) ………………………. (look) forward to in the morning is a hot cup of tea. This cup of tea (d) ………………………. (embody) the work of thousands of people. Consider first the supply of clean drinking water. In large cities, this (e) ………………………. (be) possible because of the construction of huge reservoirs at great cost and the regular maintenance of the water supply system by hundreds of workers.

Diagnostic Test 10

Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the verb given in brackets.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate verbs in agreement with its subject.
(a) A dog …………………………… a faithful animal.
(b) Neither my parents nor relatives …………………………… present yesterday at the party.
(c) Each of the boys …………………………… honest.
(d) The entire class as well as the principal, …………………………… agreed to the proposal.
(e) Neither Rasipa nor Reeta …………………………… present.
(f) His briefcase and wallet …………………………… been lost.
(g) Politics …………………………… his bread and butter.
(h) The committee …………………………… issued its report.
(i) Three parts of the business …………………………… left for me to do.
(j) Either he or I …………………………… mistaken.
Answer:
(a) is
(b) were
(c) is/was
(d) has
(e) is/are
(f) have
(g) is
(h) has
(i) is
(j) am

Diagnostic Test 11

Fill in the blanks using the correct form of the verb given in brackets.

Besides encountering the strange aborigines, the first English settlers ………………………. (find) themselves in the presence of new and wide variations of climate. In their old home, they ………………………. (accustom) to a moderate temperature. Now they ………………………. (have) before them a great range of climate from the cold coasts of Maine to the hot savannahs of Georgia, with all the gradations from the far North to the deep South. To the exigencies of these variations, all the immigrants, from the British Isles as well as the Continent, ………………………. (have) to adapt themselves. Wherever the colonists set to work, they ………………………. (brave) hostile weather conditions.
Answer:

• found
• had been accustomed
• had
• had
• were braving

Diagnostic Test 12

Fill in the blanks using suitable words.

Now that I am in charge of the company, I ………………………. be making certain changes. First of all, I ………………………. to improve the standard of efficiency. To ensure this I ………………………. appoint floor-in-charges. They ………………………. not be there to report on you but to help you in case you need help. I also plan to organize various adventure camps and vacations as these ………………………. promote bonding between employees.
Answer:

• shall
• am going
• will
• will
• will