BASIC GRAMMAR RULES

Sentence structure and parts of speech

It is important for learners of English to fully understand the basic grammar rules that
govern the language in order to express themselves clearly. Without rules we cannot
communicate correctly with other people.

There are many grammar rules in English, but the basic rules refer to sentence structure
and parts of speech.

SENTENCE STRUCTURE

 Sentence :
A sentence is a group of words which expresses a complete thought and
consists of a subject and a predicate.
A sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation mark.
Subject: 'The salesman'
Predicate: 'sold 100 ties'.
Sentence:The salesman sold 100 ties.

 Subject:

The person, animal or thing in a sentence performs an action or has an action

done to it.
John takes the bus every day.
Food is eaten every day.

 Predicate:

The part of a sentence that contains a verb and gives information about the
subject.
Example: Jack walks to work.
In this sentence ‘Jack’ is the subject and ‘walks to work’ is the predicate.
  Object:

The person or thing affected by the action of the subject.

Example: The monkey ate a banana.

 Clause:

Sentences can be broken down into clauses. Clauses, like any sentence, have a
subject and predicate too.
Example: My parents are going to a restaurant and they will be home late.
This is a complete sentence composed of two clauses.

 Phrase:

A group of words that does not have a subject and predicate is called a phrase.
Phrases act like parts of speech inside clauses. They can act as nouns, adjectives,
adverbs and so on.
See the examples of phrases underlined below:
o The bewildered old man couldn’t find the exit. (noun phrase)
o Around the corner came the postman. (adverbial phrase)
o The newspaper is on the table. (prepositional phrase)

PARTS OF SPEECH
As well as the basic rules for sentence structure, it is also helpful for learners to learn
about the parts of speech:

 Noun

A noun names a person, animal, place, thing, quality, idea, activity, or feeling.
A noun can be singular or plural.
For example: Tom, people, Madrid, books, generosity …
o Tom usually reads a book or works on his computer during
the flight to Madrid.
o Alex works as an analyst in an office in a big city.
 See: Nouns

 Pronoun

A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun, such as “I”, “you”, 'him', 'us',
'they' etc.”
o The passengers reacted well. They all stayed calm.
o Alex needs exercise so he either walks to the office or takes his bicycle.

 Verb

A verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence such as 'walk',

'seem', 'happen'.
A verb can be a main verb or an auxiliary or helping verb such as “have” or “will.
”
Verbs can also change their form to show past, present, or future tense.
o Today I am revising my English. Yesterday I wrote an essay. Our
teacher will be absent tomorrow.
o Alex lives in an area where he can walk or cycle to the office.

 Adjective

An adjective describes, identifies, qualifies or gives more information about a

noun or a pronoun.
o The young man drove his new car down the busy road.
o It’s a short distance through a beautiful park in a quiet district.

See: Adjectives
 Adverb

An adverb will modify a verb and tell us how, how often, where or in what
manner we do something.
Examples: quickly, carefully, well, often, usually, easily, energetically …
o She usually walks quickly to get to work on time.
o The old man walked slowly and carefully down the icy street.

See: Adverbs

 Preposition

A preposition is a word that links a noun, pronoun or noun phrase to some

other part of a sentence.
Prepositions are often used with a noun to show location (for example “in,” or “
on”).
They can also show time, direction, motion, manner, reason, or possession.
o The boy walked across the road, past the church and up the hill to
get to his school.
o Sam goes through the park and up the hill towards the city centre.

See: Prepositions

 Conjunction

Conjunctions are words used to connect other words, phrases, or clauses.

Using conjunctions helps us to avoid making multiple short sentences.
Common conjunctions are “and”, “but”, and “or.”
o The children like sailing and swimming, but they don’t like tidying their
rooms orgoing to bed.
o Alex and his colleagues like the company but not the new boss.
  Interjection

An exclamation used to express an emotional reaction:

For example: Oh! Hey! Ouch! Watch out! Hurray! Alas! Wow!
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What Are Basic English Grammar

Rules?
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There are hundreds of grammar rules but the basics refer to sentence structure and parts of speech,
which are noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition and conjunction. Let's look at the way
sentences are put together and the words that form them.

