Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord) in English Grammar

Subject-verb agreement, also known as concord, is one of the most essential grammar rules in English. It simply refers to the correct matching of the subject of a sentence with its verb in terms of number and person. In simpler terms, a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

In this post, we’ll cover the basic rules of subject-verb agreement with clear examples to help you understand and apply them correctly.

What Is Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord)?

Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that the subject and the verb of a sentence must agree in number and person.

• Singular subject → Singular verb
• Plural subject → Plural verb

Examples:

• She walks to school every day. (Singular subject: She)
• They walk to school every day. (Plural subject: They)

10 Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

Now to the most important rules you need to know about subject-verb agreement.

Rule 1: Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs. This is most fundamental rule of concord. Examples:

• The boy runs fast.
• The boys run fast.

Rule 2: “And” joins two subjects to form a plural subject. When two subjects are joined by and, the verb must be plural. Examples:

• Jane and Mary are friends.
• Deborah and Sarah attend the same school.

However, if the two subjects refer to the same person or idea, use a singular verb. Example: Rice and beans is my favourite meal. (One dish)

Rule 3: Indefinite pronouns may be singular or plural. Singular indefinite pronouns include everyone, each, anybody, nobody, somebody, anyone, everything, etc. Examples:

• Everyone is here.
• Each of the girls was present.

Plural indefinite pronouns include few, many, several, both, others. Example: Many were invited.

Rule 4: Collective nouns may take singular or plural verbs. Collective nouns like team, family, committee, group may take either singular or plural verbs, depending on whether the group acts as a unit or as individuals. Examples:

• The team is winning. (As a single unit)
• The team are arguing among themselves. (As individuals)

Rule 5: When “or” or “nor” joins subjects, the verb agrees with the closest subject. Examples:

• Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.
• Neither the students nor the teacher is ready.

Rule 6: Titles and names of organizations take singular verbs. Even if the name looks plural, it takes a singular verb. Example:

• The United Nations is headquartered in New York.
• The United States is large.

Rule 7: Distances, time, money, and measurements usually take singular verbs. These expressions are treated as singular when considered as a total amount. Examples:

• Ten kilometres is a long walk.
• Five hundred dollars is a lot of money.

Rule 8: Expressions beginning with “there” or “here” follow the real subject. Examples:

• There is a book on the table. (Singular subject: book)
• There are many books on the table. (Plural subject: books)

Rule 9: Words such as “each,” “every,” and “no” take singular verbs. Examples:

• Each student has a book.
• Every child needs love.
• No man is above the law.

Rule 10: Don’t be confused by words between subject and verb. Sometimes, phrases like along with, as well as, in addition to, or together with come between the subject and the verb. Ignore them. The verb agrees with the main subject. Examples:

• The teacher, along with her students, is in the library.
• The boy, along with friends, plays outside.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Mistaking plural-looking singular words like mathematics or news for plural nouns.
2. Letting phrases like together with confuse the verb choice.
3. Overlooking the real subject in questions and inverted sentences.
4. Using plural verbs with indefinite pronouns such as everyone or each.

Practice Exercise

Choose the correct verb in the following sentences:

1. Everyone (is/are) invited to the meeting.
2. The players and the coach (is/are) ready.
3. Neither my brother nor my sisters (has/have) arrived.
4. Ten litres of water (is/are) enough.
5. Here (is/are) your keys.

Share your answers in the comments!