Subject-Verb Agreement
Match singular subjects with singular verbs and plural subjects with plural verbs.
What Is It?
Subject-verb agreement means the verb matches its subject in number: a singular subject takes a singular verb (She runs), a plural subject a plural verb (They run).
Why Do English Speakers Use It?
Agreement errors are easy to spot and make writing look careless, which matters in exams, emails and job applications.
When to Use It
- Singular subject: The bus is late.
- Plural subject: The buses are late.
- Subjects joined by “and”: Joe and Monica are friends.
- Each / every / everyone: Everyone is welcome.
When NOT to Use It
Don’t let words between the subject and verb confuse you: “The list of names is long” (the subject is “list”, not “names”).
Sentence Structure
| Subject | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| he / she / it / singular noun | is, was, has, verb + s | My phone has died. |
| I / you / we / they / plural | are, were, have, base verb | My friends have arrived. |
| either…or / neither…nor | agrees with the nearer subject | Neither Joe nor his friends were there. |
Grammar Rules
- Find the real subject; ignore phrases like “of the students” or “along with”.
- Everyone, someone, nobody, each are singular.
- Uncountable nouns are singular: The information is correct.
- In “there is / there are”, the verb agrees with the noun after it: There are two problems.
Real-Life Examples
- One of my friends lives in London.
- Every student needs a password.
- There are many reasons to learn English.
- The news is on at nine.
Common Learner Mistakes
- One of my friends live in London.One of my friends lives in London.
- There is three apples.There are three apples.
- Everybody have a phone.Everybody has a phone.
Quick Memory Tip
Cover the middle of the sentence with your finger and read only the subject and verb: “The box (of chocolates) is…”
Real Conversation
Joe: There are so many people at this event!
Monica: Yes, and everyone seems to know everyone.
Joe: One of the speakers is my old teacher.
Interactive Practice
Pick an answer to check your understanding.
Question 1 of 2
The quality of these photos ___ excellent.
Question 2 of 2
“How much ___ these shoes?”
Final Mini Quiz
One last check before you mark the lesson complete.
Which sentence is correct?
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