Subject-Verb Agreement Quiz
Free subject-verb agreement quiz with 20 practice questions. Test whether the subject and verb agree in number in complex sentences.
Start the Quiz →What This Quiz Covers
Subject-verb agreement is the rule that a verb must match its subject in number: singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs. While this sounds simple, English has many situations where the correct form is far from obvious. This quiz targets the tricky cases that trip up B1 and B2 learners: collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, compound subjects joined by and or or, inverted sentences, and subjects separated from their verbs by long phrases.
The 20 multiple-choice questions use natural, realistic sentences drawn from everyday English. Each question is designed to test a specific agreement rule, so your results will show clearly which areas need more practice. The quiz is suitable for learners preparing for Cambridge B2 First, IELTS, or any exam that tests written accuracy.
Mastering subject-verb agreement is essential for achieving a high score in the writing and speaking components of any English language examination, as errors in agreement are among the most frequently penalised grammatical mistakes.
What You Will Learn
- How to handle collective nouns (team, family, government, committee) which can take either singular or plural verbs depending on meaning and variety of English.
- Which indefinite pronouns (everyone, somebody, each, either, neither) are always singular, and which (both, several, many) are always plural.
- How compound subjects joined by and differ from those joined by or and nor — and which part of the subject determines the verb form in the latter case.
- How to identify the true subject when a prepositional phrase or relative clause separates the subject from the verb, so that agreement is based on the right word.
How to Prepare
Before taking the quiz, review the key subject-verb agreement rules, paying special attention to collective nouns and indefinite pronouns, which are the most commonly tested areas at B1–B2 level. Our Complete the Sentence exercise also gives useful practice with verb forms in context.
For a broader test of your grammar accuracy, try the Word Order Quiz or the Clauses Quiz to practise related sentence-level grammar skills alongside agreement.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that a verb must match its subject in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third). For example: "She works" (singular third person) but "They work" (plural). In English, the most visible agreement marker is the -s ending on third-person singular present tense verbs: he runs, she speaks, it matters. Errors in agreement are among the most frequently penalised mistakes in formal writing.
This depends on the variety of English and the intended meaning. In British English, collective nouns (team, family, government, committee, audience) can take either singular or plural verbs. A singular verb treats the group as a unit: "The team is ready." A plural verb emphasises the individual members: "The team are arguing among themselves." In American English, collective nouns almost always take singular verbs. Both are correct in their respective contexts — the key is consistency.
Most indefinite pronouns are singular and require singular verbs: everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, anyone, anybody, no one, nobody, each, either, neither, one. For example: "Everyone is welcome", "Neither option seems right." A smaller group is always plural: both, few, many, several, others — "Both answers are correct." Some (some, any, none, all, most) can be singular or plural depending on whether the noun they refer to is countable or uncountable: "Some of the water is gone" but "Some of the students are absent."
When two subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. This is called the proximity rule. For example: "Either the manager or the employees are responsible" (verb agrees with employees, the closer subject). "Either the employees or the manager is responsible" (verb agrees with manager). When both subjects are singular, the verb is singular: "Neither Tom nor Anna knows the answer."
Yes. In sentences starting with there is / there are, the verb agrees with the noun that follows, which is the real subject. "There is a problem" (singular subject: a problem). "There are several problems" (plural subject: problems). A common spoken error is using there's with plural nouns — "There's two options" — which is accepted in very informal speech but should be avoided in writing.
Phrases that come between the subject and verb (especially prepositional phrases introduced by of, with, including, along with, as well as, together with) do not change the number of the verb. The verb must agree with the main subject, not the noun in the phrase. For example: "The quality of the products is excellent" (subject: quality, singular). "The president, along with his advisers, has approved the plan" (subject: president, singular). This is one of the most commonly tested areas in agreement quizzes.
Both each and every are always singular and require a singular verb. "Each student has a laptop." "Every option seems reasonable." Even when each follows a plural subject, the verb is plural but the pronoun referring back to each subject is singular: "The players each have their own role." When each of precedes a plural noun, the verb remains singular: "Each of the students is responsible."
Yes. Titles of books, films, and companies take singular verbs even if the title looks plural: "The Beatles was formed in Liverpool." "Friends is a popular TV show." Quantities and measurements used as a single unit are also singular: "Twenty miles is a long distance." Note the difference: "The number of applicants is rising" (singular) versus "A number of applicants have withdrawn" (plural — meaning several).
The 20-question subject-verb agreement quiz typically takes 5 to 10 minutes. All questions are multiple-choice, so no typing is needed. You receive an instant score at the end with no sign-up required. Because the quiz targets tricky cases rather than simple rules, it is suitable for learners at B1 level and above who want to refine their written accuracy.
Yes. Subject-verb agreement is assessed in the writing components of both Cambridge B2 First and IELTS, where grammatical accuracy directly affects your score. The quiz covers the agreement rules most commonly tested at B1–B2 level. After completing the quiz, note any patterns in your mistakes and focus extra study on collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, and the proximity rule with or/nor, as these are the most frequently examined areas.