Subject–Verb Agreement | Complete IELTS Guide ✦ IELTS & ACADEMIC ENGLISH Subject–Verb Agreement সংকলন মাত্র একটি নিয়ম — ৬টি ধাপে মাস্টার করো। কারণ আসল চ্যালেঞ্জ নিয়ম মনে রাখায় নয়, Subject চেনায়। Singular Subject → Singular Verb | Plural Subject → Plural Verb 01 Singular Subject → Singular Verb All subjects below are 3rd person singular. Always add -s / -es to the base verb in simple present tense. He, she, it, this, that Each, every, either, neither Singular noun, uncountable noun, collective noun Participle (Verb+ing), Infinitive (To+Verb) Indefinite pronouns: everyone, everybody, everything, etc. Quantity phrases: the number of, many a/an, more than one, one of the… Academic subjects, book titles, diseases, time, distance, country 1.1 — Singular & Uncountable Nouns CategoryExamples Singular PronounsHe, She, It, That, This Singular NounThe student, The report, The chart Uncountable NounInformation, evidence, knowledge, research, data* Verb + -ing as subjectSwimming is healthy. To + Verb as subjectTo learn English is important. * Data is singular in IELTS writing; plural in scientific contexts. 1.2 — Each, Every, Either, Neither (used alone) SubjectExample EachEach student has submitted the assignment. EveryEvery graph shows an upward trend. EitherEither option is acceptable. NeitherNeither answer is correct. Exception: Post-positive "each" — The students each have their own role. 1.3 — Quantity Phrases (Always Singular) PhraseExample The number of + nounThe number of cars is increasing. Many a/an + nounMany a student has failed this test. More than one + nounMore than one country has adopted this policy. One of the + plural nounOne of the graphs shows a sharp rise. Each of the + plural nounEach of the students was present. Either of the + plural nounEither of the answers is correct. Neither of the + plural nounNeither of the options is suitable. One and a half + nounOne and a half hours is enough. Exception: "More than one of the + plural noun" → plural: More than one of the countries have adopted this policy. 1.4 — Indefinite Pronouns (Always Singular) GroupPronouns Every–Everybody, Everyone, Everything Any–Anybody, Anyone, Anything Some–Somebody, Someone, Something No–Nobody, No one, Nothing 1.5 — Amounts as a Single Unit CategoryExample DistanceFifty kilometres is a reasonable commute. TimeTen years is a long time to wait. WeightNinety kilograms is too heavy. MoneyFive thousand dollars was the registration fee. Academic subjectPhysics is considered a challenging subject. Book titleArabian Nights is a classic collection of stories. DiseaseDiabetes is a growing global health concern. Country (plural name)The United States is a major trading partner. 1.6 — Collective Nouns (Important for IELTS) Collective NounExample The committeeThe committee has reached a decision. The governmentThe government is planning new reforms. The teamThe team was selected carefully. The juryThe jury has delivered its verdict. The publicThe public is increasingly concerned about pollution. The classThe class has finished the assignment. British English may use plural with collective nouns (The team have their own opinions). For IELTS, singular is safer. Step 01 — Examples BasicThe report shows a steady increase in global temperatures. IELTSThe information provided in the pie chart indicates that more than half of the respondents prefer online learning. ✗ ErrorThe evidence suggest that the policy has had no measurable impact. ✓ CorrectedThe evidence suggests that the policy has had no measurable impact. [evidence = uncountable → singular] ✗ ErrorNeither of the two methods were effective in reducing carbon emissions. ✓ CorrectedNeither of the two methods was effective in reducing carbon emissions. ✗ ErrorMore than one country have adopted this environmental policy. ✓ CorrectedMore than one country has adopted this policy. 💡 IELTS Tip: "The number of…" and "The proportion of…" always take singular verbs in Writing Task 1. 02 Plural Subject → Plural Verb All subjects below are plural. Use the base verb without -s / -es. You, we, they, these, those Others, few, a few, both, many, several Plural noun, a number of …and…, both…and… The + adjective (referring to a group) 2.1 — Plural Pronouns CategoryPronouns PersonalYou, We, They DemonstrativeThese, Those QuantifiersBoth, Many, Several, Few, A few, Others "You" always takes plural verb — even one person: You are my friend. (NOT "You is") 2.2 — Plural Noun Structures StructureExample Plural NounStudents are required to register. A number of + nounA number of issues have been raised. A couple of + nounA couple of problems have emerged. Both … and …Both the teacher and the student were present. [Noun] and [Noun]Jack and Jill have arrived. The + Adjective (group)The elderly face significant challenges. 2.3 — The + Adjective (Group) ExampleThe poor need better support from the government. ExampleThe unemployed are supported by welfare programmes. ExampleThe elderly often face barriers when accessing digital services. ExampleThe wealthy do not always understand economic inequality. 2.4 — Always-Plural Nouns NounExample The policeThe police are investigating the incident. The mediaThe media have a responsibility to report accurately. The peopleThe people were not consulted before the policy was introduced. 