Checkpoint 6 · Grammar in Use

Subject-Verb Agreement

How to make the verb match its subject, the tricky cases (each, everyone, neither...nor, one of, there is/are) and the agreement mistakes that lose marks every year.

British & IGCSE › Checkpoint 6 › Checkpoint 6 English (Cambridge Primary 0058)

1. The basic rule

The verb must agree with its subject: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. First find the subject (who or what does the action), then choose the verb.

Verb	Singular (he / she / it / one thing)	Plural (we / you / they / many things)
be (present)	is (I am)	are
be (past)	was	were
have	has	have
do	does / doesn't	do / don't
other verbs (present)	add -s: runs, plays, watches	base form: run, play, watch

Past tense is easier

In the past simple, most verbs are the same for everyone: he played, they played. Only be changes: he was, they were.

2. The rules for tricky subjects

Rule	Correct example
Singular subject → singular verb (+s in the present)	The dog barks. / She was late.
Plural subject → plural verb	The dogs bark. / They were late.
Two subjects joined by and → plural	Omar and Ali are cousins.
either ... or / neither ... nor → the verb agrees with the nearer subject	Neither the teacher nor the students were ready. / Either the students or the teacher is coming.
everyone, everybody, someone, nobody, each, every → singular	Everyone is here. / Each child has a book.
The real subject, not the nearest noun	The box of chocolates is on the table. (the box is)
one of + plural noun → singular verb	One of my friends lives in Dubai.
There is + singular / There are + plural	There is a cat. / There are many shops.
Collective nouns (team, family, class) usually singular	Our team is winning.
Amounts of time, money and distance as one unit → singular	Ten kilometres is a long way to walk.

Find the real subject

Cover the words between the subject and the verb: The children in the back row are noisy. → The children are noisy. / The colour of the flowers is lovely. → The colour is lovely.

3. Uncountable nouns are singular

Words like information, news, advice, furniture, homework, equipment, money, water are uncountable. They always take a singular verb.

The news is good. (not are)
Your advice was very helpful.
All the equipment has been checked.

4. Mistakes the examiner sees every year

Watch out for these

we was ✗ → we were ✓
he don't ✗ → he doesn't ✓
there was many people ✗ → there were many people ✓
everyone have ✗ → everyone has ✓
the information were ✗ → the information was ✓
my sister always forget ✗ → my sister always forgets ✓
one of the boys are ✗ → one of the boys is ✓

5. How Checkpoint asks about it

Agreement is mostly tested in your writing. It is part of Grammar and punctuation (7 marks): the examiner looks for sentences that are grammatically accurate. Small agreement errors like we was or there is many repeated through a piece can pull this mark down quickly.

In the reading section

You may be asked to choose the correct verb to complete a sentence, or to spot which sentence is grammatically correct.
Read every option with the subject: say the subject + verb together quietly in your head (Each of the girls ... has).

When you proofread, check every was/were, is/are, has/have and does/do. Ask: what is the subject? Is it one or more than one?

نصيحة سريعة

مع he و she و it والاسم المفرد: الفعل في المضارع ياخد s (she plays). ومع they والجمع: من غير s.
everyone و each و nobody مفرد دايمًا: Everyone is مش Everyone are.
There is للمفرد و There are للجمع. ما تقولش there was many people.

6. Practice

Choose: Neither my brother nor my sisters (like / likes) fish.
Show answer
like: the verb agrees with the nearer subject, sisters (plural).
Choose: Each of the players (has / have) a shirt.
Show answer
has: each is singular.
Correct: We was waiting at the gate for an hour.
Show answer
We were waiting at the gate for an hour.
Choose: The basket of oranges (is / are) heavy.
Show answer
is: the subject is the basket (singular), not oranges.
Correct: There is lots of cars in the street today.
Show answer
There are lots of cars in the street today. (cars is plural)
Choose: Salma and her cousin (go / goes) swimming on Fridays.
Show answer
go: two subjects joined by and are plural.
Correct: My dad don't like spicy food.
Show answer
My dad doesn't like spicy food.
Choose: The news about the match (was / were) exciting.
Show answer
was: news is uncountable, so it is singular.
Choose: One of the windows (is / are) broken.
Show answer
is: one of takes a singular verb.
Choose: Everybody in my class (want / wants) a school trip.
Show answer
wants: everybody is singular.

All pages in this course

Start here: the exam

Grammar and Punctuation

Grammar in Use

Reading Skills

Writing: Non-fiction

Writing: Fiction