Subject–Verb Agreement in English – Complete Guide with Hindi Explanation

Subject–Verb Agreement in English

Subject–Verb Agreement is an important part of English grammar. It means that the verb in a sentence must agree with its subject in number and person.

For example, we say "She works" but "They work." The verb changes according to the subject.

हिंदी में समझें: Subject–Verb Agreement का अर्थ है कि वाक्य में Subject और Verb का आपस में सही मेल होना चाहिए। यदि Subject singular है, तो उसके अनुसार verb का प्रयोग होगा। यदि Subject plural है, तो verb भी उसी के अनुसार आएगी।

In this guide, you will learn the main rules with simple explanations, examples and practice exercises.

Topics Covered in This Lesson

1. Basic Subject–Verb Agreement Rules
2. Singular and Plural Subjects
3. Agreement with He, She, It and They
4. Agreement with Compound Subjects
5. Agreement with Each, Every and Everyone
6. Agreement with Either, Neither and Both
7. Agreement with Collective Nouns
8. Subjects Separated from Their Verbs
9. Common Subject–Verb Agreement Mistakes
10. Subject–Verb Agreement Exercises

1. Basic Subject–Verb Agreement Rules

The basic rule is simple: a singular subject generally takes a singular verb, while a plural subject generally takes a plural verb.

हिंदी में समझें: एक व्यक्ति या वस्तु के लिए singular subject और एक से अधिक के लिए plural subject का प्रयोग होता है। Verb को उसी के अनुसार बदलना पड़ता है।

Basic Rule

Subject	Verb	Example
Singular	Usually verb + s/es in Simple Present	He plays cricket.
Plural	Base form in Simple Present	They play cricket.

More Examples

Correct: The boy likes music.
Correct: The boys like music.

Correct: My sister lives in Delhi.
Correct: My sisters live in Delhi.

Important: This s/es rule applies to ordinary verbs in the Simple Present tense. The verb "be" has different forms (am, is, are), and modal verbs such as can, should and must do not take s/es.

Examples with Different Verb Types

Subject	Correct sentence
I	I am ready.
He	He is ready.
They	They are ready.
She	She can swim.
We	We can swim.

2. Singular and Plural Subjects

A singular subject refers to one person, animal, place or thing. A plural subject refers to more than one.

हिंदी में समझें: Singular का अर्थ है एकवचन और Plural का अर्थ है बहुवचन। Subject के singular या plural होने के अनुसार verb का चुनाव करें।

Singular Subjects

The teacher explains the lesson.
My father works in an office.
The dog barks at strangers.

Plural Subjects

The teachers explain the lesson.
My parents work in an office.
The dogs bark at strangers.

Common Singular and Plural Forms

Singular Subject	Plural Subject
The student	The students
A child	Children
A person	People
A woman	Women
A man	Men
A mouse	Mice

Remember: Some nouns ending in "s" are singular, such as news and mathematics. Some nouns have the same form in singular and plural, such as sheep and deer. Always check the meaning and grammatical use of the noun.

The news is interesting.
Mathematics is my favourite subject.
The sheep are grazing in the field.

3. Agreement with He, She, It and They

Personal pronouns have different verb forms. In the Simple Present tense, he, she and it usually take verbs ending in s or es. I, you, we and they use the base form with ordinary verbs.

हिंदी में समझें: He, She और It के साथ Simple Present में सामान्यतः verb में s या es जुड़ता है। I, You, We और They के साथ verb का base form आता है।

Pronoun	Verb	Example
I	work	I work every day.
You	work	You work every day.
He	works	He works every day.
She	works	She works every day.
It	works	It works well.
We	work	We work every day.
They	work	They work every day.

Using the Verb "Be"

Pronoun	Correct Form	Example
I	am	I am happy.
He / She / It	is	She is happy.
You / We / They	are	They are happy.

Negative Sentences and Questions

When using do and does in Simple Present negatives and questions, the main verb stays in its base form.

She does not like coffee.
They do not like coffee.
Does he play football?
Do they play football?

Common error: Do not use "does" and an s/es form together in the same main verb phrase.
Incorrect: Does she likes tea?
Correct: Does she like tea?

4. Agreement with Compound Subjects

A compound subject contains two or more subjects joined by words such as and, or and nor. The joining word affects the verb form.

हिंदी में समझें: जब एक वाक्य में दो या अधिक subjects होते हैं, तो उनके बीच प्रयोग होने वाले joining words के आधार पर verb का चुनाव किया जाता है।

Rule 1: Two Subjects Joined by "And"

Two subjects joined by and usually take a plural verb.

