📌 What is Subject-Verb Agreement?
The verb must agree with its subject in number (singular/plural) and person. A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb. This is one of the highest-scoring grammar topics in BCS, Bank, and competitive exams — expect 3–5 questions every time.
✅ He goes to school. (singular subject → singular verb)
✅ They go to school. (plural subject → plural verb)
❌ He go to school. ❌ They goes to school.
90% of agreement errors happen because students match the verb to a nearby noun instead of the actual subject. Always ask: "Who/What is performing the action?" — that word controls the verb.
✗ The cost of all these items have risen. → ✓ The cost … has risen. (subject = cost)
📌 Core Rules (1–10)
Rule 1: Two subjects joined by "and" → Plural verb
Rahim and Karim are friends.
Rice and fish make a complete meal.
The headmaster and the teachers were present.
Exception A — Same person/thing: If two nouns joined by "and" refer to the same person or thing, use a singular verb:
- The poet and novelist has arrived. (one person — both poet & novelist; notice single "the")
- The poet and the novelist have arrived. (two people — two "the"s → plural)
Exception B — Combined concept: Bread and butter is my breakfast. (one dish)
Exception C — "Every/Each" before compound subject: Every boy and every girl has a pen.
Rule 2: Either…or / Neither…nor → Verb agrees with the NEARER subject
Either you or he is responsible. (nearer = he → singular)
Neither the teacher nor the students were present. (nearer = students → plural)
Either the boys or the girl is coming. (nearer = girl → singular)
Neither he nor I am guilty. (nearer = I → "am")
For either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also, or, nor — the verb always agrees with the subject closer to it. Place the plural subject last to sound more natural: "Neither the teacher nor the students were present."
Rule 3: Collective nouns → Usually singular verb
The committee has decided. (acting as one unit)
The team is playing well.
The government has announced a new policy.
BUT: The jury are divided in their opinions. (members acting individually → plural)
Some nouns are always plural even though they look collective: people, cattle, police, clergy, gentry, peasantry, poultry, vermin.
The police have arrested the thief. ✓ The cattle are grazing. ✓
Rule 4: Each, every, everyone, everybody, anyone, nobody → Singular verb
Each of the boys has a pen.
Everyone is present.
Nobody knows the answer.
Every one of these books is useful.
Either of the two boys is eligible.
Rule 5: Uncountable nouns → Singular verb
The news is shocking.
Mathematics is an interesting subject.
The furniture was expensive.
The information is correct.
His luggage has arrived.
These never take "a/an" or plural "-s" — always singular verb:
information, advice, furniture, luggage, baggage, knowledge, machinery, scenery, poetry, bread, equipment, homework, evidence, hair (collective), progress, work (task)
Rule 6: "A number of" vs "The number of"
- A number of + plural noun → plural verb (= many)
- The number of + plural noun → singular verb (= the total count)
A number of students are absent. (many students)
The number of students is fifty. (the count)
"A number of" = A lot of = plurAl. The "A" in both reminds you → plural verb.
"The number of" = The count = one number = singular.
Rule 7: Interrupter phrases DON'T affect agreement
The quality of the apples was good. (subject = quality → singular)
The boys, along with their teacher, are going. (subject = boys → plural)
The teacher, as well as the students, was present. (subject = teacher → singular)
The President, accompanied by his wife, is coming. (subject = President → singular)
No student, besides Rahim, has passed. (subject = No student → singular)
Mentally cross out everything between commas. These phrases do NOT change the subject: along with, together with, as well as, in addition to, accompanied by, besides, including, with, rather than, not, no less than, like.
Rule 8: Titles, names, amounts → Singular verb
"The Arabian Nights" is an interesting book.
"Gulliver's Travels" was written by Jonathan Swift.
Five hundred taka is not a big amount.
Three miles is a long distance.
Two-thirds of the work is done. (amount of uncountable → singular)
Rule 9: "There / Here" as introductory word → Verb agrees with the real subject
There is a book on the table. (subject = a book → singular)
There are many books on the table. (subject = many books → plural)
Here comes the bus. (subject = bus → singular)
Here come the students. (subject = students → plural)
Rule 10: Nouns that look plural but are singular (& vice versa)
| Always Singular (looks plural) | Example |
|---|---|
| news, mathematics, physics, economics, politics, ethics, linguistics | The news is true. |
| measles, mumps, rickets, diabetes | Measles is an infectious disease. |
| innings, series, species, means | The series has ended. |
| billiards, draughts, darts | Billiards is a popular game. |
| gallows, summons | The summons was issued. |
| Always Plural (no singular form) | Example |
|---|---|
| scissors, trousers, spectacles, glasses, goods, clothes | The scissors are on the table. |
| people, cattle, police, clergy, gentry, peasantry | The police have arrived. |
| premises, riches, proceeds, earnings, belongings | His earnings are impressive. |
📌 Advanced Rules (11–16) — Exam Favorites
Rule 11: "One of" + plural noun + singular verb
One of the boys is absent. ✓ (subject = "One")
One of the books has been lost. ✓
BUT with relative clause:
He is one of the boys who have passed. ✓ (who → boys → plural)
He is the only one of the boys who has passed. ✓ (who → the only one → singular)
In "one of the + plural noun + who/that", the verb in the relative clause is plural because "who" refers to the plural noun.
