Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement: A Comprehensive Guide for Class 7

Understanding subject-verb agreement is fundamental to constructing grammatically correct sentences in English. This concept ensures that the verb in a sentence agrees in number (singular or plural) with its subject. Mastering this skill is crucial for clear and effective communication, both in writing and speaking. This article provides a comprehensive guide to subject-verb agreement, tailored for Class 7 students, with clear explanations, numerous examples, and interactive exercises to reinforce learning.

Whether you’re a student aiming to improve your grammar skills, a teacher seeking resources for your lessons, or simply someone interested in refining your English language proficiency, this guide offers valuable insights and practical tools to help you confidently apply the rules of subject-verb agreement.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Definition of Subject-Verb Agreement
3. Structural Breakdown
4. Types or Categories
   • Singular Subjects
   • Plural Subjects
   • Compound Subjects
   • Collective Nouns
   • Indefinite Pronouns
   • Intervening Phrases
5. Examples
6. Usage Rules
   • General Rules
   • Exceptions
   • Special Cases
7. Common Mistakes
8. Practice Exercises
   • Exercise 1: Basic Identification
   • Exercise 2: Compound Subjects
   • Exercise 3: Collective Nouns
   • Exercise 4: Indefinite Pronouns
   • Exercise 5: Mixed Practice
9. Advanced Topics
10. FAQ
11. Conclusion

Definition of Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental principle in English grammar that dictates that a verb must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. This agreement ensures clarity and grammatical correctness in sentences, making communication more effective.

In simpler terms, think of it as matching pairs. If you have one subject (singular), you need a verb that indicates one. If you have multiple subjects (plural), you need a verb that indicates multiple. Ignoring this rule can lead to sentences that sound awkward or are grammatically incorrect, hindering understanding.

Key takeaway: Subject-verb agreement is all about making sure the verb “matches” the subject in terms of being singular or plural. This is a cornerstone of good grammar.

Structural Breakdown

To understand subject-verb agreement, it’s essential to identify the subject and the verb within a sentence. The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action or is being described. The verb is the word that expresses the action or state of being. Once these are identified, determining whether each is singular or plural is the next step.

For example, in the sentence “The dog barks loudly,” ‘dog’ is the singular subject, and ‘barks’ is the singular verb. In contrast, in the sentence “The dogs bark loudly,” ‘dogs’ is the plural subject, and ‘bark’ is the plural verb.

Understanding how to find the subject and verb is the first step to mastering subject-verb agreement. Consider the following breakdown:

1. Identify the Subject: Ask “Who or what is performing the action?”
2. Identify the Verb: Look for the word that shows the action or state of being.
3. Determine Number: Decide if the subject and verb are singular or plural.
4. Ensure Agreement: Make sure they match! Singular subject with singular verb; plural subject with plural verb.

Types or Categories

Subject-verb agreement can vary based on the type of subject. Here’s a breakdown of the different categories:

Singular Subjects

A singular subject refers to one person, place, thing, or idea. It requires a singular verb form. For most verbs, the singular form ends in “-s” in the present tense (e.g., he walks, she eats). However, the verb “to be” has irregular singular forms: is, was.

Examples of sentences with singular subjects:

• The cat sleeps on the couch.
• He plays the guitar.
• She is a doctor.

Plural Subjects

A plural subject refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea. It requires a plural verb form. For most verbs, the plural form does not end in “-s” in the present tense (e.g., they walk, we eat). The plural forms of the verb “to be” are are and were.

Examples of sentences with plural subjects:

• The cats sleep on the couch.
• They play the guitar.
• We are students.

Compound Subjects

A compound subject consists of two or more subjects joined by a conjunction such as “and,” “or,” or “nor.” When subjects are joined by “and,” they usually take a plural verb. However, when joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.