Rahul and Amit are friends.
My mother and father work together.
Tea and coffee are available.

Rule 2: Subjects Joined by "Or" or "Nor"

When subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb generally agrees with the subject closest to it.

Either Rahul or Amit is coming.
Either the teacher or the students are responsible.
Neither the students nor the teacher is available.

Rule 3: Subjects Referring to One Person or One Thing

When two descriptions joined by and refer to one person or one combined idea, a singular verb may be used.

The owner and manager is here.

This sentence means one person holds both roles. If two different people are meant, use:

The owner and the manager are here.

Remember: Meaning matters. Do not automatically use a plural verb every time you see and. Check whether the subjects refer to separate people or things.

5. Agreement with Each, Every and Everyone

Words such as each, every and everyone are grammatically singular when they are used as subjects. They normally take singular verbs.

हिंदी में समझें: Each का अर्थ है प्रत्येक, Every का अर्थ है हर और Everyone का अर्थ है सभी लोग। इनके साथ सामान्यतः singular verb का प्रयोग होता है।

Using Each

Each student has a notebook.
Each of the players is ready.
Each child needs attention.

Using Every

Every student is present.
Every room has a window.
Every employee follows the rules.

Using Everyone, Everybody and Everything

Everyone is welcome.
Everybody wants to succeed.
Everything looks beautiful.

Other Singular Indefinite Pronouns

Word	Example
Someone	Someone is waiting outside.
Somebody	Somebody knows the answer.
Anyone	Anyone can join the class.
No one	No one is absent.
Nothing	Nothing seems wrong.

Important distinction: In "Each of the students is ready," the subject is each, not students. Therefore, the verb is singular.

6. Agreement with Either, Neither and Both

Either, neither and both are commonly used to talk about two people or things. Their grammatical patterns are different.

हिंदी में समझें: Either का अर्थ है दोनों में से कोई एक, Neither का अर्थ है दोनों में से कोई भी नहीं और Both का अर्थ है दोनों। इनके साथ verb का चुनाव सही grammatical structure के अनुसार करें।

Using Either

Either used alone as a subject generally takes a singular verb. "Either of" also normally takes a singular verb in formal standard English.

Either answer is acceptable.
Either of the two options is suitable.

Using Neither

Neither used alone and neither of generally take singular verbs in formal standard English.

Neither answer is correct.
Neither of the two boys is absent.

Using Both

Both takes a plural verb.

Both answers are correct.
Both of my friends live in Delhi.

Either...Or and Neither...Nor

With either...or and neither...nor, the verb generally agrees with the subject closest to it.

Either the manager or the employees are attending the meeting.
Either the employees or the manager is attending the meeting.
Neither Rahul nor his friends are coming.

Usage note: In everyday English, you may sometimes hear plural verbs after "neither of" or "either of", especially in informal speech. For formal writing and standard grammar exercises, use the singular verb.

7. Agreement with Collective Nouns

A collective noun refers to a group of people, animals or things as one unit. Examples include team, family, committee, audience and staff.

हिंदी में समझें: Collective Noun किसी समूह को दर्शाता है। जब समूह को एक इकाई के रूप में देखा जाता है, तो singular verb का प्रयोग होता है। जब समूह के सदस्यों की अलग-अलग गतिविधियों पर जोर हो, तो British English में plural verb भी आ सकती है।

When the Group Acts as One Unit

The team is playing well.
My family lives in Delhi.
The committee has made a decision.

When Individual Members Are Emphasised

In British English, a collective noun can take a plural verb when the members are considered individually.

The team are wearing their new uniforms.
The committee are discussing their individual responsibilities.

British and American English: British English commonly allows singular or plural agreement with collective nouns depending on meaning. American English generally prefers a singular verb when the group is treated as a unit.

Common Collective Nouns

Collective Noun	Example
Team	The team is ready.
Family	My family is large.
Committee	The committee has reached a decision.
Audience	The audience is listening.
Class	The class is quiet.

8. Subjects Separated from Their Verbs

Sometimes extra words or phrases appear between a subject and its verb. These words do not normally change the agreement. The verb must agree with the actual subject.

हिंदी में समझें: कभी-कभी Subject और Verb के बीच अतिरिक्त शब्द या phrase आ जाते हैं। ऐसे में पास में मौजूद noun को देखकर verb न चुनें। असली subject को पहचानें।

Examples with "Along With"

The teacher, along with the students, is going on a trip.
My brother, together with his friends, is visiting us.

