Mastering the right forms of verbs—specifically subject-verb agreement—can be tricky for advanced learners. Learn 25 challenging examples with clear rules to improve your English grammar skills today.
To help you sharpen your English grammar skills, here are 25 challenging examples of subject-verb agreement along with their correct answers and helpful explanations. For more comprehensive guides, visit English Grammar Blog.
Challenging Examples of Subject-Verb Agreement in Right Forms of Verbs
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1. Either of the options (is/are) acceptable.
Answer: is
Tip: Indefinite pronouns like "either," "neither," and "each" are always singular. -
2. Not only the students but also the teacher (participate/participates) in the activity.
Answer: participates
Tip: When using "not only... but also," the verb agrees with the subject closest to it (the teacher). -
3. The committee (discuss/discusses) the proposal thoroughly.
Answer: discusses
Tip: Collective nouns generally take a singular verb when acting as a single unit. -
4. The list of candidates (have/has) been finalized.
Answer: has
Tip: The subject is "list," not "candidates." Ignore prepositional phrases in between. -
5. Each of the students (has/have) their own strengths.
Answer: has
Tip: "Each" is the true subject here, which is singular. -
6. A number of books (was/were) borrowed from the library.
Answer: were
Tip: "A number of" is plural, whereas "the number of" is singular. -
7. The majority of the team (is/are) in favor of the new strategy.
Answer: is
Tip: When the group acts as a single cohesive body, use a singular verb. -
8. Politics (is/are) a contentious topic of discussion.
Answer: is
Tip: Nouns ending in "-ics" that refer to subjects of study or fields take singular verbs. -
9. The quality, as well as the price, (play/plays) a role in my decision.
Answer: plays
Tip: Phrases introduced by "as well as," "along with," or "together with" do not change the main subject. -
10. The jury (deliberate/deliberates) for hours before reaching a verdict.
Answer: deliberates
Tip: The jury is acting as one collective body. -
11. Neither the teacher nor the students (know/knows) the answer.
Answer: know
Tip: With "neither... nor," the verb agrees with the nearer subject ("students"). -
12. The committee members (disagree/disagrees) on the best approach.
Answer: disagree
Tip: When members act individually, treat the collective noun as plural. -
13. The variety of colors (add/adds) beauty to the painting.
Answer: adds
Tip: The subject is "variety" (singular), not "colors." -
14. The United Nations (is/are) an international organization.
Answer: is
Tip: Proper nouns that are singular names of organizations take singular verbs. -
15. Three-quarters of the cake (has/have) been eaten.
Answer: has
Tip: Fractions take singular or plural verbs depending on the following noun ("cake" is singular). -
16. The number of people invited (was/were) significant.
Answer: was
Tip: Remember that "The number" is always singular. -
17. The swarm of bees (create/creates) a buzzing sound.
Answer: creates
Tip: "Swarm" is a singular collective noun. -
18. Neither John nor his friends (is/are) available to attend the party.
Answer: are
Tip: The verb agrees with the closer subject, "friends" (plural). -
19. The staff (consists/consist) of experienced professionals.
Answer: consists
Tip: The staff acts as a single unit here. -
20. The variety of apples (come/comes) in different colors.
Answer: comes
Tip: "Variety" is singular. -
21. The jury (was/were) unable to reach a unanimous decision.
Answer: was
Tip: Standard American English often treats courts and juries as singular unless explicitly emphasized. -
22. The cost of living (has/have) increased in recent years.
Answer: has
Tip: The singular subject is "cost." -
23. The series of events (lead/leads) to an unexpected outcome.
Answer: leads
Tip: The subject is "series," which is singular. -
24. The majority of the students (prefers/prefer) online classes.
Answer: prefer
Tip: When "majority of" is followed by a plural noun, it often takes a plural verb. -
25. A group of children (play/plays) in the park every afternoon.
Answer: plays
Tip: Focus on the head noun "group," which is singular.
Conclusion on Right Forms of Verbs
Paying close attention to subject-verb agreement is essential for clear, professional sentence construction. Challenging cases often involve collective nouns, expressions of quantity, indefinite pronouns, and complex sentence structures. Regular practice on platforms like English Grammar Blog will greatly improve your confidence in choosing the right forms of verbs in any context!
Frequently Asked Questions About Right Forms of Verbs
What is the rule for "either" and "neither" in verb forms?
Indefinite pronouns like "either" and "neither" are treated as singular subjects when they stand alone, requiring a singular verb.
How do collective nouns affect subject-verb agreement?
Collective nouns take a singular verb when the group acts together as a single unit, but a plural verb when members act individually.
What is the difference between "a number of" and "the number of"?
The phrase "a number of" takes a plural verb, whereas "the number of" always takes a singular verb.