Master Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord) Grammar for Class 10 CBSE

Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement (also known as subject-verb concord) is a fundamental skill for any English learner. This guide will explore key rules and provide clear examples to help you confidently navigate this crucial aspect of grammar, particularly for your CBSE Class 10 English exams.

Subject-verb agreement (also referred to as subject-verb concord) is a fundamental grammatical rule in English. It dictates that the verb in a sentence must match its subject in terms of number.  

• Singular Subject: If the subject of the sentence is singular (referring to one person, place, thing, or idea), the verb must also be singular.
  • Example: "The dog barks loudly."
• Plural Subject: If the subject of the sentence is plural (referring to more than one), the verb must also be plural.
  • Example: "The dogs bark loudly."

Subject-Verb Agreement: Rules and Exceptions

1. Singular Subjects and Singular Verbs

• Rule: When the subject of the sentence is singular, the verb must also be singular.
• Examples:
  • The cat sleeps on the rug.
  • He enjoys playing the guitar.
  • My friend lives in a small town.

2. Plural Subjects and Plural Verbs

• Rule: When the subject of the sentence is plural, the verb must also be plural.
• Examples:
  • The cats sleep on the rug.
  • They enjoy playing the guitar.
  • My friends live in different cities.

3. Compound Subjects Joined by "and"

• Rule: When two or more subjects are joined by "and," the verb is usually plural.
• Examples:
  • John and Mary are going to the movies.
  • The dog and the cat play together.

4. Compound Subjects Joined by "or" or "nor"

• Rule: When two or more subjects are joined by "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
• Examples:
  • Neither the teacher nor the students are present.
  • Either the boy or the girls have the ball.

5. Indefinite Pronouns

• Singular: Each, every, neither, either, one, nobody, somebody, etc., take singular verbs.
  • Examples:
    • *Each student has a book.
    • *Neither of the options is correct.
• Plural: Both, few, many, several take plural verbs.
  • Examples:
    • *Many students have passed the exam.
    • *Few people know the answer.
• Singular or Plural: Some, all, most, none - the verb depends on the noun they refer to.
  • Examples:
    • *Some of the cake is missing. (referring to a portion of the cake)
    • *Some of the cakes are missing. (referring to multiple cakes)

6. Collective Nouns

• Rule:
  • When referring to the group as a single unit, use a singular verb.
  • When referring to individual members of the group, use a plural verb.
• Examples:
  • The team wins the championship. (The team as a whole)
  • The team are discussing their strategies. (Individual members of the team)

7. Phrases Between Subject and Verb

• Rule: Phrases or clauses coming between the subject and the verb do not affect the number of the subject.
• Example: "The dog, who was sleeping on the porch, wakes up suddenly."
  • "The dog" is the subject, and it's singular, so the verb should be "wakes."

8. Words That End in "-s"

• Rule: Some words that end in "-s" are actually singular (e.g., news, mathematics, physics, politics).
• Example: "Mathematics is my favorite subject."

9. Titles of Books, Movies, etc.

• Rule: Titles of books, movies, and other works of art are usually treated as singular.
• Example: "The Lord of the Rings is a famous trilogy."

10. "There is" and "There are"

• Rule: The verb in these constructions agrees with the noun that follows "there."
• Examples:
  • "There is a book on the table."
  • "There are many books on the table."

See Also: English Grammar Class 10

• Reported Speech
• Determiners
• Tenses
• Modals

Common Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

Rule	Explanation	Example
Singular Subjects	Singular subjects take singular verbs.	The dog barks loudly.
Plural Subjects	Plural subjects take plural verbs.	The dogs bark loudly.
Compound Subjects Joined by "and"	Usually take a plural verb.	John and Mary are going to the park.
Compound Subjects Joined by "or" or "nor"	The verb agrees with the subject closest to it.	Neither the teacher nor the students are present.
Indefinite Pronouns (Singular)	Each, every, neither, either, one, nobody, somebody, etc., take singular verbs.	Each student has a book.
Indefinite Pronouns (Plural)	Both, few, many, several take plural verbs.	Many students have books.
Indefinite Pronouns (Singular or Plural)	Some, all, most, none - the verb depends on the noun they refer to.	Some of the cake is missing. / Some of the cakes are missing.
Collective Nouns	When referring to the group as a unit, use a singular verb. When referring to individual members, use a plural verb.	The team wins the championship. / The team are discussing their strategies.

Subject-Verb Concord Class 10 Worksheet with Answers

1. Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Choose the correct verb:
   • The boy (a) run (b) runs very fast.
2. Select the appropriate verb:
   • My friends (a) enjoy (b) enjoys playing basketball.
3. Which verb agrees with the subject?
   • Neither the teacher nor the students (a) is (b) are present.
4. Choose the correct verb form:
   • Each student (a) has (b) have a unique talent.
5. Select the verb that correctly completes the sentence:
   • The team (a) work (b) works hard to win the match.

Ans.

