Subject-Verb Agreement Rules
~10 min read
- Core rule: A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb. The verb agrees in number and person with its subject, not with words between them.
- CDS traps: Collective nouns, either/or, neither/nor, each/every, indefinite pronouns, distance/money/time as singular, and 'one of the' constructions.
- Test strategy: Identify the real subject by stripping prepositional phrases, then match the verb. Spotting-errors questions almost always plant the error at the verb.
Subject-verb agreement is the single most tested grammar item in CDS/OTA English. Almost every Spotting Errors set contains 2-3 agreement questions, usually disguised by intervening phrases. The rules below cover every CDS pattern from 2015 to 2025.
The Basic Rule
The verb must agree with its subject in number (singular/plural) and person (first/second/third).
| Subject | Singular verb | Plural verb |
|---|---|---|
| The boy | plays / has / is / writes | — |
| The boys | — | play / have / are / write |
| He / She / It | plays / has / is | — |
| They / We / You | — | play / have / are |
Common error: Allowing words between subject and verb to mislead.
- Wrong: The list of items are on the table.
- Correct: The list of items is on the table. (Subject = list, singular.)
Either-Or / Neither-Nor / Or
When two subjects are joined by or, either-or, neither-nor, not only-but also, the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
| Sentence | Verb |
|---|---|
| Neither the captain nor the players were present. | Nearer = players (plural) |
| Neither the players nor the captain was present. | Nearer = captain (singular) |
| Either you or I am mistaken. | Nearer = I (first person singular) |
And always joins to make a plural subject, except when the two nouns refer to the same person or one unit: Bread and butter is my breakfast.
Collective Nouns
Treat as singular when the group acts as a unit; plural when members act individually.
- The committee has reached a decision. (unit)
- The committee are divided on the issue. (individuals)
- The jury was unanimous.
- The team are wearing their new jerseys. (each one their own)
Always plural: people, police, cattle, poultry, vermin.
Wrong: The police is investigating. Correct: The police are investigating.
Indefinite Pronouns
| Always singular | Always plural | Depends on noun |
|---|---|---|
| each, every, everyone, everybody, everything, someone, somebody, anyone, nobody, none*, either, neither | both, few, many, several | all, some, most, any, none* |
* None can be singular (= not one) or plural (= not any). Modern usage allows both.
- Everyone is welcome.
- Each of the boys has a book.
- Few were selected.
- Most of the water is gone.
- Most of the books are gone.
Tricky CDS Cases
| Construction | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| One of + plural noun + relative clause | Plural in clause | He is one of the boys who have passed. |
| The only one of + plural noun | Singular | He is the only one of the boys who has passed. |
| Distance, time, money, weight | Singular | Ten kilometres is a long walk. Five rupees is enough. |
| Mathematical fractions | By noun | Half of the apple is rotten. Half of the apples are rotten. |
| News, mathematics, physics, politics, economics | Singular | The news is bad. Mathematics is difficult. |
| Scissors, trousers, spectacles, pliers | Plural | My trousers are torn. |
| A pair of + plural noun | Singular | A pair of scissors is on the table. |
| Each / Every + noun + and + noun | Singular | Every boy and girl was present. |
| Two or more nouns expressing one idea | Singular | Slow and steady wins the race. |
Common CDS Errors
- Wrong: One of my friend is a doctor. Correct: One of my friends is a doctor.
- Wrong: The number of accidents have increased. Correct: The number of accidents has increased.
- Wrong: Each of the students have a book. Correct: Each of the students has a book.
- Wrong: Neither he nor I are responsible. Correct: Neither he nor I am responsible.
- Wrong: The poet and singer are dead. (one person) Correct: The poet and singer is dead.
CDS/OTA PYQ Examples
Q: Identify the error: One of the most widely spoken language / in the world / is Mandarin Chinese. / No error
(a) One of the most widely spoken language (b) in the world (c) is Mandarin Chinese (d) No error
Answer: (a) After 'one of the most' use plural noun: 'one of the most widely spoken languages'.
Q: Choose the correct verb: Neither the principal nor the teachers ___ informed about the strike.
(a) was (b) were (c) is (d) has been
Answer: (b) were — verb agrees with the nearer subject 'teachers' (plural).
Q: Identify the error: The committee have / failed to reach / a unanimous decision. / No error
(a) The committee have (b) failed to reach (c) a unanimous decision (d) No error
Answer: (a) When a collective noun acts as a unit, use singular verb: 'The committee has failed'.
Q: Spot the error: Every boy and every girl / in this class / are good at sports. / No error
(a) Every boy and every girl (b) in this class (c) are good at sports (d) No error
Answer: (c) 'Every... and every...' takes a singular verb: 'is good at sports'.
Q: Choose the correct option: Ten thousand rupees ___ a small amount for him.
(a) are (b) is (c) were (d) have been
Answer: (b) is — sums of money treated as one amount take a singular verb.
Q: Identify the error: The number of students / appearing for CDS / have increased this year. / No error
(a) The number of students (b) appearing for CDS (c) have increased this year (d) No error
Answer: (c) 'The number of' = singular: 'has increased'. ('A number of' = plural.)
Drill Subject-Verb Agreement Rules for CDS/OTA
CDS/OTA-pattern items on Subject-Verb Agreement Rules with answer keys and explanations.
Start Free Mock TestFrequently Asked Questions
Why does 'The number of' take singular but 'A number of' take plural?
'The number' refers to one specific count (singular idea). 'A number' means 'several/many' (plural idea). So: 'The number of students has increased' but 'A number of students have failed'.
Is 'data' singular or plural?
Strictly plural (singular = 'datum'), but in everyday and most exam English it is treated as singular ('The data is conclusive'). CDS accepts both; choose the option that matches the rest of the sentence.
How do I quickly find the real subject in a long sentence?
Cross out everything between commas, all prepositional phrases ('of the boys', 'in the room', 'with his friends'), and relative clauses. Whatever noun remains immediately before the verb is the subject.
What about 'either of' and 'neither of'?
Both take singular verbs because they mean 'one of two': 'Neither of the answers is correct.' 'Either of the books has a glossary.'
Are 'police', 'cattle' and 'people' singular or plural?
Always plural. They have no singular form in this sense. 'The police are investigating', 'Cattle graze in the field', 'People say so'.