subject-verb agreement

Question 1

What is subject-verb agreement?

Answer 1

It is the grammatical rule that the subject of a sentence must agree in number with the verb.

Question 2

True or False: A singular subject takes a plural verb.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Fill in the blank: The dog _____ (bark) loudly at night.

Answer 3

barks

Question 4

Which of the following is correct? (a) The team are winning. (b) The team is winning.

Answer 4

The team is winning.

Question 5

What form of the verb should be used with ‘I’?

Answer 5

The base form, as in ‘I am’.

Question 6

True or False: ‘Everyone’ takes a plural verb.

Answer 6

False

Question 7

Fill in the blank: The cats _____ (play) in the yard.

Answer 7

play

Question 8

What is the correct verb form? The group _____ (is/are) meeting today.

Answer 8

is

Question 9

Choose the correct verb: Neither the teacher nor the students _____ (was/were) ready.

Answer 9

were

Question 10

What do you call a subject that consists of two or more nouns joined by ‘and’?

Answer 10

A compound subject.

Question 11

True or False: Collective nouns can take either singular or plural verbs depending on context.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

Fill in the blank: Each of the girls _____ (have/has) a new dress.

Answer 12

has

Question 13

What is the correct verb form? A flock of birds _____ (is/are) flying south.

Answer 13

is

Question 14

Which sentence is correct? (a) The books on the shelf is old. (b) The book on the shelf is old.

Answer 14

The book on the shelf is old.

Question 15

True or False: ‘None’ can be both singular and plural.

Answer 15

True

Question 16

Fill in the blank: The jury _____ (reach/reaches) a verdict.

Answer 16

reaches

Question 17

What is the verb form for ‘they’?

Answer 17

The base form, as in ‘they are’.

Question 18

Choose the correct verb: Either the manager or the employees _____ (was/were) responsible.

Answer 18

were

Question 19

What type of subject takes a singular verb? (a) Collective nouns (b) Compound subjects

Answer 19

Collective nouns

Question 20

True or False: The phrase ‘a number of’ takes a singular verb.

Answer 20

False

Question 21

Fill in the blank: A pair of shoes _____ (is/are) on the floor.

Answer 21

is

Question 22

What is the correct verb form? The committee _____ (meet/meets) every Tuesday.

Answer 22

meets

Question 23

Choose the correct verb: Ten dollars _____ (is/are) too much.

Answer 23

is

Question 24

What happens to the verb when the subject is a collective noun used in a singular sense?

Answer 24

It takes a singular verb.

Question 25

True or False: When subjects are joined by 'or,' the verb agrees with the nearest subject.

Answer 25

True

Question 26

Fill in the blank: Either my brother or my sisters _____ (has/have) the keys.

Answer 26

have

Question 27

Which sentence is correct? (a) The team play well. (b) The team plays well.

Answer 27

The team plays well.

Question 28

What is the rule for subjects that are separated from the verb by phrases?

Answer 28

The verb should still agree with the main subject.

Question 29

True or False: 'All' can be singular or plural depending on the noun it refers to.

Answer 29

True

Question 30

Fill in the blank: The committee _____ (have/has) made its decision.

Answer 30

has

Question 31

What verb form is used with 'you'?

Answer 31

The base form, as in 'you are'.

Question 32

Choose the correct verb: Each student _____ (was/were) given a book.

Answer 32

was

Question 33

What is the correct verb form? The information _____ (is/are) accurate.

Answer 33

is

Question 34

True or False: 'Either' and 'neither' are always singular.

Answer 34

True

Question 35

Fill in the blank: The number of participants _____ (is/are) increasing.

Answer 35

is

Question 36

What is the correct verb form? The team of players _____ (is/are) winning.

Answer 36

is

Question 37

Choose the correct verb: Many of the apples _____ (was/were) rotten.

Answer 37

were

Question 38

What is the rule for using 'a lot of' with count and non-count nouns?

Answer 38

'A lot of' takes a plural verb with count nouns and a singular verb with non-count nouns.

Question 39

True or False: The subject and verb must agree in gender.

Answer 39

False

Question 40

Fill in the blank: The teacher, along with her students, _____ (is/are) attending the conference.

Answer 40

is

Question 41

What is the correct form? More than one student _____ (has/have) completed the exam.

Answer 41

has

Question 42

Choose the correct verb: The news _____ (is/are) surprising.

Answer 42

is

Question 43

What is the correct verb form? A couple of friends _____ (was/were) here.

Answer 43

were

Question 44

True or False: The phrase 'a lot of' is always plural.

Answer 44

False

Question 45

Fill in the blank: Neither the cat nor the dog _____ (like/likes) to swim.

Answer 45

likes

Question 46

What is the correct verb form? The majority of the cake _____ (was/were) eaten.

Answer 46

was