Examples of sentences with compound subjects:

• John and Mary are going to the party.
• The book or the pen is on the table. (singular because the closest subject, ‘pen’, is singular)
• Neither the students nor the teacher is happy. (singular because the closest subject, ‘teacher’, is singular)

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns refer to a group of people or things considered as a single unit (e.g., team, family, committee). These can take either a singular or plural verb depending on whether the group is acting as a unit or as individual members.

If the collective noun is acting as a single unit, use a singular verb. If the members of the group are acting individually, use a plural verb. However, in most cases, it’s clearer to rephrase the sentence to avoid confusion.

Examples of sentences with collective nouns:

• The team is playing well. (acting as a unit)
• The family are disagreeing about the vacation. (acting individually)

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific people or things (e.g., everyone, someone, nobody, each, every). Some indefinite pronouns are always singular (e.g., each, every, everyone, someone, nobody), while others are always plural (e.g., both, few, many, several). Some can be singular or plural depending on the context (e.g., some, any, none, all, most).

Examples of sentences with indefinite pronouns:

• Everyone is ready for the test. (singular)
• Few are interested in the topic. (plural)
• Some of the pie is gone. (singular)
• Some of the cookies are gone. (plural)

Intervening Phrases

Intervening phrases are groups of words that come between the subject and the verb. These phrases do not affect subject-verb agreement. The verb must agree with the actual subject, not with any noun or pronoun in the intervening phrase.

Examples of sentences with intervening phrases:

• The dog, along with his puppies, needs food.
• The box of chocolates is missing.

Examples

The following tables provide numerous examples illustrating subject-verb agreement in different contexts. Each table focuses on a specific type of subject and its corresponding verb agreement.

The following table demonstrates subject-verb agreement with singular subjects. Notice how each subject is singular, and the verb form reflects this by typically adding an ‘-s’ in the present tense.

Subject	Verb	Sentence
He	walks	He walks to school every day.
She	reads	She reads a book before bedtime.
It	rains	It rains frequently in April.
The cat	sleeps	The cat sleeps on the windowsill.
My brother	plays	My brother plays basketball after school.
The teacher	explains	The teacher explains the lesson clearly.
The student	studies	The student studies hard for the exam.
A bird	sings	A bird sings sweetly in the morning.
The sun	shines	The sun shines brightly in the sky.
This book	costs	This book costs ten dollars.
That car	belongs	That car belongs to my neighbor.
Each child	receives	Each child receives a gift.
Every student	attends	Every student attends the assembly.
Someone	knocks	Someone knocks at the door.
Nobody	cares	Nobody cares about the rules.
Anybody	knows	Anybody knows the answer.
The building	stands	The building stands tall in the city.
My sister	works	My sister works at the hospital.
The movie	starts	The movie starts at 7 PM.
The flower	blooms	The flower blooms in the spring.
The clock	ticks	The clock ticks loudly in the silent room.
The game	ends	The game ends in a tie.
The song	plays	The song plays on the radio.
The train	arrives	The train arrives on time.
The plane	flies	The plane flies over the mountains.
The computer	runs	The computer runs smoothly.
The phone	rings	The phone rings constantly.
The key	opens	The key opens the door.
The rain	falls	The rain falls gently.

The following table demonstrates subject-verb agreement with plural subjects. Notice how the verbs do not end in ‘-s’ in the present tense, reflecting the plural nature of the subjects.

Subject	Verb	Sentence
They	walk	They walk to school together.
We	read	We read books every night.
You	are	You are a great student.
The cats	sleep	The cats sleep on the bed.
My brothers	play	My brothers play soccer on weekends.
The teachers	explain	The teachers explain the rules.
The students	study	The students study in the library.
Birds	sing	Birds sing in the trees.
The stars	shine	The stars shine at night.
These books	cost	These books cost too much.
Those cars	belong	Those cars belong to the company.
Several children	receive	Several children receive awards.
All students	attend	All students attend the meeting.
Some people	knock	Some people knock without waiting.
Few people	care	Few people care about the environment.
Many students	know	Many students know the answer.
The buildings	stand	The buildings stand side by side.
My sisters	work	My sisters work different jobs.
The movies	start	The movies start late.
The flowers	bloom	The flowers bloom in the garden.
The clocks	tick	The clocks tick in every room.
The games	end	The games end with a celebration.
The songs	play	The songs play on repeat.
The trains	arrive	The trains arrive and depart.
The planes	fly	The planes fly high above.
The computers	run	The computers run all day.
The phones	ring	The phones ring constantly.
The keys	open	The keys open the lockers.
The rains	fall	The rains fall heavily.