Examples with "As Well As"

The manager, as well as the employees, is attending the meeting.
The students, as well as the teacher, are preparing for the event.

Examples with Prepositional Phrases

The box of chocolates is on the table.
The quality of these products is excellent.
The keys to the cupboard are missing.

Find the Real Subject

Sentence	Actual Subject	Verb
The list of names is ready.	List	is
The books on the shelf are old.	Books	are
The price of these items is high.	Price	is

Useful tip: Temporarily ignore the phrase between the subject and verb. Identify the main subject first, then select the correct verb.

9. Common Subject–Verb Agreement Mistakes

Many English learners make mistakes because they choose the verb according to the nearest noun instead of the actual subject.

हिंदी में समझें: Subject–Verb Agreement में सबसे आम गलती singular और plural का गलत मेल है। नीचे दिए गए उदाहरणों से सही और गलत वाक्यों का अंतर समझें।

Incorrect	Correct
He go to school.	He goes to school.
They goes to school.	They go to school.
She don't like tea.	She doesn't like tea.
Everyone are ready.	Everyone is ready.
Each student have a book.	Each student has a book.
The list of items are ready.	The list of items is ready.
My brother and sister is here.	My brother and sister are here.
The news are good.	The news is good.
Does he works here?	Does he work here?
Both of them is happy.	Both of them are happy.

Five Important Checks Before Writing

1. Identify the subject: Find who or what performs the action or is described.

2. Check the number: Decide whether the subject is singular or plural.

3. Notice joining words: Check whether subjects are joined by and, or or nor.

4. Ignore extra phrases: Do not let nearby nouns confuse the verb choice.

5. Check the tense: Make sure the verb form also matches the tense and sentence structure.

10. Subject–Verb Agreement Exercises

Test your understanding by choosing the correct verb in each sentence. Try to answer all questions before opening the answer section.

Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Verb

1. She (work / works) in a bank.
2. They (is / are) my friends.
3. Each student (has / have) a notebook.
4. My parents (live / lives) in Delhi.
5. The quality of these products (is / are) good.
6. Everyone (want / wants) to succeed.
7. Both of the boys (is / are) ready.
8. Either the teacher or the students (is / are) responsible.
9. The news (is / are) interesting.
10. My brother and sister (works / work) together.

Show Exercise 1 Answers

1. works
2. are
3. has
4. live
5. is
6. wants
7. are
8. are
9. is
10. work

Exercise 2: Correct the Mistakes

Rewrite these sentences using the correct subject–verb agreement.

1. He play football every evening.
2. My friends is very helpful.
3. Every employee have an identity card.
4. The list of books are on the table.
5. She don't understand the question.
6. Both of my sisters lives in Mumbai.
7. Does your father works here?
8. Neither answer are correct.

Show Exercise 2 Answers

1. He plays football every evening.
2. My friends are very helpful.
3. Every employee has an identity card.
4. The list of books is on the table.
5. She doesn't understand the question.
6. Both of my sisters live in Mumbai.
7. Does your father work here?
8. Neither answer is correct.

Exercise 3: Fill in the Blanks

Use the correct form of the verb given in brackets.

1. The baby ______ peacefully. (sleep)
2. My brother and I ______ English. (study)
3. One of my friends ______ in Kolkata. (live)
4. The committee ______ a decision. (make)
5. Neither of these books ______ expensive. (be)
6. The players ______ ready for the match. (be)

Show Exercise 3 Answers

1. sleeps
2. study
3. lives
4. makes
5. is
6. are

Exercise 4: Translate into English

Translate these Hindi sentences into English, paying attention to subject–verb agreement.

1. वह रोज़ स्कूल जाता है।
2. वे क्रिकेट खेलते हैं।
3. हर विद्यार्थी के पास एक किताब है।
4. मेरे माता-पिता दिल्ली में रहते हैं।
5. दोनों लड़कियाँ मेहनत करती हैं।

Show Exercise 4 Answers

1. He goes to school every day.
2. They play cricket.
3. Every student has a book.
4. My parents live in Delhi.
5. Both girls work hard.

Practice Tip

When checking your answers, identify the subject first. Then decide whether it is singular or plural. Finally, check the verb form and tense.

याद रखें: पहले Subject पहचानें, फिर देखें कि वह singular है या plural। उसके बाद सही verb चुनें। नियमित अभ्यास से यह नियम स्वाभाविक हो जाएगा।

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