She          plays.
    SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT                                             ̄               ̄
     Subject-Verb agreement is based on two basic rules.        Plural Sub.      Finite Verb
                                                                Here in (i), play is a Finite Verb, where ‘They’ is a plural
                                                           subject in the plural form.
                           RULE 1
                                                                But in (ii), plays is a Finite Verb, where it is with the
      SUBJECT is SINGULAR — VERB is SINGULAR               singular subject ‘She’ and in singular form.
                                                                Subjects and Verbs must agree with one another in
     Example:                                              number (singular or plural). Thus, if a subject is singular,
           He      writes poem.                            its Verb must also be singular, if a subject is plural, its
                                                           Verb must also be plural.
            ̄          ̄
       Sing. Sub. Sing. Verb                                 Important Rules
          Vinay     goes to office.                             1. If the subject of a sentence is singular noun, then it
            ̄          ̄                                     takes a singular verb.
      Sing. Sub. Sing. Verb                                     Examples:
     Exception:                                                       Kate        is always punctual.
     (i) With I, excluding am and was, there is always a                ̄           ̄
Plural subject.                                                 Sing. Noun Sing. Verb
     (ii) You always takes a Plural subject.                      A visitor         has come to see us.
                                                                       ̄               ̄
                           RULE 2                                Sing. Noun Sing. Verb
     SUBJECT is PLURAL — VERB is PLURAL                         2. If two singular nouns are joined with and, then the
                                                           verb is plural.
     Example:                                                   Examples :
         They           are riding a bicycle.                     Rahul and           Anita         have gone home.
           ̄             ̄                                               ̄                 ̄             ̄
     Plural Sub.    Plural Verb                                 Sing. Noun        Sing. Noun Plural Verb
            We         are planning to visit Canada.              A computer and a printer            have been installed.
            ̄            ̄                                                 ̄                    ̄          ̄
     Plural Sub. Plural Verb                                       Sing. Noun           Sing. Noun      Plural Noun
     In general, the number and person of any Finite Verb       3. If two singular nouns are joined with and, but be-
                                                           fore them there is each / every, etc., then it takes a singu-
are corresponding to the number and person of the subject.
                                                           lar verb.
     Example:
                                                                Examples:
          They           play.
                                                                 Each      officer and each manager              is invited.
            ̄             ̄
                                                                    ̄          ̄             ̄        ̄    ̄
     Plural Sub.     Finite Verb
                                                                 each Sing. Noun          each Sing. Noun      Sing. Verb
                                                       SEE–11