The following table illustrates the subject-verb agreement rules with compound subjects. Pay attention to how the conjunction “and” typically results in a plural verb, while “or” or “nor” require the verb to agree with the closest subject.

Subject	Verb	Sentence
John and Mary	are	John and Mary are going to the park.
The dog and the cat	play	The dog and the cat play together.
My brother and I	watch	My brother and I watch movies on Friday.
The book and the pen	are	The book and the pen are on the desk.
The students and the teacher	discuss	The students and the teacher discuss the project.
The car and the bike	need	The car and the bike need repairs.
The sun and the moon	appear	The sun and the moon appear in different times.
The flowers and the trees	grow	The flowers and the trees grow in the garden.
The chairs and the tables	are	The chairs and the tables are arranged neatly.
The plates and the cups	are	The plates and the cups are clean.
The pen or the pencil	is	The pen or the pencil is needed for the test.
The book or the magazine	is	The book or the magazine is interesting.
Neither the students nor the teacher	is	Neither the students nor the teacher is happy about the quiz
Either the cat or the dogs	are	Either the cat or the dogs are responsible for the mess.
Neither the dog nor the cats	are	Neither the dog nor the cats are allowed inside.
The cake and the ice cream	are	The cake and the ice cream are for dessert.
The shoes and the socks	are	The shoes and the socks are in the closet.
The shirt and the pants	fit	The shirt and the pants fit perfectly.
The knife and the fork	are	The knife and the fork are on the table.
The spoon and the bowl	are	The spoon and the bowl are in the sink.
Either the parents or the child	is	Either the parents or the child is going to drive.
Neither the child nor the parents	are	Neither the child nor the parents are available to help.
The hammer and the nails	are	The hammer and the nails are in the toolbox.
The paper and the printer	are	The paper and the printer are necessary for the project.
The computer and the monitor	are	The computer and the monitor are on the desk.
The keyboard and the mouse	are	The keyboard and the mouse are essential for typing.
Either the book or the papers	are	Either the book or the papers are missing.
Neither the papers nor the book	is	Neither the papers nor the book is helpful.

This table highlights the use of collective nouns and their corresponding verb forms. Note how the verb can be singular or plural depending on whether the collective noun is acting as a single unit or as individual members.

Subject	Verb	Sentence
The team	is	The team is playing well.
The family	is	The family is happy to be together.
The committee	meets	The committee meets every Monday.
The class	is	The class is taking a test.
The government	is	The government is working on new policies.
The audience	is	The audience is enjoying the show.
The crowd	is	The crowd is cheering loudly.
The jury	is	The jury is deliberating the verdict.
The flock	is	The flock of birds is flying south.
The group	is	The group is planning a trip.
The team	are	The team are arguing about the strategy.
The family	are	The family are disagreeing about the vacation destination.
The committee	are	The committee are divided on the issue.
The class	are	The class are presenting their individual projects.
The government	are	The government are split on the decision.
The audience	are	The audience are clapping enthusiastically.
The crowd	are	The crowd are pushing and shoving.
The jury	are	The jury are unable to reach a consensus.
The flock	are	The flock of birds are scattering in different directions.
The group	are	The group are sharing their opinions.
The band	is	The band is playing a great song.
The band	are	The band are tuning their instruments.
The staff	is	The staff is working hard to meet the deadline.
The staff	are	The staff are taking their lunch breaks.
The board	is	The board is making an important decision.
The board	are	The board are expressing different viewpoints.

