Subject-verb agreement is a crucial element of English grammar. It is the foundation of clear and concise writing and helps convey the intended message more accurately. The subject and verb of a sentence must agree in terms of tense, number, and person. Below are 30 essential rules of subject-verb agreement with examples in PDF.

1. Rule: A singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Example: The dog barks. (singular subject and verb)

2. Rule: When there is a compound subject linked by “and,” the verb should be plural.

Example: Tom and Jerry are best friends. (plural subject and verb)

3. Rule: When there is a compound subject linked by “or” or “nor,” the verb should agree with the closer subject.

Example: Neither the cat nor the dogs are fond of playing in the rain. (plural subject and verb)

4. Rule: A subject that is a collective noun takes a singular or plural verb depending on whether the collective noun is viewed as a single entity or a group of individuals.

Example: The jury has reached a verdict. (singular verb)

The jury were divided in their opinions. (plural verb)

5. Rule: Words like “each,” “every,” and “either” take a singular verb.

Example: Each of the students has his or her own style of learning. (singular verb)

6. Rule: Subjects that end in “-s” do not always take a plural verb.

Example: Politics is a key determining factor in any election. (singular verb)

7. Rule: Titles of books, movies, and other works take a singular verb.

Example: “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a classic novel. (singular verb)

8. Rule: Fractions and percentages take a singular verb when used as a whole and a plural verb when used as multiple separate items.

Example: Half of the cake is missing. (singular verb)

Two-thirds of the students were absent. (plural verb)

9. Rule: When using “there is” or “there are,” ensure that the verb agrees with the subject following the verb.

Example: There is a cat in the garden. (singular verb)

There are three cats in the garden. (plural verb)

10. Rule: When there is a prepositional phrase between the subject and verb, the verb should agree with the subject, not the object of the preposition.

Example: The number of students in the classroom is small. (singular verb)

11. Rule: When a subject consists of two nouns connected by “and,” the verb should agree with the noun closest to the verb.

Example: Peanut butter and jelly is a popular sandwich filling. (singular verb)

12. Rule: When the subject is a collective noun that refers to a group of people, the verb should agree with the group.

Example: The committee has decided on the best course of action. (singular verb)

13. Rule: When the subject is a collective noun that refers to individuals, the verb takes the plural form.

Example: The audience were applauding loudly. (plural verb)

14. Rule: Indefinite pronouns like “everyone” and “anyone” take a singular verb.

Example: Everyone knows that exercise is beneficial. (singular verb)

15. Rule: When the subject is a singular noun that refers to a group of people or animals, the verb takes the plural form.

Example: The police were called to the scene of the accident. (plural verb)

16. Rule: When the subject is a singular noun that refers to a pair of items, the verb takes the plural form.

Example: My pants need to be washed. (plural verb)

17. Rule: When the subject is a singular noun that refers to a quantity, the verb agrees with the quantity.

Example: Ten dollars is the price of the book. (singular verb)

18. Rule: When the subject is a clause, the verb should agree with the subject of the clause, not the object of the clause.

Example: What the boss says and what he does are two different things. (plural verb)

19. Rule: When the subject is a proper noun that refers to a group, the verb takes the plural form.

Example: The Beatles were a popular band in the 1960s. (plural verb)

20. Rule: When the subject is a proper noun that refers to a single entity, the verb takes the singular form.

Example: Google is the most popular search engine. (singular verb)

21. Rule: When referring to time or distance, the verb takes a singular form.

Example: Three miles is a long way to walk. (singular verb)

22. Rule: When the subject is a unit of measurement, the verb agrees with the measurement.

Example: Two hours is the maximum time allowed. (singular verb)

23. Rule: When the subject is “none,” the verb can be singular or plural, depending on the context.

Example: None of the students have completed the assignment. (plural verb)

None of the cake has been eaten. (singular verb)

24. Rule: When the subject is “either/or” or “neither/nor,” the verb agrees with the closest subject.

Example: Neither the boys nor the girls are allowed to leave early. (plural verb)

25. Rule: When the subject is “more than one,” the verb takes the plural form.

Example: More than one person has complained about the noise. (plural verb)

26. Rule: “Some” can take a singular or plural verb depending on the context.

Example: Some of the cake has been eaten. (singular verb)

Some of the students have left already. (plural verb)

27. Rule: When the subject is a gerund, the verb takes a singular form.

Example: Swimming is a great form of exercise. (singular verb)

28. Rule: Words like “news” and “mathematics” take a singular verb.

Example: Mathematics is a challenging subject. (singular verb)

29. Rule: When there is an intervening clause between the subject and verb, the verb should agree with the subject.

Example: The students who are late have to go to detention. (plural verb)

30. Rule: In questions, the verb agrees with the subject.

Example: Is the dog barking? (singular verb)

Are the dogs barking? (plural verb)

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a vital aspect of clear and effective writing. These 30 rules of subject-verb agreement, along with their examples in PDF, will help you master this essential aspect of grammar. By following these rules, you can ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and grammatically correct.