Exercise on Subject-Verb Agreement Questions with Answers

Subject-verb agreement is one of the most fundamental rules in English grammar. It ensures that the subject and the verb in a sentence match in number (singular or plural). While this may seem straightforward at first glance, many learners of English often find it tricky when dealing with compound subjects, collective nouns, or other more complex structures.

In this post, we will focus on subject-verb agreement exercises, with detailed examples and solutions to help you improve your understanding. Whether you’re an ESL learner, a student preparing for exams, or someone looking to enhance their writing skills, these exercises will reinforce your grammar knowledge and boost your confidence in using subject-verb agreement correctly.

By the end of this post, you’ll not only understand the rules behind subject-verb agreement but also gain practical insights on how to apply them to your writing and speech.

Exercise on Subject-Verb Agreement Questions with Answers

What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

Before diving into the exercises, let’s take a moment to understand what subject-verb agreement is.

Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that the subject and verb must agree in number—singular or plural. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.

Examples:

• Singular: The cat runs fast.
• Plural: The cats run fast.

Notice how “run” is used with the plural subject “cats,” and “runs” is used with the singular subject “cat.”

Common Challenges in Subject-Verb Agreement

English learners face various challenges when it comes to subject-verb agreement. These include:

• Compound subjects: When two or more subjects are joined by “and,” they usually take a plural verb.
• Collective nouns: Some collective nouns are treated as singular, while others can be plural depending on the context.
• Indefinite pronouns: Words like “everyone,” “someone,” and “anybody” are singular, even though they refer to multiple people.
• Intervening phrases: Sometimes, words between the subject and verb can make the sentence confusing.

Now, let’s put your understanding to the test with a set of exercises!

Subject-Verb Agreement Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb

1. The dog _______ (chase) its tail every evening.
2. Neither the teacher nor the students _______ (know) the answer to the question.
3. My brother and I _______ (go) to the movies every weekend.
4. Everyone _______ (want) to be part of the team.
5. The children _______ (play) in the yard right now.
6. Either the teacher or the students _______ (have) to bring the materials to the class.
7. The team _______ (work) on their new project this week.
8. The books on the shelf _______ (need) to be dusted.
9. One of the students _______ (is) absent today.
10. His friends _______ (invite) him to the party tomorrow.

Exercise 2: Correct the following sentences

1. The group of girls are going to the beach.
2. Neither the rain nor the snow are stopping the match.
3. The teacher, along with the students, have been working on the project.
4. Each of the workers were given a new assignment.
5. The dog, along with the cats, are sleeping on the couch.
6. The police are investigating the incident carefully.
7. Either he or his friends has the keys to the car.
8. The team have won the game last night.
9. None of the students was absent from class today.
10. The pair of shoes are on sale.

Exercise 3: Choose the correct form of the verb (a or b)

1. The teachers _______ (a. is / b. are) meeting tomorrow to discuss the new curriculum.
2. Neither the books nor the pen _______ (a. is / b. are) on the table.
3. She _______ (a. run / b. runs) every morning before school.
4. The committee _______ (a. is / b. are) planning a new event for next month.
5. The family _______ (a. enjoys / b. enjoy) spending holidays together.

Exercise 4: Identify the correct subject-verb agreement in the sentences

1. The team (is / are) playing exceptionally well this season.
2. Neither of the students (has / have) completed the assignment.
3. Some of the money (was / were) missing from the safe.
4. Every one of the books (is / are) on the shelf.
5. The group of children (has / have) been waiting for their parents.

Exercise 5: Multiple Choice Questions

1. Either the teacher or the students _______ responsible for the delay.
   • a. is
   • b. are
   • c. were
   • d. have
2. A number of employees _______ absent today.
   • a. is
   • b. are
   • c. was
   • d. have
3. The news _______ been exciting all week.
   • a. has
   • b. have
   • c. were
   • d. are
4. Neither the car nor the bikes _______ (a) parked outside.
   • a. is
   • b. are
   • c. were
   • d. be
5. Each of the students _______ responsible for their work.
   • a. are
   • b. is
   • c. was
   • d. were

Answers to Exercises

Answers for Exercise 1

1. chases
2. know
3. go
4. wants
5. are playing
6. has
7. is working
8. need
9. is
10. invite

Answers for Exercise 2 (Corrected Sentences)

1. The group of girls is going to the beach.
   (Group is singular, so we use “is.”)
2. Neither the rain nor the snow is stopping the match.
   (When using “neither…nor,” the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.)
3. The teacher, along with the students, has been working on the project.
   (The subject “teacher” is singular, so the verb should be “has.”)
4. Each of the workers was given a new assignment.
   (Each is singular, so the verb should be “was.”)
5. The dog, along with the cats, is sleeping on the couch.
   (The subject “dog” is singular, so the verb should be “is.”)
6. The police are investigating the incident carefully.
   (Police is always plural, so we use “are.”)
7. Either he or his friends have the keys to the car.
   (When using “either…or,” the verb agrees with the noun closest to it. “Friends” is plural.)
8. The team won the game last night.
   (The team is singular, so use “won.”)
9. None of the students was absent from class today.
   (None is singular here, so the verb should be “was.”)
10. The pair of shoes is on sale.
    (Pair is singular, so we use “is.”)

Answers for Exercise 3

1. b. are
2. b. are
3. b. runs
4. a. is
5. a. enjoys

Answers for Exercise 4

1. is
2. has
3. was
4. is
5. has

Answers for Exercise 5

1. a. is
2. b. are
3. a. has
4. a. is
5. b. is

Conclusion

Mastering subject-verb agreement is essential for clarity and precision in both writing and speaking. These exercises have covered a variety of sentence types, from simple statements to more complex structures involving compound subjects and collective nouns. By practicing these exercises, you can improve your ability to apply the rules of subject-verb agreement accurately.

The key takeaway is to always check whether the subject is singular or plural and to ensure that the verb matches accordingly. This will help you sound more natural and grammatically correct in your communication.

Don’t stop here—keep practicing with different sentences and challenge yourself with new exercises to strengthen your understanding of subject-verb agreement. Over time, you’ll find that subject-verb agreement becomes second nature, and your writing and speaking will be clearer and more effective.