This table showcases how indefinite pronouns affect subject-verb agreement. Remember that some indefinite pronouns are always singular, some are always plural, and others can be either depending on the context.

Subject	Verb	Sentence
Everyone	is	Everyone is welcome to the party.
Someone	has	Someone has left their bag.
Nobody	knows	Nobody knows the answer.
Each	has	Each has their own opinion.
Every	is	Every student is responsible.
Both	are	Both are invited.
Few	are	Few are interested in the subject.
Many	have	Many have already left.
Several	were	Several were absent yesterday.
Some	is	Some of the water is gone.
Some	are	Some of the students are late.
Any	is	Is any of the milk left?
Any	are	Are any of the cookies left?
None	is	None of the food is wasted.
None	are	None of the apples are ripe.
All	is	All of the sugar is used.
All	are	All of the books are new.
Most	is	Most of the work is done.
Most	are	Most of the players are tired.
Everything	is	Everything is ready for the trip.
Nothing	is	Nothing is impossible.
Something	is	Something is wrong with the machine.
One	is	One is enough.
Another	is	Another is needed.

Usage Rules

To correctly apply subject-verb agreement, it’s important to understand the general rules, exceptions, and special cases that govern its usage.

General Rules

1. Singular subjects take singular verbs: The dog barks.
2. Plural subjects take plural verbs: The dogs bark.
3. Compound subjects joined by “and” usually take plural verbs: John and Mary are friends.
4. Compound subjects joined by “or” or “nor” take a verb that agrees with the subject closest to it: Neither the students nor the teacher is happy.

Exceptions

1. Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on context: The team is playing well. (singular); The team are arguing. (plural)
2. Indefinite pronouns can be tricky: Some are always singular (everyone), some are always plural (both), and some can be either (some).
3. Titles of books or movies are treated as singular, even if they contain plural words: “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is a great book.

Special Cases

1. Sentences starting with “there” or “here”: The subject follows the verb. There are many students in the class.
2. Phrases like “one of” followed by a plural noun: The verb agrees with the singular “one.” One of the students is missing.
3. Units of measurement or amounts of money: Can be singular or plural depending on whether they are considered a single unit or individual items. Ten dollars is a lot of money. (single unit); Ten dollars are lying on the table. (individual items)

Common Mistakes

Students often make mistakes with subject-verb agreement. Here are some common errors and how to correct them:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
The dog and cat is playing.	The dog and cat are playing.	Compound subject (dog and cat) requires a plural verb.
Each of the students have a book.	Each of the students has a book.	“Each” is singular, so it requires a singular verb.
There is many books on the shelf.	There are many books on the shelf.	The subject is “books” (plural), so it requires a plural verb.
The team are playing well.	The team is playing well.	“Team” is acting as a single unit, so it requires a singular verb.
He don’t like pizza.	He doesn’t like pizza.	Correct singular verb form for “he” is “doesn’t.”
My friends is coming over.	My friends are coming over.	“Friends” is plural so you need the plural verb “are”.
The news are surprising.	The news is surprising.	“News” is considered a singular noun, so it needs a singular verb.
Physics are a difficult subject.	Physics is a difficult subject.	“Physics” is a singular subject, so it needs a singular verb.
One of the boys were absent.	One of the boys was absent.	The subject is “One,” so it requires a singular verb.
The players, along with the coach, are ready.	The players, along with the coach, is ready.	The subject is “players” (plural), so it requires a plural verb.

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding of subject-verb agreement with these exercises. Choose the correct verb form for each sentence.