Basic English Grammar Rules

Some of the most basic and important English grammar rules relate directly to sentence structure.
These rules specify that:
 A singular subject needs a singular predicate.
 A sentence needs to express a complete thought.
Another term for a sentence is an independent clause:
 Clauses, like any sentence, have a subject and predicate too. If a group of words does not have a
subject and predicate, it is a phrase.
 If a clause can stand alone and make a complete thought, then it is independent and can be called
a sentence.
 If clauses do not express a complete thought, they are called dependent clauses. An example of a
dependent clause, which is not a sentence, is "when I finish my work." A dependent clause needs
an independent clause to make it whole.
So, what are the other basic rules for sentence structure?

Subjects and Predicates

Basic to any language is the sentence, which expresses a complete thought and consists of a subject
and a predicate.
 The subject is the star of the sentence; the person, animal, or thing that is the focus of it.
 The predicate will tell the action that the subject is taking or tell something about the subject.

Basic Parts of Speech

Once you have a general idea of the basic grammar rules for sentence structure, it is also helpful to
learn about the parts of speech:
 A noun names a person, animal, place, thing, quality, idea, activity, or feeling. A noun can be
singular, plural, or possessive.
 A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun, like "I", "you", or "they."
 A verb shows action and can be a main verb or a helping verb, like "were" or "has." Verbs also
indicate tense and sometimes change their form to show past, present, or future tense. Linking
verbs link the subject to the rest of the sentence and examples are: "appear" and "seem."
 An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun. It adds meaning by telling which one, what kind, or
describing it in other ways.
 An adverb will modify a verb and tell more about it, like how much, when, where, why, or how.
 A preposition shows a relationship between nouns or pronouns. It is often used with a noun to
show location, like "beside," "in," or "on". It can also show time, direction, motion, manner,
reason, or possession.
 Conjunctions connect two words, phrases, or clauses. Common conjunctions are "and", "but",
and "or."
Mention needs to be made about other types of words that are considered by some to be parts of
speech.
 One of them is the interjection. It shows emotion and examples are "hurray", "uh-oh", and
"alas."
 Articles are very useful little words. Indefinite articles are "a" and "an" and "the" is a definite
article.

Punctuation
To fully understand basic grammar rules, you also need to look at punctuationrules.
 Capitalization is important. All sentences must start with a capital, or upper-case, letter. Titles
of people, books, magazines, movies, specific places, etc. are capitalized. Organizations and
compass points are capitalized.
 Every sentence needs a punctuation mark at the end of it. These include a period, exclamation
mark, or question mark.
 Colons are used to separate a sentence from a list of items, to introduce a long, direct quote, or
between two sentences (or clauses) when the second one explains the first.
 Semicolons can take the place of a conjunction and are placed before introductory words like
"therefore" or "however." They are also used to separate a list of things if there are commas
within each unit.
 There are a lot of rules for commas. The basic ones are that commas separate things in a series
and go wherever there is a pause in the sentence. They surround the name of a person being
addressed, separate the day of the month from the year in a date, and separate a town from the
state.
 Parentheses enclose things that clarify or numbers and letters that are part of a list.
 Apostrophes are used in contractions to take the place of one or more letters and also to show
possession. An apostrophe and "s" is added if the noun is singular and an apostrophe alone is
added if the noun is plural.
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THE PARTS OF SPEECH
All words in the English language can be classified as one of the eight different
parts of speech. Understanding the different parts of speech is important in
understanding how words can and should be joined together to make
sentences that are both grammatically correct and readable. An understanding
of the parts of speech is also important for knowing how to correctly punctuate
sentences.
The eight parts of speech are nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs,
conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections.

Noun – A noun is generally defined as a person, place, or thing; however,

ideas are also nouns. For example, love is not a tangible thing that can be
seen or held, but clearly it exists, so it is a also a noun.

