Subject-Verb Agreement Rules Exercises with Answers

One of the most important elements of writing and speaking correctly is ensuring that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number (singular or plural). While this may seem simple, subject-verb agreement can be tricky, especially when dealing with complex sentences or irregular nouns. Whether you’re writing an essay, composing an email, or simply trying to perfect your English skills, understanding subject-verb agreement will help you communicate more effectively.

In this post, we will explore the rules of subject-verb agreement in detail, provide numerous practice exercises, and give you the answers at the end to check your understanding. By the end, you’ll have mastered the art of matching subjects with the correct verbs in both singular and plural forms.

 

What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that the subject and the verb must agree in number (singular or plural). If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular as well. Similarly, if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural.

Example:

• Singular: She runs every morning.
• Plural: They run every morning.

Notice how the verb “runs” changes to “run” when the subject changes from singular to plural.

Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

Before diving into the exercises, let’s take a quick look at the main rules of subject-verb agreement:

1. Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.
   • Example: The dog barks loudly. (singular)
   • Example: The dogs bark loudly. (plural)
2. When two subjects are joined by ‘and’, use a plural verb.
   • Example: John and Mary are friends.
3. When two singular subjects are joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’, use a singular verb.
   • Example: Neither the teacher nor the student has the answer.
4. When the subject is followed by a phrase starting with ‘as well as’, ‘along with’, ‘together with’, etc., the verb agrees with the first subject.
   • Example: The teacher, as well as the students, is ready.
5. When the subject is a collective noun (team, family, group), it is treated as singular.
   • Example: The team has won the match.
6. With indefinite pronouns like ‘everyone’, ‘each’, ‘someone’, etc., always use a singular verb.
   • Example: Everyone is excited about the trip.
7. When the subject is a fraction or percentage, the verb depends on the noun that follows the ‘of’.
   • Example: One-third of the students is absent. (singular)
   • Example: One-third of the books are missing. (plural)

Now that we’ve reviewed the rules, it’s time to test your knowledge with some exercises.

Subject-Verb Agreement Exercises

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

1. The dog __________ (run) in the park every morning.
2. My friends __________ (enjoy) playing football on weekends.
3. Neither the teacher nor the students __________ (know) the answer.
4. The children __________ (go) to the park after school.
5. Everyone __________ (be) invited to the party.
6. The team __________ (practice) hard for the upcoming match.
7. Each of the girls __________ (have) a gift.
8. The manager and the assistant __________ (be) in the meeting right now.
9. One of the cars __________ (need) repair.
10. Both the cat and the dog __________ (like) the new food.

Exercise 2: Correct the following sentences

1. The group of students are planning a trip.
2. Either Tom or Lisa have completed their homework.
3. Neither the teacher nor the students was aware of the schedule change.
4. The books on the shelf needs to be dusted.
5. She or her friends is coming to the event.
6. The children plays outside every evening.
7. One of the boxes are missing.
8. The team were excited about their victory.
9. Neither the rain nor the wind are stopping us.
10. Everyone in the class have passed the test.

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

1. Neither my brother nor my parents __________ (a. is / b. are) coming to the party.
2. The teacher, along with the students, __________ (a. is / b. are) ready for the trip.
3. Some of the pizza __________ (a. is / b. are) left over from last night.
4. One of the dogs __________ (a. is / b. are) barking loudly.
5. Each of the students __________ (a. has / b. have) completed their assignments.

Answers to Exercises

Answers for Exercise 1

1. runs
2. enjoy
3. know
4. go
5. is
6. practices
7. has
8. are
9. needs
10. like

Answers for Exercise 2

1. The group of students is planning a trip.
   (Group is singular.)
2. Either Tom or Lisa has completed their homework.
   (Subject closest to the verb is Lisa, which is singular.)
3. Neither the teacher nor the students were aware of the schedule change.
   (Students is plural, so use “were.”)
4. The books on the shelf need to be dusted.
   (Books is plural, so use “need.”)
5. She or her friends are coming to the event.
   (Friends is plural, so use “are.”)
6. The children play outside every evening.
   (Children is plural, so use “play.”)
7. One of the boxes is missing.
   (One is singular, so use “is.”)
8. The team was excited about their victory.
   (Team is singular, so use “was.”)
9. Neither the rain nor the wind is stopping us.
   (Rain and wind are singular subjects here, so use “is.”)
10. Everyone in the class has passed the test.
    (Everyone is singular, so use “has.”)

Answers for Exercise 3

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

Conclusion

Mastering subject-verb agreement is essential for clear and grammatically correct communication. By practicing the rules and completing exercises like the ones above, you can improve your writing and speaking skills. Remember to always check that the subject and verb match in number, and use the tips and examples provided to guide your understanding.

If you found this post helpful, try creating your own sentences or practicing with others to keep improving. Keep practicing, and soon, subject-verb agreement will become second nature to you!