Grammar Rule B1 — Intermediate

Subject-Verb Agreement

The grammatical rule that the verb must match its subject in number — singular subjects take singular verbs, plural subjects take plural verbs.

Quick Definition

Subject-verb agreement means the verb must match its subject in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb. Example: "The dog barks" (singular) vs "The dogs bark" (plural).

What Is Subject-Verb Agreement?

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule of English grammar: the form of the verb must correspond to the number (singular or plural) of the subject. In the present simple tense, this means adding -s or -es to the verb when the subject is third-person singular (he, she, it, or any singular noun): "She works" but "They work."

At basic levels (A1–A2), agreement seems straightforward. But at B1 level and beyond, several complications arise that trip up even advanced learners. Collective nouns (is the team singular or plural?), indefinite pronouns (does "everyone" need "is" or "are"?), and the "there is/are" structure all require careful attention.

One of the most frequent errors is attraction — letting the verb "agree" with a nearby noun instead of the true subject. In "The quality of the products is excellent," the subject is quality (singular), not products. The intervening prepositional phrase of the products does not change this.

Core Agreement Rules

RuleCorrectIncorrect
Singular subject → singular verbThe dog barks. She reads every day.The dog bark.
Plural subject → plural verbThe dogs bark. They read books.The dogs barks.
Collective noun (unit)The team is ready. The committee has decided.The team are ready. (AmE)
Indefinite pronounEveryone is invited. Nobody knows.Everyone are invited.
There is/areThere is a problem. There are three issues.There is three issues.
Intervening phraseThe price of the tickets is high.The price of the tickets are high.

Indefinite Pronouns — Always Singular

The following indefinite pronouns always take a singular verb, even though they refer to multiple people or things: everyone, everybody, everything, someone, somebody, something, anyone, anybody, anything, no one, nobody, nothing, each, either, neither.

PronounCorrect example
everyoneEveryone is welcome.
nobodyNobody knows the answer.
eachEach student has a different opinion.
eitherEither answer is acceptable.
someoneSomeone has left the door open.

Common Mistakes

Mistakes to Avoid

Everyone are ready for the exam.

Everyone is ready for the exam. (indefinite pronouns take singular verbs)

There is many reasons to learn English.

There are many reasons to learn English. (plural noun requires 'are')

The quality of the apples are excellent.

The quality of the apples is excellent. (verb agrees with 'quality', not 'apples')

The news are shocking.

The news is shocking. ('news' is singular even though it ends in -s)

Practise This Grammar Point

Complete the Sentence Cloze Dropdown Gameshow Quiz

Related Grammar Terms

Noun Verb Pronoun Countable vs Uncountable Auxiliary Verb All Terms →

Related Grammar Terms

Noun Verb Article (a/an/the)

Learn more: Subject-Verb Agreement Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What is subject-verb agreement?
Subject-verb agreement is the rule that a verb must match its subject in number. A singular subject requires a singular verb; a plural subject requires a plural verb. Example: "The dog barks" (singular) vs "The dogs bark" (plural).
What is the basic rule of subject-verb agreement?
A singular subject takes a singular verb (he/she/it + verb + -s in present simple), and a plural subject takes a plural verb (they + verb without -s). Example: "She works hard" (singular) vs "They work hard" (plural).
Do collective nouns take singular or plural verbs?
In British English, collective nouns (team, committee, government, family) can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group is treated as a single unit or as individual members. American English almost always uses singular. "The team is ready" (unit) vs "The team are arguing" (individuals).
Does "everyone" take a singular or plural verb?
Indefinite pronouns like everyone, everybody, someone, anyone, nobody, no one, each, and either always take a singular verb: "Everyone is here", "Nobody knows the answer", "Each student has a different opinion". This surprises learners who think of "everyone" as referring to multiple people.
When do I use "there is" vs "there are"?
"There is" is used with a singular or uncountable noun: "There is a cat in the garden", "There is some milk in the fridge". "There are" is used with a plural noun: "There are three cats", "There are some students outside". In informal speech "there's" is often used for both, but avoid this in formal writing.
What happens when a phrase comes between the subject and verb?
Intervening phrases do not change the verb number. The verb agrees with the true subject, not the nearest noun. Example: "The quality of the apples is excellent" (subject is "quality", not "apples") / "The students in the room are ready" (subject is "students").
Do compound subjects with "and" take singular or plural verbs?
Compound subjects joined by "and" are generally plural: "Tom and Mary are coming". Exception: when the two elements form a single concept, a singular verb is used: "Bread and butter is my favourite breakfast", "Fish and chips is a British classic".
What about "either…or" and "neither…nor"?
With "either…or" and "neither…nor", the verb agrees with the subject closest to it (proximity rule). "Either the manager or the assistants are responsible." "Neither the students nor the teacher was in the room." When both subjects are singular, use a singular verb.
Do titles take singular or plural verbs?
Titles of books, films, and works are treated as singular even if grammatically plural: "Great Expectations is a novel by Dickens", "The Beatles was the most influential band of the 1960s". Company names are usually singular in American English and can be plural in British English.
How can I practise subject-verb agreement?
LexFizz's Complete the Sentence and Cloze Dropdown exercises are ideal for practising verb agreement. Focus especially on tricky cases: collective nouns, indefinite pronouns (everyone, nobody), intervening phrases, and "there is/are" constructions.