Nouns can be divided into two main categories: proper nouns and common
nouns. Proper nouns are the names of people or places that are capital ized
(Aims Community College, John Smith, etc.). Common nouns are names that
do not require capitalization (book, chair, school, etc).

Verb – A verb is a word that describes action or a state of being. The second
part of this definition is important, as m any believe that verbs are always action
words that can be visualized. This is true of action verbs: run, walk, play, jump,
sing, scream, etc.

However, there are also linking verbs, and these types of verbs do not express
action; instead, they express identity, classification, or existence. (The
following are the most common linking verbs: is, am, was, were, are, and verb
phrases ending in be, been, being.)

Verbs often change their form as different endings are added to them. These
endings are changed to show a verb’s relationship to time. This is referred to
as verb tense.

Pronoun – A pronoun is a word that is used to replace a noun For example,

instead of saying “Sam likes pizza” we can use “He” as a substitute for
Sam. Writers need to be careful with pronoun use, as pronouns should only be
used after a noun has been used first, and it must be clear which noun the
pronoun is replacing.

Adjective – An adjective modifies (limits or describes) a noun or a

pronoun. Essentially, it provides more information about a person, place, or
thing. For instance, in the sentence Frank is a tall, skinny
man, both tall and skinny are adjectives as they are used to describe Frank.
Adverb – Similar to adjectives, an adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or
another adverb. In the sentence Susan walked slowly towards the door, the
word slowly serves as an adverb since it describes how she walked.

Preposition – A preposition shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun

and some other word in the sentence. This rela tionship is spatial, temporal, or
directional. For instance, in the sentence Mark walked towards the house, the
word towards is a preposition since it shows direction. When linked with nouns
or pronouns, prepositions create word groups referred to as prepo sitional
phrases. (In the previous example, towards the house is a prepositional
phrase.)

Conjunction – Conjunctions are used to link words or parts of sentences

together. There are four different types of conjunctions: coordinating,
subordinating, adverb, and correlative.

 Coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) are used to
connect similar words or independent clauses (sentences) together.
Coordinating conjunctions are often referred to with the acronym
FANBOYS.
 Subordinating conjunctions come at the beginning of subordinate
clauses and are used to connect the subordinate clause to the rest of the
sentence (also referred to as the independent clause). Common
subordinating conjunctions include after, as, although, because, befor e,
even though, if, once, rather than, since, that, though, unless, until,
when, whenever, whereas, while.
 Conjunctive adverbs are transitional words used to connect one
sentence to another. Common conjunctive adverbs include additionally,
in addition, moreover, also, consequently, furthermore, otherwise,
instead, for instance, for example, however, on the other hand,
conversely, nevertheless, accordingly, therefore, generally, in fact, in
other words, in conclusion, finally.
 Correlative conjunctions are a combination of a coordinating
conjunction and another word (example: In the sentence both John and I
are having a hard time with the homework, both…and are the correlative
conjunctions.)

For more information about conjunctions and how to use and punctuate them,
view the using conjunctions page.

Interjection – An interjection is a word added to a sentence to convey emotion

and is not grammatically related to any other part of the sentence. Interjections
can also serve as a single word sentence (ex: Wow!). Interjections are rarely
used in academic writing and their use should be avoided in most essays.

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11 Rules of Grammar
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You can reach more bravely into the scary world of sentence construction and accurate
communication if you are armed with grammar guidelines. These 11 rules of grammar will help you
become a champ at selecting words and punctuation.

