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English is a simple language- until it suddenly isn’t.
Sometimes, a sentence feels right… but still sounds wrong.
And the reason is often something very small- like the verb not matching the subject.
You might say:
“The boy play football.”
It feels okay, right? But it’s not correct.
That’s because in English, the subject and the verb must match- they must agree with each other. This rule is called subject-verb agreement, and it helps you speak and write English the right way.
In this blog, we’re going to break it down into simple steps, using easy rules, clear examples, and tips you can actually use when you talk or write in English.
No grammar headache. Just small corrections that make a big difference in your everyday English.
Let’s get started.
Subject-Verb Agreement means that the subject and the verb in a sentence must match or “agree”- in number.
If the subject is one person or thing (singular), the verb should also be singular.
If the subject is more than one (plural), the verb should be plural too.
Examples:
If the subject and verb don’t match, the sentence sounds incorrect — even if the meaning is clear.
Incorrect:“He walk fast.”
Correct:“He walks fast.”
So remember:
The subject is who or what the sentence is about.
The verb shows what they are doing or what their condition is.
They should match in number — that’s subject-verb agreement!
You might wonder, “Is this really such a big deal?”
Yes- and here’s why.
When your subject and verb don’t match, the sentence sounds wrong- even if people still understand you.
But when they match correctly, you sound more fluent, confident, and correct.
Example:
Incorrect:“My friends likes pizza.”
Correct: “My friends like pizza.”
Even in spoken English, small things like this can make a big difference in how you sound.
And the good news? These rules are easy to learn, and with a little practice, they’ll become natural.
Now, let’s learn the most important rules of subject-verb agreement, step by step.
Rule 1: A singular subject takes a singular verb
If the subject is just one person or thing, the verb ends with -s (in present tense).
Rule 2: A plural subject takes a plural verb
If the subject is more than one, the verb doesn’t take -s.
Rule 3: “I” and “You” take plural verbs
Even though “I” and “You” are one person, they use plural verbs.
Rule 4: Don’t be confused by words in between
Ignore extra words between the subject and verb.
Rule 5: Use the correct verb with “either/or” and “neither/nor”
The verb should agree with the subject closest to it.
Rule 6: Indefinite pronouns are singular
Words like everyone, each, nobody are always singular.
Rule 7: Collective nouns take singular verbs
Words like team, family, class refer to one group → singular verb.
Rule 8: Titles of books, movies, or subjects are singular
Even if they sound plural, treat them as one item.
Rule 9: Amounts of time, money, or distance take singular verbs
Treat measurements as one whole unit.
Rule 10: Use the verb that matches the real subject after “There” or “Here”
These words come first, but the subject comes after the verb.
Rule 11: Verbs after gerunds (verb+ing as noun) are singular
When the subject is a verb-ing word used as a noun, use singular verb.
Rule 12: Some plural-looking words are actually singular
Words like news, physics, and measles are singular.
Let’s see how well you remember the rules. Choose the correct verb in each sentence. (Answers are at the end of this section.)
1. The boy ___ to school every day.
a) go
b) goes
2. My friends ___ very supportive.
a) is
b) are
3. There ___ a cat under the table.
a) is
b) are
4. Each of the students ___ a notebook.
a) have
b) has
Answers:
b) goes
b) are
a) is
b) has
b) are
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It means the subject and verb in a sentence must match.
If the subject is one person or thing → use a singular verb.
If the subject is more than one → use a plural verb.
Because it helps your sentence sound correct.
If the subject and verb don’t match, the sentence may confuse the listener or reader — even if they understand the meaning.
“You” can be one person or many- but it always takes a plural verb.
Correct: You are right.
Incorrect:You is right.
Ask yourself: Am I talking about one or more than one?
Words like he, she, it, each, everyone are singular.
Words like they, we, the boys, the books are plural.
Yes! You can learn it by listening, speaking, and practicing daily.
Apps like English Partner help you learn grammar while you speak- not by memorizing rules, but by using them in real conversations.
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