Exercise 1: Basic Identification

Question	Options	Answer
The dog _______ (barks/bark) loudly.	barks / bark	barks
The children _______ (plays/play) in the park.	plays / play	play
She _______ (has/have) a new bicycle.	has / have	has
They _______ (is/are) going to the beach.	is / are	are
It _______ (rains/rain) a lot in the spring.	rains / rain	rains
The cat _______ (sleeps/sleep) on the sofa.	sleeps / sleep	sleeps
We _______ (watch/watches) TV every evening.	watch / watches	watch
He _______ (likes/like) to read books.	likes / like	likes
You _______ (are/is) my best friend.	are / is	are
I _______ (am/is) a student.	am / is	am

Exercise 2: Compound Subjects

Question	Options	Answer
John and Mary _______ (is/are) coming to the party.	is / are	are
The book and the pen _______ (is/are) on the table.	is / are	are
Neither the students nor the teacher _______ (is/are) happy.	is / are	is
Either the cat or the dogs _______ (is/are) responsible.	is / are	are
My brother and I _______ (watch/watches) movies together.	watch / watches	watch
The hammer and the nails _______ (is/are) in the toolbox.	is / are	are
The paper or the printer _______ (is/are) not working.	is / are	is
The computer and the monitor _______ (is/are) expensive.	is / are	are
The keyboard or the mouse _______ (is/are) broken.	is / are	is
Either the book or the papers _______ (is/are) missing.	is / are	are

Exercise 3: Collective Nouns

Question	Options	Answer
The team _______ (is/are) playing well tonight.	is / are	is
The family _______ (is/are) planning a vacation.	is / are	is
The committee _______ (meets/meet) every week.	meets / meet	meets
The class _______ (is/are) taking a test now.	is / are	is
The government _______ (is/are) making new laws.	is / are	is
The audience _______ (applauds/applaud) the performance.	applauds / applaud	applauds
The crowd _______ (is/are) getting restless.	is / are	is
The jury _______ (has/have) reached a verdict.	has / have	has
The flock of birds _______ (flies/fly) south for the winter.	flies / fly	flies
The group _______ (is/are) discussing the project.	is / are	is

Exercise 4: Indefinite Pronouns

Question	Options	Answer
Everyone _______ (is/are) invited to the party.	is / are	is
Someone _______ (has/have) left their umbrella behind.	has / have	has
Nobody _______ (knows/know) the answer.	knows / know	knows
Each _______ (has/have) a different opinion.	has / have	has
Both _______ (is/are) correct.	is / are	are
Few _______ (is/are) interested in the topic.	is / are	are
Many _______ (has/have) already left.	has / have	have
Several _______ (was/were) absent today.	was / were	were
Some of the water _______ (is/are) gone.	is / are	is
All of the students _______ (is/are) present.	is / are	are

Exercise 5: Mixed Practice

Question	Options	Answer
The dog, along with its puppies, _______ (needs/need) food.	needs / need	needs
My friends _______ (is/are) coming over tonight.	is / are	are
The news _______ (is/are) surprising.	is / are	is
Physics _______ (is/are) a difficult subject.	is / are	is
One of the boys _______ (was/were) absent.	was / were	was
The players, along with the coach, _______ (is/are) ready.	is / are	are
Either the teacher or the students _______ (has/have) the answer.	has / have	have
Each of the girls _______ (has/have) a doll.	has / have	has
The team _______ (is/are) celebrating their victory.	is / are	is
Some of the cookies _______ (is/are) missing.	is / are	are

Advanced Topics

Once you have mastered the basics of subject-verb agreement, you can explore more complex scenarios. These include:

• Sentences with inverted word order: In questions or sentences beginning with prepositional phrases, the subject may follow the verb.
• Relative clauses: The verb in a relative clause must agree with the noun or pronoun to which the clause refers.
• Words expressing quantity: Words like “percent” or “part” can be singular or plural depending on the noun they modify.

FAQ

Conclusion

Mastering subject-verb agreement is essential for building strong grammatical skills and communicating effectively. By understanding the basic rules, exceptions, and common mistakes, you can improve the clarity and correctness of your writing. Practice the exercises provided and continue to reinforce your knowledge through reading and writing. With consistent effort, you’ll become confident in your ability to apply subject-verb agreement correctly in any context.