Key Rules
1. Use Active Voice
Every human language starts an active sentence with the subject, or the "doer." In English,
the verb (what's being done) follows the subject. If there is an object (the receiver of the action), it
comes after the verb. The formula looks like this:
S+V+O. This rule is the foundation of the English language.
Here are some examples:
 Mary walked the dog.
 The dog liked Mary.
 I did not like the dog.
2. Link Ideas with a Conjunction
Sometimes you want to link two ideas with a second S+V+O combination. When you do, you need a
coordinating conjunction. The new formula looks like this:
S+V+O, COORDINATING CONJUNCTION+S+V+O
Coordinating conjunctions are easy to remember with an acronymic mnemonic device:
FANBOYS
 For
 And
 Nor
 But
 Or
 Yet
 So
3. Use a Comma to Connect Two Ideas As One
FANBOYS are used when connecting two ideas as one in a single sentence, but don't forget the
comma.
For example:
 I do not walk Mary's dog, nor do I wash him.
 Mary fed her dog, and I drank tea.
 Mary feeds and walks her dog every day, but the dog is still hyperactive.
4. Use a Serial Comma in a List
The serial, or Oxford, comma is a controversial rule of grammar. Some want to eliminate it
altogether while others just don't know how to use it. The serial comma is the last comma in a list,
usually appearing before "and." The serial comma comes after "dog" in this sentence:
Pets R Us has lizards, dogs, and birds.
Commas separate units in a list. In the above case, each unit only has one part, so it's easy. Where
people get confused is when the units are bigger, but the rule still applies:
Pets R Us has lizards and frogs, dogs and cats, and parakeets and macaws.
Notice that the serial comma comes before "and" but not the last "and" in the sentence. The "and"
that follows the comma is only there because it sounds better. Grammatically, "and" is irrelevant.
Only units matter.

5. Use the Semicolon to Join Two Ideas

A list of grammar rules has to include the scariest of punctuation marks. It might look funny, but
don't be afraid of the semicolon; it's the easiest thing in the world to use! Say you want to join two
ideas but can't figure out or can't be bothered to use a coordinating conjunction. The two ideas can be
separate sentences, but you think that they are so closely connected; they really should be one. Use a
semicolon.
 Mary's dog is hyperactive; it won't stop barking or sit still.
 My heart is like a cup of Lapsang Souchong tea; it's bitter and smoky.
 Mary has to walk her dog every day; it is the most hyperactive dog anyone has ever seen.
6. Use the Simple Present Tense for Habitual Actions
The simple present is the tense you use for any habitual action. The things you always do or do every
Tuesday are described with the simple present, which just means you pick the first form of any verb.
 Mary likes dogs.
 I don't walk Mary's dog.
 Mary and I drink tea every Tuesday together.
7. Use the Present Progressive Tense for Current Action
The present progressive tense is for anything that is happening right now. All of the progressive
tenses are easy to spot because their verbs always end with "-ing" and get a helping verb. A helping
verb is just so we know who and when we're talking about. In the present progressive, the helping
verbs are the present tense conjugations of "to be."
 I am drinking Lapsang Souchong tea.
 The barking dogs outside are driving me crazy.
 Mary is playing with her hyperactive dog.
8. Add "ed" to verbs for the Past Tense
 When we talk about the past, we have to add an "-ed" to regular verbs to make the second form.
Irregular verbs are tricky and have their own sets of rules. Drink, for example, turns to "drank." Most
of the time, though, "-ed" will do.
 I drank a lot of Lapsang Souchong tea yesterday, but Mary didn't.
 The dogs stopped barking two seconds ago, and I am feeling better.
 Mary played fetch with her hyperactive dog.

9-11. Use Perfect Tenses

Practice makes perfect with the perfect tenses. Here are three rules to finish the 11 rules of grammar.
If you remember these, you'll be well on your way to perfection.

9. Use Present Perfect for the Unfinished Past

The present perfect can be confusing for some, but it is one of the most important rules of grammar.
When people talk about things that have already happened but consider the time in which they
occurred to be unfinished, they use the third form of the verb with a helping verb. The helping verb
for the present perfect is the present tense conjugation of "to have."
 I have drunk three cups of Lapsang Souchong tea today.
 Mary's hyperactive cur dog has bitten me three times so far.
 Mary has walked her hyperactive poodle 100 times this week.
Unfortunately, the only way to know the third forms of verbs is to remember them.

