Checkpoint 8 · Grammar in Use

Subject-Verb Agreement

The rules for making verbs agree with their subjects, including tricky subjects such as everyone, neither... nor, one of and there is or there are, with common mistakes and practice with answers.

British & IGCSE › Checkpoint 8 › Checkpoint 8 English (Cambridge Lower Secondary 0861)

1. What subject-verb agreement means

The verb must agree with its subject in number: a singular subject takes a singular verb, a plural subject takes a plural verb. The bus leaves at eight. The buses leave at eight.

In the present simple, a singular verb usually ends in -s (she runs, it works), which is the opposite of nouns, where -s usually means plural. Agreement errors are among the most common mistakes in student writing, so checking them is a quick way to protect your grammar mark.

Verb	Singular subject (he / she / it / one thing)	Plural subject (we / you / they / two or more)
be (present)	is	are
be (past)	was	were
have	has	have
do	does / doesn't	do / don't
other verbs (present)	works, goes, watches	work, go, watch

Remember: I takes am and was, and you always takes the plural form (you are, you were), even for one person.

2. The rules

Rule	Example
Singular subject → singular verb, plural → plural	The bus leaves at eight. The buses leave at eight.
Ignore phrases between the subject and verb	The box of old photographs was in the attic. (subject = box)
Two subjects joined by and → plural	Salma and her brother are here.
either... or / neither... nor → verb agrees with the nearer subject	Neither the teacher nor the students were ready. / Neither the students nor the teacher was ready.
each, every, everyone, nobody, someone → singular	Everyone is welcome. Each of the rooms has a balcony.
as well as / along with do not make the subject plural	The captain, as well as the players, was tired.
Amounts of money, time and distance as one unit → singular	Ten kilometres is too far to walk.
Collective nouns: singular as one unit	The team is in the final.
There is / There are: agree with the noun after	There are many reasons. There is one reason.

3. More tricky subjects

Subject	Verb	Example
one of the + plural noun	singular (the subject is one)	One of my friends lives in Alexandria.
a number of (= many)	plural	A number of students have complained.
the number of	singular	The number of visitors has doubled.
Nouns ending in -s that are one subject: news, maths, physics, economics	singular	The news is good. Maths is my favourite subject.
Pair nouns: trousers, scissors, glasses, jeans	plural	My glasses are on the table. (but A pair of glasses is...)
-ing phrase as the subject	singular	Reading novels helps your vocabulary.
Titles of books, films, places	singular	Great Expectations is a long novel.
Here / There at the start: the subject comes after the verb	agree with the noun after	Here are your tickets. There was a loud noise.
who / which / that clauses	agree with the noun the relative pronoun refers to	She is the student who wins every race. These are the books that belong to me.

Find the real subject

Cover the words between the subject and the verb (phrases with of, with, in, as well as, including). Then read the subject and verb together: The list (of names) is on the door.

4. Common mistakes

Wrong	Right	Why
We was late for school.	We were late for school.	we takes were.
She don't eat meat.	She doesn't eat meat.	she takes doesn't.
The price of the tickets are too high.	The price of the tickets is too high.	The subject is price (singular).
Everyone in the class have a laptop.	Everyone in the class has a laptop.	everyone is singular.
There is many problems.	There are many problems.	problems is plural.
One of the boys were hurt.	One of the boys was hurt.	The subject is one.
My friend and her sister is coming.	My friend and her sister are coming.	Two subjects joined by and = plural.
The news are shocking.	The news is shocking.	news is singular.

5. How Checkpoint asks about agreement

Agreement is rarely asked about by name in reading. It matters mostly in your writing: every agreement mistake is an accuracy error, and several of them pull your grammar mark down. It may also appear in proofreading-style tasks, where you correct a sentence or choose the right form.

In your writing, take extra care with long subjects (The number of cars on our streets is rising), with everyone / each / every, with There is / There are, and with was / were. Check these during your final proofread.

الفاعل والفعل

الفاعل المفرد: is / was / has / does والفعل بياخد s في المضارع.
الفاعل الجمع: are / were / have / do والفعل من غير s.
everyone و each و every و nobody مفرد دايمًا: everyone is.
One of the students مفرد عشان الفاعل هو one، و There are مع الجمع.

6. Practice

Choose: The basket of oranges (was / were) on the table.
Show answer
was: the subject is basket (singular).
Choose: Neither the players nor the coach (was / were) happy.
Show answer
was: the verb agrees with the nearer subject, the coach.
Choose: Each of the students (has / have) a locker.
Show answer
has: each is singular.
Choose: There (is / are) three reasons why I disagree.
Show answer
are: the noun after it, reasons, is plural.
Choose: Physics (is / are) my hardest subject.
Show answer
is: physics is one subject, so it is singular.
Choose: A number of parents (has / have) written to the school.
Show answer
have: a number of means many, so it is plural.
Correct: One of my cousins live in Canada.
Show answer
One of my cousins lives in Canada. (the subject is one)
Correct: The children, as well as their teacher, was excited.
Show answer
The children, as well as their teacher, were excited. (the subject is the children, plural)
Find and correct the two agreement errors: Everybody in my family love football, and my brothers watches every match.
Show answer
Everybody in my family loves football, and my brothers watch every match.

Remember

Find the real subject, then match the verb. and = plural. each / every / everyone = singular. There is / are agrees with the noun after it. one of the... = singular.

All pages in this course

Start here: the exam

Grammar and Punctuation

Grammar in Use

Reading Skills

Writing: Non-fiction

Writing: Fiction