Subject–Verb Agreement: Rules, Tricks & Competitive Examples

Competitive Grammar Subject-Verb Agreement

Notes

What is Subject–Verb Agreement?
Subject aur verb ko number (singular/plural) ke hisaab se match hona chahiye.

Core Rule

✅ Singular subject → singular verb
✅ Plural subject → plural verb

Examples:

  • He runs fast. (singular)

  • They run fast. (plural)

Rule 1: “Each / Every” → singular verb

  • Each of the students is responsible.

  • Every boy has a book.

Rule 2: “Either / Neither” → singular verb

  • Neither of them is ready.

  • Either of the two roads leads to the station.

Rule 3: “A number of” vs “The number of”

  • A number of students are absent. ✅ (plural)

  • The number of students is increasing. ✅ (singular)

Rule 4: Collective nouns (team, family, jury)

  • The team is winning. (as one unit)

  • The team are arguing. (as individuals)

Rule 5: “Along with / Together with / As well as”

Subject pe effect nahi hota.

  • Ram, along with his friends, is going. ✅
    (Not: are)

Rule 6: Subjects joined by “and”

Mostly plural:

  • Bread and butter are served.
    But if one idea/unit:

  • Bread and butter is my breakfast. ✅

Key Points

  • Singular subject takes singular verb.
  • Plural subject takes plural verb.

Examples

Each of the players is ready.

Neither of the answers is correct.

A number of students are waiting outside.

Practice

Practice (Choose correct verb)

Each of the boys ___ (is/are) present.

The number of students ___ (is/are) rising.

A number of students ___ (is/are) absent.

Neither of the two cars ___ (run/runs) fast.

Ram as well as his friends ___ (is/are) going.

Answers:

is

is

are

runs

is

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