In "the only one of the + plural noun + who/that", the verb is singular because "who" refers to "the only one".
Rule 12: "Many a" / "More than one" → Singular verb
Many a student has failed. ✓ (sounds plural but grammatically singular)
More than one person was injured. ✓
More than two persons were injured. ✓ (two / three etc. → plural)
Rule 13: "None" → Singular or Plural
- None of + uncountable noun → singular: None of the water is clean.
- None of + plural noun → plural (preferred) or singular: None of the students were present. ✓ None of the students was present. ✓
In competitive exams, if options give both, prefer plural with countable nouns and singular with uncountable nouns.
Rule 14: Fractions, Percentages, "Part of" → Depends on the noun
Half of the work is done. (work = uncountable → singular)
Half of the students are absent. (students = countable plural → plural)
Two-thirds of the money has been spent. (money = uncountable)
Fifty percent of the population is poor. (population = singular unit)
A lot of the books are missing. (books = plural)
For fractions, percentages, a lot of, some of, most of, all of, the rest of — the verb depends on the noun after "of". Uncountable/singular noun → singular verb. Plural noun → plural verb.
Rule 15: Gerund / Infinitive as subject → Singular verb
Swimming is a good exercise. ✓
To err is human. ✓
Reading and writing are important skills. (two gerunds joined by "and" → plural)
Rule 16: "Not only…but also" → Verb agrees with nearer subject
Not only the students but also the teacher was surprised. (nearer = teacher → singular)
Not only the teacher but also the students were surprised. (nearer = students → plural)
📌 Master Summary Table
| Subject Pattern | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| S₁ and S₂ | Plural | Tom and Jerry are friends. |
| S₁ and S₂ (same person) | Singular | The poet and novelist has come. |
| Either S₁ or S₂ | Agrees with S₂ | Either he or they are guilty. |
| Neither S₁ nor S₂ | Agrees with S₂ | Neither the boys nor the girl is here. |
| Each / Every / Either / Neither (alone) | Singular | Each has a pen. |
| Collective noun (as unit) | Singular | The team is ready. |
| Collective noun (as individuals) | Plural | The jury are divided. |
| A number of + noun | Plural | A number of boys are late. |
| The number of + noun | Singular | The number of boys is ten. |
| S + interrupter + verb | Agrees with S | The teacher, with students, was there. |
| Many a / More than one | Singular | Many a man has tried. |
| Fraction/Percent of + noun | Depends on noun | Half of the work is / students are. |
| Gerund as subject | Singular | Swimming is fun. |
| Title / Amount / Distance | Singular | Five miles is far. |
| There + verb | Agrees with real subject | There are two books. |
📌 Most Repeated Exam Sentences
These exact patterns appear in almost every BCS Preliminary and Bank Recruitment exam:
| # | Incorrect ✗ | Correct ✓ | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Each of the boys have done it. | Each … has done it. | Rule 4 |
| 2 | The cattle is grazing. | The cattle are grazing. | Rule 10 (always plural) |
| 3 | The committee have taken a decision. | The committee has taken a decision. | Rule 3 (unit → singular) |
| 4 | Neither he nor I are guilty. | Neither he nor I am guilty. | Rule 2 (nearer → I) |
| 5 | One of the boys are absent. | One of the boys is absent. | Rule 11 (one of → singular) |
| 6 | Many a student have failed. | Many a student has failed. | Rule 12 |
| 7 | The number of students are fifty. | The number of students is fifty. | Rule 6 |
| 8 | The teacher, with the students, were present. | The teacher, with the students, was present. | Rule 7 (interrupter) |
| 9 | Economics are my favourite subject. | Economics is my favourite subject. | Rule 10 (-ics → singular) |
| 10 | Bread and butter are my breakfast. | Bread and butter is my breakfast. | Rule 1 (combined concept) |
📌 Common Exam Mistakes
| # | Mistake | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matching the verb to the nearest noun, not the true subject | Find the real subject — cross out prepositional phrases and interrupters |
| 2 | Using plural verb after "each / every / either / neither" | These are always singular when used alone |
| 3 | Confusing "a number of" (plural) with "the number of" (singular) | Use the A=mAny trick to remember |
| 4 | Treating "along with / as well as" like "and" | They are interrupters — they don't add to the subject |
| 5 | Using singular for always-plural nouns (people, cattle, police) | Memorise the list — these have no singular form |
| 6 | Forgetting the "same person" article rule | "The poet and novelist" (one "the" = 1 person = singular) vs "The poet and the novelist" (two "the"s = 2 people = plural) |
| 7 | Not recognising "Many a" as grammatically singular | "Many a + singular noun" always takes a singular verb |
| 8 | Using plural verb with gerund subjects | A single gerund/infinitive subject is singular: "Running is healthy" |