10. Use Present Perfect Progressive for Unfinished

Action and Past
When the action as well as the time is considered unfinished, the verb loads up on third form helping
verbs ("to be" and "to have") and changes to the progressive form.
 Western countries have been waging wars in the Middle East for thousands of years.
 I have been drinking tea all day.
 Mary's dog has been barking like crazy since it was born.
11. Use Past Perfect for the First of Two Past Actions
When two things happen in the past, we have to mark which one happened first. The one that
happened first changes to third form and gets the helping verb, "had."
 By the time I drank one cup of Lapsang Souchong, Mary's dog had barked a million times.
 I had not yet eaten breakfast when Mary walked her dog.
 He could not pay for lunch because he had lost his wallet.
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Subject-Verb Agreement: Rules & Examples

(5/5, 47 votes)




The subject and verb are the most important elements of a sentence. The relation
between the subject and verb depends on two issues: person and number. The verb of
a sentence must be in agreement with the subject in regard to person and number.
The number of the subject can be singular and plural. The verb must be singular if the
subject is singular and the verb must be plural if the subject is plural.
So, identifying the number of the subject is required to take a verb.
The person of the subject can be first, second, and third. The verb changes according
to the number and person of the subject.

Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement:

Rule 1:
Singular subjects need singular verbs, while plural subjects require plural verbs. ‘Be’
verbs change the most according to the number and person of the subject. Other verbs
do not change much on the basis of the subjects except the verbs of the simple present
tense. If the subjects are a third person singular number, the verbs are used
with s/es when they are in simple present tense. The verbs with s/es in the sentence
are called singular verbs.
‘Be’ verbs according to number and person of the subject.
Person /Number Singular Plural

First am are

Second are are

Third is are

Example:
Person /Nmber Singular Plural

First I am an excellent tennis player. We are excellent tennis players.

 Second You are a nice person. You all are nice people.

Third Alex plays well under pressure. They are good at chasing.
He is a good player. They play well under pressure.

Rule 2:
When the prepositional phrases separate the subjects from the verbs, they have no
effect on the verbs.

Example:
A study (singular subject) on African countries shows (singular verb) that 80% of the people (plural subject) of
this continent live (plural verb) below the poverty line.
The perspective of different people varies from time to time.
The fear of terrorists and militants has made them flee the city.

Rule 3:
Nouns connected by the conjunction and in the subject work as the plural subject and
take a plural verb.
Example:
o Alex and Murphy are coming here.
o Robin and his friends want to go on a tour.
o Apples and mangoes are my favorite fruits.

Rule 4:
If the conjunction ‘and’ is replaced by together with/ along with/ accompanied by/
as well as, the verb will have no effect for the later part of these expressions. The
words prior to these expressions are the subjects.
Example:
o Tom, along with his brothers is going to the city. (‘His brothers’ is not the subject of
this sentence.)
o Alex, as well as his parents, is coming to the party.
o The boys, accompanied by their teacher Mr. Robbins are planning a tour.

Note: If these expressions are replaced by ‘and’, the subjects will be regarded as
plurals, and so the verbs have to be plural.
Example: Tom and his brothers are going to the city.
Rule 5:
Some nouns are always singular and indefinite. When these nouns become the subjects,
they always take singular verbs.

Any + singular noun No + singular noun Some + sin. noun Every + sin. noun Each + sin. noun

Anybody Nobody Somebody Everybody Each student

Anyone No one Someone Everyone
Anything Nothing Something Everything
Either*
Neither*

*Note: Either and neither are singular if they are not used with or and nor.
Example:
o Everybody wants to live happily.
o Something is bothering him.
o No human being lives in that house.
o Neither of you is responsible enough to handle it.
o Each student has to submit a separate assignment.

Rule 6:
Some nouns are always plural. These nouns have two parts.

Scissors, shorts, eyeglasses, pants, thongs, jeans, trousers, etc.

Example:
o My pants are in the drawer.
o Your eyeglasses are dirty.
o These scissors are useless.

Note: If these words are preceded by the phrase a pair of, they will be regarded as
singular subjects.
Example:
o A pair of pants is needed.
o This pair of trousers is ugly.

