Subject-Verb Agreement: The Basic Rule

Make Your Subjects and Verbs Match

Quick Answer

Singular subjects take singular verbs: "She runs."

Plural subjects take plural verbs: "They run."

Trick: In present tense, singular verbs often end in -s (runs, walks, talks).

The Basic Rule

Verbs must agree with their subjects in number.

  • The cat runs. → singular subject, singular verb ✓
  • The cats run. → plural subject, plural verb ✓
  • She is happy. → singular ✓
  • They are happy. → plural ✓
  • The team is winning. → collective noun (usually singular) ✓

Tricky Cases: Indefinite Pronouns

These words are always singular (even though they seem plural):

  • Everyone is here. ✓ (not "are")
  • Someone has called. ✓
  • Nobody knows. ✓
  • Each of the students is ready. ✓
  • Either works for me. ✓

Tricky Cases: Compound Subjects

  • And = plural: "Tom and Jerry are funny." ✓
  • Or/Nor = match closer subject: "Neither the dogs nor the cat is outside." ✓
  • "Neither the cat nor the dogs are outside." ✓

Comparison Chart

Subject Type Verb Form Example
Singular noun (cat, dog) Singular (runs, is) The cat runs.
Plural noun (cats, dogs) Plural (run, are) The cats run.
Everyone, someone, nobody Singular Everyone is here.
Subject + and + subject Plural Mom and Dad are home.
Subject or subject Match closer He or they are coming.

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

❌ Incorrect:

"Everyone are welcome."

✓ Correct:

"Everyone is welcome."

Why? "Everyone" is singular—use "is."
❌ Incorrect:

"The group of students are studying."

✓ Correct:

"The group of students is studying."

Why? The subject is "group" (singular), not "students."
❌ Incorrect:

"There is many problems."

✓ Correct:

"There are many problems."

Why? The real subject is "problems" (plural).

Quick Tips

💡 Find the True Subject

Ignore phrases between subject and verb: "The box [of chocolates] is empty."

✅ The -s Confusion

Singular verbs add -s (runs). Singular nouns don't (cat). It's the opposite!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is "news" singular or plural?

"News" is singular! "The news is good." Same for: mathematics, physics, economics, politics (when referring to the subject).

What about "team" or "family"?

Collective nouns are usually singular in American English: "The team is winning." British English sometimes uses plural.

Is "data" singular or plural?

Traditionally plural ("data are"), but singular use ("data is") is now widely accepted in informal contexts.

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