Subject Verb Agreement Exercises With Answers Doc

Subject-Verb Agreement Exercises with Answers: A Comprehensive Guide

Mastering subject-verb agreement is crucial for clear and effective writing. This comprehensive guide provides a wide range of exercises with detailed answers, designed to help you confidently navigate the intricacies of this grammatical concept. We'll cover various scenarios, from simple sentences to complex constructions, ensuring you develop a strong understanding and improve your writing skills.

Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that requires the subject of a sentence to agree in number (singular or plural) with its verb. This means a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. Sounds simple, right? However, many complexities arise when dealing with different sentence structures and tricky exceptions.

Example:

• Singular: The dog barks loudly. (Singular subject, singular verb)
• Plural: The dogs bark loudly. (Plural subject, plural verb)

Exercise 1: Basic Subject-Verb Agreement

This exercise focuses on simple sentences to establish a foundational understanding. Identify the correct verb form for each sentence.

1. The cat (sleeps/sleep) on the mat.
2. The birds (sing/sings) sweetly in the morning.
3. My friend (is/are) a talented musician.
4. The flowers (bloom/blooms) brightly in the spring.
5. He (walk/walks) to school every day.
6. She (read/reads) a book before bed.
7. The children (play/plays) in the park.
8. The sun (shine/shines) brightly today.
9. My parents (travel/travels) extensively.
10. The dog (chase/chases) its tail.

Answers:

1. sleeps
2. sing
3. is
4. bloom
5. walks
6. reads
7. play
8. shines
9. travel
10. chases

Exercise 2: Subject-Verb Agreement with Intervening Phrases

This exercise introduces intervening phrases, which are groups of words placed between the subject and the verb. These phrases can sometimes confuse the agreement, so pay close attention to the true subject.

1. The box of chocolates (is/are) delicious.
2. The team, along with their coach, (is/are) celebrating.
3. The flock of birds (fly/flies) south for the winter.
4. The group of students (is/are) working on a project.
5. My sister, accompanied by her friends, (is/are) going to the mall.
6. A bouquet of roses (smell/smells) lovely.
7. The pack of wolves (howl/howls) at the moon.
8. The pile of books (is/are) on the table.
9. The crowd of people (cheer/cheers) enthusiastically.
10. The basket of apples (is/are) ripe.

Answers:

1. is
2. is
3. flies
4. is
5. is
6. smells
7. howls
8. is
9. cheer
10. is

Exercise 3: Compound Subjects

Compound subjects consist of two or more subjects joined by conjunctions like and or or. The verb agreement depends on the conjunction used.

1. John and Mary (go/goes) to the same school.
2. Neither the cat nor the dogs (eat/eats) the leftover food.
3. Either the teacher or the students (is/are) responsible.
4. Both the parents and the child (agree/agrees).
5. Not only the students but also their teacher (is/are) excited.
6. Either rain or snow (is/are) expected tonight.
7. The dog and the cat (play/plays) together.
8. My brother or my sister (is/are) coming to visit.
9. The books and the magazines (is/are) on the shelf.
10. The chef and the waiters (work/works) late tonight.

Answers:

1. go
2. eat
3. are
4. agree
5. are
6. is
7. play
8. is
9. are
10. work

Exercise 4: Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, someone, no one, anyone, somebody, nobody, anybody, each, either, and neither are always singular and take singular verbs.

1. Everyone (is/are) invited to the party.
2. Someone (has/have) left their coat behind.
3. No one (knows/know) the answer.
4. Anybody (can/can't) participate.
5. Each student (needs/need) a textbook.
6. Neither of the twins (want/wants) to go.
7. Everybody (is/are) happy with the results.
8. Someone (has/have) taken my pen.
9. Each of the houses (is/are) painted a different color.
10. Nobody (knows/know) where the keys are.

Answers:

1. is
2. has
3. knows
4. can
5. needs
6. wants
7. is
8. has
9. is
10. knows

Exercise 5: Collective Nouns

Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, group, committee) can be singular or plural depending on whether they refer to the group as a single unit or to the individual members.

1. The team (is/are) celebrating their victory.
2. My family (is/are) going on vacation.
3. The committee (has/have) reached a decision.
4. The class (is/are) taking a test.
5. The flock of geese (fly/flies) overhead.
6. The jury (is/are) deliberating.
7. The audience (applaud/applauds) enthusiastically.
8. The choir (sing/sings) beautifully.
9. The herd of cattle (graze/grazes) peacefully.
10. The staff (is/are) working hard.

Answers:

1. is (referring to the team as a unit)
2. is (referring to the family as a unit)
3. has (referring to the committee as a unit)
4. is (referring to the class as a unit)
5. fly (referring to individual geese)
6. is (referring to the jury as a unit)
7. applaud (referring to individual members of the audience)
8. sings (referring to the choir as a unit)
9. graze (referring to individual cattle)
10. is (referring to the staff as a unit)

Exercise 6: Subjects Following the Verb

In sentences where the subject follows the verb (e.g., inverted sentences, questions), carefully identify the subject to ensure correct agreement.

1. There (is/are) many reasons for this.
2. Here (comes/come) the bus.
3. Is (there/they) any milk left?
4. Where (is/are) my keys?
5. Between you and me, (is/are) this a good idea?
6. On the shelf (sits/sit) a collection of antique dolls.
7. There (was/were) several accidents yesterday.
8. Around the corner (runs/run) a pack of dogs.
9. Up the hill (climbs/climb) a lone hiker.
10. Beside the river (stand/stands) a majestic oak tree.

Answers:

1. are
2. comes
3. is
4. are
5. is
6. sits
7. were
8. runs
9. climbs
10. stands

Exercise 7: Advanced Subject-Verb Agreement

This exercise combines various concepts to test your comprehensive understanding.

1. The number of students enrolled (is/are) increasing.
2. A number of students (is/are) absent today.
3. The data (shows/show) a clear trend.
4. The news (is/are) shocking.
5. Physics (is/are) my favorite subject.
6. Measles (is/are) a contagious disease.
7. The scissors (is/are) sharp.
8. Statistics (is/are) often misunderstood.
9. The trousers (is/are) too tight.
10. The police (is/are) investigating the crime.

Answers:

1. is
2. are
3. shows
4. is
5. is
6. is
7. are
8. is
9. are
10. are

This comprehensive set of exercises provides ample practice in subject-verb agreement. Remember to always identify the true subject of the sentence, regardless of intervening phrases or sentence structure. Consistent practice will improve your grammar and make your writing clearer and more impactful. By mastering subject-verb agreement, you'll significantly enhance your writing skills and communicate your ideas with precision and confidence. This skill is essential for academic writing, professional communication, and everyday writing. Remember to review these exercises and practice regularly to solidify your understanding. Good luck!