Rule 7:
None is a singular subject when it is used alone. When it is used with a prepositional
phrase starting with of, the subject can be both plural and singular.
None + of the + singular noun + singular verb

None + of the + plural noun + plural verb

Example:
o None of the money has been used.
o None of the teacher wants failure for students.
o None of the students want to fail.
o None of the bottles are clean enough to keep water.

Note: No + plural noun takes plural verbs.

Example: no men are hungry now.

Rule 8:
Either . . . or, neither . . . nor, or, and nor take two nouns before and after them.
The nouns placed after these conjunctions are regarded as the subjects of the sentence.
The nouns placed prior to the words or and norhave no effect on the verbs.
Example:
o Neither Alex nor his brothers are going to the party.
o Either John and Alex or I am doing it.
o I or Robert opens the door when someone comes.
o Neither the boys nor we are responsible for it.

Rule 9:
The sentences beginning with here/there are different in structure. In this case, the
subject comes after the verb.
Here/There + verb + subject . . . . . .

Example:
o Here comes(verb) the lion(subject).
o There is a pond near the house.
o There are some candies on the table.
o Here is the document for your car.

Rule 10:
Collective nouns are usually regarded as singular subjects.
Examples:
o The committee has decided to postpone the game.
o The family was ecstatic by the news.
o The crowd enjoys the excitement in the game.
o Twenty dollars is not a lot of money. (Here, the noun is plural, but the subject is
regarded as a collective noun.)

Note: The following phrases are also regarded as collective nouns and thus singular
subjects.
Flock of birds/sheep, herd of cattle, pack of dogs/wolves, school of fish, pride of lions

Example:
o A flock of sheep always moves together.
o A pack of wolves is approaching towards the herd of cattle.
o A school of fish always hides from the big fishes.

Rule 11:
A number of + noun is a plural subject, and it takes a plural verb. The number of +
noun is a singular subject, and it takes a singular verb.
Example:
o A number of dancers are coming to the party. (Indefinite number of dancers – plural)
o The number of dancers coming to the party is 12. (Definite number of dancers –
singular)
o A number of people prefer cricket to football.
o The number of days in this month is 28.

Rule 12:
If a gerund or an infinitive comes as a subject, the verb will always be singular.
Example:
o Swimming is a good exercise.
o Walking is a good habit.
o Eating healthy food makes you healthy.
o To err is human.

Rule 13:
If the + an adjective appears as the subject of a sentence, it will be plural.
Example:
o The pious are loved by God.
o The industrious are always not successful.
o The best do not lack integrity.
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These 27 Rules Of Subject Verb Agreement Are

All You Need
So what is Subject Verb Agreement?

It is nothing but making the verb agree with the subject. You need to use the right version of
the verb to make the agreement look good.

For e.g. there are different versions of the verb ‘be’ – am, is, are which are used differently if
you use ‘he/she, they, you, we’. If you are a book worm, you probably get these very easily.
But it never hurts to know your grammar rules!

1. Verb-number agreement

Singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs.

The list of to-dos was too long for me to handle.

The lists of to-dos were too long for me to handle.
Even an animal has its own territory.
Even animals have their own territory.
EXCEPTION to this rule:
A plural verb is always required after ‘YOU’ even when it is used in singular, referring
to one person. For e.g:
You were going to send over the document.
2. Rule for when verb has ‘s’ at the end
The ‘s’ added after a noun indicates plural. But an ‘s’ after a verb indicates THIRD
PERSON SINGULAR i.e. the sentence is in third person and the subject is singular. For
e.g:
She goes to the library every single day.
They go to the restaurant every day for their favorite dish.
3. The verb has to agree only with the true, main subject. Not with the intervening
plural object of a preposition or any other intervening plural.
The box of Nestle’s chocolates is missing.
Here, the main subject is box, not chocolates. Hence, we use ‘is’ instead of ‘are’.

