Subject-Verb Agreement Exercises
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Subject-verb agreement
The verb must match the subject. First find who or what the sentence is about; then choose the singular or plural verb form.
- Present simple:
- One child plays; two children play.
- Be:
- One book is here; two books are here.
- Have:
- He has a bike; they have bikes.
- Words between:
- In The box of pencils is here, box is the subject.
Examples
The child plays outside.
One child takes plays.
The children play outside.
More than one child takes play.
My brother has a bike.
One brother takes has.
The books are here.
Books is plural, so use are.
The box of pencils is here.
Box is the subject, not pencils.
Practice exercises
Choose the correct answer
Select the option that completes the sentence.
1.The child ___ in the garden every day. (one child)
2.My brother ___ two bikes. (one brother)
3.This book ___ useful. (one book)
4.The teacher ___ at eight each morning. (one teacher)
5.Each student ___ a notebook. (each is singular)
Fill the gaps
Type the missing word or words.
Put the words in order
Click the parts in the correct order.
11. Build the sentence:
12. Build the sentence:
13. Build the sentence:
14. Build the sentence:
Right or wrong?
Decide whether each sentence is correct.
15.She works at the library.
16.They works at the library.
17.The dog is hungry.
18.The dogs is hungry.
Match the verb to the real subject
Subject-verb agreement makes the verb fit the subject. In the present simple, a singular third-person subject usually adds -s: The child plays. A plural subject keeps the base form: The children play.
The same choice appears with be and have: one book is here, two books are here; one brother has a bike, two brothers have bikes.
Longer subjects can hide the main noun. In The box of pencils is here, the subject is box, not pencils. Find the head noun before choosing the verb in the exercises above.
Frequently asked questions
What is subject-verb agreement?
It means choosing a verb form that matches the subject: she works, they work.
Does everyone take a singular verb?
Yes. Everyone is grammatically singular: Everyone wants a seat.
What if words come between the subject and the verb?
Find the main noun of the subject. The box of pencils is here: box controls is.
Answer key
1. The child ___ in the garden every day. (one child)
Answer: plays
A singular subject takes the -s form in present simple.
2. My brother ___ two bikes. (one brother)
Answer: has
A singular subject takes has.
3. This book ___ useful. (one book)
Answer: is
This book is singular and takes is.
4. The teacher ___ at eight each morning. (one teacher)
Answer: arrives
A singular subject takes arrives.
5. Each student ___ a notebook. (each is singular)
Answer: has
Each student is singular and takes has.
6. The children ___ (play) in the garden every day.
Answer: play
Children is plural and takes the base present form.
7. My brothers ___ (have) two bikes. (plural brothers)
Answer: have
Plural brothers takes have.
8. These books ___ (be) useful. (plural books)
Answer: are
These books is plural and takes are.
9. The box of pencils ___ (be) here. (one box)
Answer: is
The head noun is box, which is singular; pencils does not control the verb.
10. Everyone ___ (want) a seat near the front.
Answer: wants
Everyone is grammatically singular.
11. plays outside. / The child / often
Answer: The child often plays outside.
One child takes plays.
12. play outside. / The children / often
Answer: The children often play outside.
A plural subject takes play.
13. has / a bike. / My brother
Answer: My brother has a bike.
A singular subject takes has.
14. here. / are / The books
Answer: The books are here.
Books is plural and takes are.
15. She works at the library.
Answer: True
She is singular and takes works.
16. They works at the library.
Answer: False
They is plural and takes work, without -s. Correct: They work at the library.
17. The dog is hungry.
Answer: True
One dog takes singular is.
18. The dogs is hungry.
Answer: False
Plural dogs take are. Correct: The dogs are hungry.