28 Subject-Verb Agreement Rules Asked in CAT, XAT, IBPS, SSC & RBI Exams

28 Subject-Verb Agreement Rules Asked in CAT, XAT, IBPS, SBI, SSC & RBI Exams

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Comprehensive guide covering the most important Subject‑Verb Agreement patterns tested in competitive examinations.

1. Basic Singular–Plural Agreement

Rule: A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb.

✓ The boy plays cricket.

✓ The boys play cricket.

✗ The boy play cricket.

✗ The boys plays cricket.

Exam Trap: The bouquet of roses was beautiful. Subject = bouquet, not roses.

2. Subject Separated from Verb

Rule: Words such as along with, together with, as well as, accompanied by do not affect agreement.

✓ The manager, along with his assistants, has arrived.

✓ Rahul as well as his friends is going.

✗ The manager, along with his assistants, have arrived.

✗ Rahul as well as his friends are going.

3. Either…Or / Neither…Nor

Rule: Verb agrees with the nearest subject.

✓ Either the teacher or the students are responsible.

✓ Either the students or the teacher is responsible.

4. Not Only…But Also

Rule: Verb agrees with the nearest subject.

✓ Not only the teacher but also the students are present.

✓ Not only the students but also the teacher is present.

5. Collective Nouns

Rule: Committee, jury, audience, team etc. are usually singular in exams.

✓ The committee has submitted its report.

✗ The committee have submitted its report.

6. Indefinite Pronouns

Rule: Everyone, everybody, each, either, neither etc. are singular.

✓ Everyone is happy.

✓ Each of the students has completed the assignment.

✗ Everyone are happy.

✗ Each of the students have completed the assignment.

7. Each / Every Before Multiple Subjects

Rule: Still takes a singular verb.

✓ Every boy and every girl has participated.

✓ Each student and each teacher was informed.

8. Subjects Joined by And

Rule: Normally plural.

✓ Ram and Shyam are friends.

Exception: Bread and butter is my breakfast. Slow and steady wins the race.

9. Titles, Books & Movies

Rule: Titles are treated as singular.

✓ Gulliver’s Travels is an interesting book.

✓ The Arabian Nights is a famous work.

10. Time, Distance & Money

Rule: When treated as one unit, use singular verb.

✓ Ten kilometres is a long walk.

✓ Fifty thousand rupees is a huge amount.

11. Fractions & Percentages

Rule: Verb depends on noun after ‘of’.

✓ Fifty percent of the students are absent.

✓ Fifty percent of the work is completed.

12. A Number Of vs The Number Of

Rule: A number of = plural; The number of = singular.

✓ A number of students are absent.

✓ The number of students is increasing.

13. Many A

Rule: Takes a singular verb.

✓ Many a student has failed.

14. Nouns Ending in S but Singular

Rule: News, Mathematics, Economics etc. are singular.

✓ Mathematics is difficult.

✓ The news is shocking.

15. Always Plural Nouns

Rule: Police, people, cattle etc. take plural verbs.

✓ The police have arrested the thief.

✓ People are becoming aware.

16. Pair Nouns

Rule: Trousers, scissors, spectacles are plural.

✓ My trousers are new.

✓ A pair of trousers is lying there.

17. One of the

Rule: Subject = one.

✓ One of the boys is absent.

18. The Only One of the

Rule: Use singular verb.

✓ She is the only one of the students who has qualified.

19. Relative Pronoun Agreement

Rule: Verb agrees with antecedent.

✓ I am one of those students who work hard.

✓ She is the only one of those students who works hard.

20. More Than One

Rule: Despite meaning many, takes singular verb.

✓ More than one student has failed.

21. One of + Plural Noun

Rule: Still singular.

✓ One of the candidates was selected.

22. Uncountable Nouns

Rule: Information, furniture, advice etc. are singular.

✓ The information is correct.

✓ The furniture is expensive.

23. Gerund as Subject

Rule: Gerunds take singular verbs.

✓ Swimming is good exercise.

✓ Reading books helps improve vocabulary.

24. Infinitive as Subject

Rule: Infinitives take singular verbs.

✓ To err is human.

25. There / Here Constructions

Rule: Verb agrees with the real subject.

✓ There is a book on the table.

✓ There are many books on the table.

26. None, Some, All, Most

Rule: Verb depends on the noun after of.

✓ None of the students are present.

✓ All of the water is polluted.

27. Same Person vs Different Persons

Rule: Article usage changes meaning.

✓ The poet and philosopher has arrived.

✓ The poet and the philosopher have arrived.

28. Plural Proper Names as Singular

Rule: Certain proper names take singular verbs.

✓ The United States is a powerful country.

✓ The United Nations is headquartered in New York.