2.5 — "And" Exceptions RuleExample "The" on both sides of "and" → different people → PluralThe great scholar and the poet have arrived. "The" only once → same person → SingularThe great scholar and poet has arrived. Mathematical fact → SingularTwo and two makes four. 2.6 — Fixed Paired Expressions (Always Singular) ExpressionExample bread and butterBread and butter is his daily diet. age and experienceAge and experience is a valuable combination. time and tideTime and tide waits for no one. slow and steadySlow and steady wins the race. horse and carriageHorse and carriage was the common mode of transport. rice and curryRice and curry is a staple meal in this region. Memory Rule: Noun + s/es = Plural | Verb + s/es = Singular. Step 02 — Examples ✗ ErrorA number of students was absent during the examination period. ✓ CorrectedA number of students were absent during the examination period. ✗ ErrorThe rich is not always happier than those with less wealth. ✓ CorrectedThe rich are not always happier than those with less wealth. ✗ ErrorThe founder and CEO have submitted their resignation following the financial scandal. ✓ CorrectedThe founder and CEO has submitted their resignation. [one person, two roles → singular] 03 Verb Follows the Noun After These words are neither purely singular nor plural alone — the verb agrees with the noun that follows. Noun after = singular / uncountable → Singular Verb Noun after = plural → Plural Verb Applies to: All, any, more, most, some, no | All of, most of, some of, none of | A lot of, lots of, a great deal of, plenty of, a majority of | One third, two thirds, three fourths… 3.1 — All, Any, More, Most, Some, No Quantifier + NounVerbReason All waterisuncountable All studentshave passedplural Most informationwas outdateduncountable Most governmentshave failedplural Some evidencesuggestsuncountable Some economistsargueplural No datawas collecteduncountable No countrieswere excludedplural None of + plural: Both singular and plural are accepted. Be consistent in IELTS. 3.2 — A lot of, A great deal of, A majority of StructureExample A lot of + uncountableA lot of effort is required. A lot of + pluralA lot of people are affected. A great deal of + uncountableA great deal of research has been published. A majority of + plural nounA majority of respondents have expressed support. The majority of + plural nounThe majority of countries have failed to meet targets. "The majority" alone (no of) → singular: The majority is in favour. 3.3 — Fractions StructureExample Fraction + uncountable nounOne third of the land is used for agriculture. Fraction + plural nounTwo thirds of the population are living below the poverty line. Fraction + singular nounThree fourths of the budget was allocated to healthcare. Fraction + plural nounOne fifth of the workers have lost their jobs. Step 03 — Examples ✗ ErrorAll of the evidence suggest that climate change is accelerating at an alarming rate. ✓ CorrectedAll of the evidence suggests that climate change is accelerating. [evidence = uncountable] ✗ ErrorA lot of research have been published on the long-term effects of social media on mental health. ✓ CorrectedA lot of research has been published on this topic. [research = uncountable] ✗ ErrorThree fourths of the world's oceans remains entirely unexplored by modern science. ✓ CorrectedThree fourths of the world's oceans remain unexplored. [oceans = plural] 04 Identifying the True Subject Core principle: Prepositions, prepositional phrases, participial phrases, and relative clauses come after the true subject. They add extra information — but never change the verb. The verb always agrees with the first (true) subject. 4.1 — Preposition Interruption Common prepositions: of, in, at, on, with, for, by, to, from, between, among, within, despite, through SentenceTrue SubjectVerb The quality of the reports is excellent.the qualityis The impact of rising temperatures has been severe.the impacthas been A list of recommendations was submitted to the board.a listwas The number of unemployed workers is increasing annually.the numberis 4.2 — Prepositional Phrase Interruption These phrases don't change the verb: along with, and not, but not, together with, as well as, in addition to, accompanied by, including, besides, followed by, led by, guided by, apart from SentenceTrue SubjectVerb The director, along with the managers, was present.the directorwas The government, together with several NGOs, has launched a new initiative.the governmenthas launched The president, as well as his advisers, was briefed.the presidentwas The policy, including all its amendments, was approved unanimously.the policywas The teacher, and not the students, was responsible for the error.the teacherwas 4.3 — Present Participial Phrase (V+ing) Interruption SentenceTrue SubjectVerb The scientist working on the new vaccine has published promising results.the scientisthas published The delegates representing all member countries were asked to submit proposals.the delegateswere The data collected from communities living along coastal regions suggests a sharp rise.the datasuggests 4.4 — Past Participial Phrase (V3) Interruption SentenceTrue SubjectVerb The minister, accompanied by senior advisers, was present at the summit.the ministerwas The proposal, supported by extensive research, has been submitted.the proposalhas been The village, surrounded by industrial factories, has suffered severe air quality deterioration.the villagehas suffered 4.5 — Relative Clause Interruption (who, which, that, where, when, whose) SentenceTrue SubjectVerb The boy who came yesterday with his friends is my brother.the boyis The policy that was introduced last year has failed to reduce poverty.the policyhas failed The countries which adopted early intervention measures were largely successful.the countrieswere The researcher whose findings were published last month has won a national award.the researcherhas won 💡 Reduction Tip: Drop who is / who was from a relative clause → you get a participial phrase. The scientist who is working on the vaccine → The scientist working on the vaccine Step 04 — Examples ✗ ErrorThe impact of rising temperatures and changing weather patterns are becoming increasingly alarming. ✓ CorrectedThe impact of rising temperatures and changing weather patterns is becoming increasingly alarming. [Subject = the impact] ✗ ErrorThe delegates representing all member countries was asked to submit detailed proposals. ✓ CorrectedThe delegates representing all member countries were asked to submit detailed proposals. ✗ ErrorThe village, surrounded by industrial factories, have suffered severe air quality deterioration. ✓ CorrectedThe village, surrounded by industrial factories, has suffered severe air quality deterioration. [Subject = the village] 05 Or / Nor → Closer Subject Rule Two subjects connected by these structures. Verb agrees with the subject closer to the verb — the one after "or" / "nor" / "but also". StructureVerb agrees with… Either … or …Subject after "or" Neither … nor …Subject after "nor" Not only … but also …Subject after "but also" Whether … or …Subject after "or" Or / Nor (alone)Subject after "or / nor" 5.1 — Either … Or SentenceCloser SubjectVerb Either the boys or Korim is going to school.Korim = singularis Either the manager or the employees are responsible.employees = pluralare 5.2 — Neither … Nor SentenceCloser SubjectVerb Neither the boys nor Korim is going to school.Korim = singularis Neither the report nor the findings were conclusive.findings = pluralwere 5.3 — Not only … But also SentenceCloser SubjectVerb Not only the boys but also Korim is going.Korim = singularis Not only the government but also private organisations are responsible.organisations = pluralare 5.4 — Whether … or / Or / Nor (alone) SentenceCloser SubjectVerb Whether the government or private firms are responsible is debatable.firms = pluralare Whether the students or the teacher is responsible depends on the circumstances.teacher = singularis The director or the managers are available for consultation.managers = pluralare One solution or another is always available.another = singularis "Nor" as sentence connector: Nor + Auxiliary + Subject + Main VerbThe initial policy failed to reduce poverty. Nor did the revised legislation produce any measurable improvement. Step 05 — Examples ✗ ErrorEither the manager or the director have the authority to approve this expenditure. ✓ CorrectedEither the manager or the director has the authority to approve this expenditure. [director = singular] ✗ ErrorNeither the policies nor the implementation were effective in reducing carbon emissions. ✓ CorrectedNeither the policies nor the implementation was effective in reducing carbon emissions. [implementation = singular] ✗ ErrorNot only poor infrastructure but also a lack of skilled labour are responsible for the region's slow economic growth. ✓ CorrectedNot only poor infrastructure but also a lack of skilled labour is responsible for the region's slow economic growth. [a lack = singular] 06 Inverted Sentences — There, Here, Negative Adverbs In inverted sentences, verb comes before subject — but verb must still agree with that subject. CategoryWords / Phrases Adverb of PlaceThere, Here, On the wall, In the room, Across the street, Among Negative AdverbsNever, Rarely, Seldom, Scarcely, Hardly, Barely Negative PhrasesUnder no circumstances, By no means, On no account, In no way, Not until, No sooner Limiting ExpressionsOnly if, Only when, Only after, Only then, Not only, Nor, Neither 6.1 — There / Here "There" and "Here" are never the subject. Real subject comes after the verb. Inverted SentenceReal SubjectVerb There is a school in our village.a schoolis There are schools in our village.schoolsare There is considerable evidence supporting this claim.evidenceis Here is the report you requested.the reportis Here are the results of the survey.the resultsare 6.2 — Adverb of Place Inverted SentenceReal SubjectVerb On the wall hangs a painting.a paintinghangs In the room were several distinguished researchers.researcherswere Across the street stands an old abandoned factory.an old factorystands Among the most significant findings was the sharp decline in biodiversity.the sharp declinewas 6.3 — Negative Adverb Inversion Structure: Negative Adverb + Auxiliary Verb + Subject + Main Verb Inverted SentenceReal SubjectVerb Never have I seen such beauty.Ihave Rarely does the government acknowledge the scale of urban poverty.the governmentdoes Seldom do developing nations benefit equally from globalisation.nationsdo Hardly had the policy been implemented when criticism emerged.the policyhad Scarcely had the delegates arrived when the negotiations collapsed.the delegateshad Never has such a drastic decline been recorded in modern history.such a drastic declinehas 6.4 — Negative Phrase Inversion Inverted SentenceReal SubjectVerb Under no circumstances should governments prioritise short-term gains.governmentsshould By no means is technological advancement a guaranteed solution.technological advancementis Not until public pressure mounted did the government introduce legislation.the governmentdid In no way does the proposed policy address the root causes of poverty.the proposed policydoes No sooner had the reform been announced than critics challenged it.the reformhad On no account should researchers manipulate data.researchersshould Step 06 — Examples ✗ ErrorThere is many solutions available to address the issue of urban overcrowding. ✓ CorrectedThere are many solutions available to address the issue of urban overcrowding. [solutions = plural] ✗ ErrorIn the report were a detailed analysis of the economic impact of the proposed policy changes. ✓ CorrectedIn the report was a detailed analysis of the economic impact of the proposed policy changes. [a detailed analysis = singular] ✗ ErrorScarcely was they able to complete the research before the funding was withdrawn. ✓ CorrectedScarcely were they able to complete the research before the funding was withdrawn. [they = plural] ✗ ErrorNot until public pressure became overwhelming did the governments introduces meaningful climate legislation. ✓ CorrectedNot until public pressure became overwhelming did the government introduce meaningful climate legislation. [singular + bare infinitive after did] Mixed Practice Quiz Choose the correct verb form from the brackets. Test all 6 steps. The number of people using social media (has / have) increased dramatically over the past decade. Both the teacher and the student (was / were) present at the disciplinary hearing. Each of the graphs clearly (shows / show) a consistent downward trend in carbon emissions. A number of problems (has / have) been identified in the current education system. Neither the director nor the managers (was / were) informed about the sudden change in policy. The researcher, along with her two assistants, (was / were) conducting fieldwork in rural areas. There (is / are) several compelling reasons why governments should invest in public transport. Not only the students but also the teacher (was / were) confused by the ambiguous examination question. Half of the water supply in the affected region (is / are) contaminated with industrial pollutants. Two thirds of the respondents (was / were) strongly in favour of the proposed new regulation. Rarely (does / do) developing nations benefit equally from the effects of economic globalisation. The data collected from all three sites clearly (suggests / suggest) a sharp rise in temperatures. A couple of serious issues (has / have) emerged since the implementation of the revised policy. The proposal, supported by extensive research, (has / have) been submitted to the committee. Neither the government's economic plan nor the austerity measures (was / were) sufficient to prevent the financial crisis. Either the government or private investors (is / are) expected to cover the budget shortfall. Nothing in the available evidence (suggest / suggests) that the treatment has any side effects. The village, surrounded by industrial factories, (has / have) suffered severe air quality deterioration. Among the most significant findings (was / were) the sharp decline in coastal biodiversity. A great deal of time and effort (has / have) been invested in developing the new curriculum framework. Answer Key #AnswerRule / Reason 1has"The number of" = singular (Step 01) 2were"Both…and…" = plural (Step 02) 3shows"Each of" = singular (Step 01) 4have"A number of" = plural (Step 02) 5wereCloser subject = "managers" = plural (Step 05) 6was"Along with" = prepositional phrase; true subject = "the researcher" (Step 04) 7areReal subject = "several reasons" = plural (Step 06) 8wasCloser subject = "the teacher" = singular (Step 05) 9is"Half of the water supply" = uncountable (Step 03) 10were"Two thirds of the respondents" = plural (Step 03) 11doInversion: real subject = "nations" = plural (Step 06) 12suggests"The data" = singular in academic usage (Step 01) 13have"A couple of" = plural (Step 02) 14hasTrue subject = "the proposal"; "supported by" = participial phrase (Step 04) 15wereCloser subject = "the austerity measures" = plural (Step 05) 16areCloser subject = "private investors" = plural (Step 05) 17suggests"Nothing" = indefinite pronoun = singular (Step 01) 18hasTrue subject = "the village"; "surrounded by" = participial phrase (Step 04) 19wasInverted; real subject = "the sharp decline" = singular (Step 06) 20has"A great deal of" governs verb = singular (Step 03)
