17/10/2025
Learn 5 Complicated Rules Of Subject-verb Agreement
1. Two singular subjects connected by "or" or "nor" take a singular verb:
📌 Weah or Swen has decided to join us.
Singular subject: Swen
Singular verb : Has
2. When the subject is a collective noun, the verb should either be singular or plural, depending on the context.
Note: This part of the rules is complex in usage. If the collective noun refers to a group of people as a UNIT/SINGULAR NOUN, it agrees with singular verb.
If the collective noun refers to a group of people as SEPERATE INDIVIDUALS/PLURAL NOUN, it agrees with plural verb.
📌 Liberia National Team is excited about its win against Namibia. (Unit/Singular Noun)
Singular Subject: Liberia National Team
Singular Verb : is
📌 Liberia National Team are not happy about their result against Equatorial Guinea. (Individuals/Plural Subject)
Plural Subject: Liberia National Team
Plural Verb : are
3. Phrases that begin with—including, as well as, together with, alongside, etc.—do not affect the relationship between the subject and the verb. If the subject is singular, the verb is singular; subject plural, verb plural.
📌 Mr. Weah, including Swen, is coming soon.
📌 Mr. Weah, together with his woman, was not to be here.
Singular Subjects : Mr. Weah, Mr. Weah
Singular Verbs : is, was
4. When using "a number of" with a plural noun, the verb is plural. When using "the number of" with a plural noun, the verb is singular.
📌 A number of students are coming over.
📌 The number of students coming over is 13.
5. When using "a total of," "a series of," and "a pair of" with a plural noun, the verb is always singular.
📌 A total of 50 students has passed the entrance.
📌 A series of programs is to be held by January.
📌 A pair of shoes was on the table.
DO YOUR OWN:
1. Write 5 complete sentences using these rules mentioned above.
Thanks for following.