1. (b) runs
2. (a) enjoy
3. (b) are
4. (a) has
5. (b) works

2. Fill-in-the-Blanks

1. The children __________ playing in the park. (is/are)
2. My brother and I __________ going to the movies. (is/are)
3. Neither the cat nor the dog __________ sleeping on the bed. (is/are)
4. Each of the participants __________ received a prize. (has/have)
5. The news __________ shocking. (is/are)

Ans.

1. are
2. are
3. is
4. has
5. is

3. Sentence Correction

1. The team win the championship every year.
2. My friends enjoys playing video games.
3. Neither of the options are correct.
4. Mathematics are a difficult subject for some students.

Ans.

1. Correct: The team wins the championship every year.
2. Correct: My friends enjoy playing video games.
3. Correct: Neither of the options is correct.
4. Correct: Mathematics is a difficult subject for some students.

CBSE PYQs on Subject-Verb Agreement

1. Complete the exclamation of a storekeeper by filling the blank with the correct form of the word in brackets.

One of the bundles of paper _____ (be) missing from the stock again, today!

Ans. One of the bundles of paper is missing from the stock again, today!

Here, "is" is the correct form because "one" is singular, so the verb must agree with it in number.

The verb "be" has different forms depending on the subject and tense. Here are the forms of "be":

Present Tense:

• Am (used with "I")
  • Example: I am happy.
• Is (used with singular subjects: he, she, it, or singular nouns)
  • Example: She is tired.
• Are (used with plural subjects: we, you, they, or plural nouns)
  • Example: They are playing.

Past Tense:

• Was (used with singular subjects: I, he, she, it, or singular nouns)
  • Example: I was at the park.
• Were (used with plural subjects: we, you, they, or plural nouns)
  • Example: We were late yesterday.

Future Tense:

• Will be (used with all subjects)
  • Example: He will be here soon.

Present Perfect Tense:

• Has been (used with singular subjects: he, she, it)
  • Example: She has been to the store.
• Have been (used with plural subjects: we, you, they)
  • Example: They have been working hard.

Past Perfect Tense:

• Had been (used with all subjects)
  • Example: I had been waiting for an hour before he arrived.

Other Forms:

• Being (present participle, used in continuous tenses)
  • Example: She is being helpful.
• Been (past participle, used in perfect tenses)
  • Example: They have been here all day.

2. Identify the error in the given opinion below and supply the correction.

The rise or control of artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting society, as a whole.

Error - ________; Correction - ________

Ans. Error - "The rise or control of artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting society, as a whole."
Correction - "The rise and control of artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting society as a whole."

Explanation: "or" should be replaced with "and" because the sentence implies both the rise and control of AI are impacting society, rather than one or the other.

3. Fill the blank with the correct option, about Girish’s habit.

Girish, along with his father, _____ every official meeting.

A. attend

B. are attending

C. have attended

D. attends

Ans. The correct option is D. attends.

The sentence would read: "Girish, along with his father, attends every official meeting."

Explanation:

"Girish" is the subject of the sentence, and "along with his father" is a prepositional phrase that does not affect the verb. Since "Girish" is singular, the verb must also be singular, which is "attends."

4. Complete the given sentence about the reaction of some friends, by selecting the correct option:

The group of friends _____ excited at the prospect of their upcoming adventure.

A. are

B. has

C. is

D. were

Ans. C. is

"Group" is a collective noun, and collective nouns are treated as singular when they refer to the group as a single entity. Therefore, the correct verb is "is".

5. Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket, for the given portion of a letter:

Dear Sir

This is with reference to committee’s letter of recommendation that __ (highlight) the nominations for ‘Safe Residential Area’ award for this current year.

Ans. highlights

Explanation: The sentence maintains proper subject-verb agreement, as "committee's letter" is singular.

6. Complete the line from a self- awareness song, by filling the blank with the correct option.

The river runs through your veins
The trees and mountains _____ your name
The moon and stars watch over
You’re guiding your way back home
To dream the night away.

A. will call

B. call

C. had called

D. calls

Ans. B. call

7. Identify the error and supply correction for the given sentence from an e-commerce website's return policy.

We offers a 30-day return policy on all unopened products purchased from our websites.Use the given format for your response:

Error: Correction:

Ans. Error: offers

Correction: offer

Tips for Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement

1. Identify the Subject: Always start by clearly identifying the subject of the sentence.
2. Ignore Intervening Phrases: Don't let phrases or clauses between the subject and verb confuse you.
3. Practice Regularly: Consistent practice with exercises and PYQs is crucial.
4. Read Aloud: Reading sentences aloud can help you "hear" the correct subject-verb agreement.
5. Review Rules Frequently: Keep the rules fresh in your mind by reviewing them periodically.

Conclusion

Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement is a continuous journey, not a destination. Consistent practice and a deep understanding of the rules are key to achieving fluency and confidence in English grammar. By diligently applying the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, you can effectively conquer Subject-Verb Agreement and enhance your overall communication skills. Remember, every step you take towards mastering grammar brings you closer to achieving academic excellence and expressing yourself with clarity and precision. Now go forth and confidently tackle those CBSE Class 10 English exams!