More examples:
 His experience as a teacher to young kids gives him a lot of understanding.
The prices of the new iphone vary from country to country.
4. Subjects joined by ‘AND’ are usually plural and take plural verbs.
His laptop and my ipad were stolen from the desk.
Chennai and Kolkata have very hot weather.
EXCEPTIONS to this rule:
 If the subject has two singular nouns connected by AND; and both are about the same
person / thing, then the verb remains singular.
My best friend and roommate is going to US for a vacation.
Soup and bread is our Sunday breakfast.
 When two subjects connected by AND are preceded by ‘each, every or many’, a
singular verb is used.
Every chair, table and sofa, every single piece of furniture in the house is up for auction.
Every man and woman in the store is requested to go through the security check.

5. Rule for ‘with, together with, along with, besides, as well as, including, in
addition to’

Words like ‘with, together with, along with, besides, as well as, including, in addition to, etc.
do not affect the number of the verb. If the main subject is singular, the verb has to be
singular; if the subject is plural, the verb has to be plural.

The television, along with the cabinet, is to be sold.

Our chief competitor, as well as ourselves, is obliged to increase the prices.
The decoration of the room, including all the paintings on the walls, is most pleasing.
6. Rule when both singular and plural subjects are present.

If the subject is made up of both singular and plural words connected by or, nor, either – or,
neither – nor, not only, but also then the verb agrees with the nearer part of the subject.

Neither the quality nor the prices have changed.

Neither the prices nor the quality has changed.
Neither the salesman nor the buyers are in favor of the system of management.
Neither the buyers nor the salesman is in favor if the system of the management.
7. Rule for neither-nor, either-or & or

If the subject consists of two singular words connected by ‘or, neither- nor, either – or’, the
subject is singular and requires a singular verb.

Neither the laptop nor the phone was in working order.

Either January or February is going to be her wedding month.
8. Rule for nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning
Nouns that are plural in form but singular in meaning such as news, measles, mumps, physics,
electronics, tactics, economics and so on usually take singular verbs.

News is traveling faster than ever before.

Physics has fascinated my hostel mate for months.
Some nouns ending in ‘-ics’ such as athletics, statistic and politics are considered
singular when referring to an organized body of knowledge and plural when referring to
individual facts, qualities or activities.
Athletics provide good recreation. (i.e. various games)
Economics is an important subject for every field of study.
9. A linking verb usually agrees with its subject, not with its compliment.
Excessive absences were the reason for his failure.
The reason of his failure was excessive absences.
10. Rule for nouns that do not have singular forms

Plural verbs are required for many nouns that have no singular form, such as proceeds,
goods, ashes, remains, credentials, premises etc.

The proceeds of the magic show are to be given to the fund for soldier’s welfare.
The goods are being dispatched today by goods train.
SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT FOR COLLECTIVE NOUNS

(Image source: Pinterest)

What are collective nouns?
A collective noun is a word that represents a group of persons, animals or things. For e.g.
audience, committee, company, council, army, police, society, board, department, cabinet etc.
the following rules govern the form of verb to be used with a collective noun.
1. When a group acts as a unit, the verb should be singular.
The committee has agreed to submit its report on Friday.
The board of directors meets once in a month.
 The firm is one of the most reputed in the country.
The majority has made its decision.
2. When the members of the group are thought of as acting separately, the verb
should be plural.
The teams are arguing over who should be the captain (individual members in the team
are arguing).
The committee were not in agreement on the action to be taken.
The audience were cheering and laughing, even crying.
3. Company names may be either singular or plural, according to their
meaning. The plural form emphasizes the individual personnel making up the company.
Mudra and corporation have retained the goodwill of their customers.
The oil corporation is located at Nariman Point, Mumbai.
4. Rule for nouns expressing time, money or quantity

When nouns expressing periods of time, amounts of money or quantities are considered as a
singular unit, singular verbs are used. For e.g.

Rs 10 seems too much for the job.

3 months is too long a time to wait.
The number of board members is very small.
That Rs 1 lakh was an inheritance from my father.
Yes, 5m is ample for a suit.
5. After such expressions as ‘one half of’, ‘two-thirds of’, ‘a part of’, ‘a majority
of’
 Use a singular verb if a singular noun follows the ‘of’.
A part of the office is closed.
Two-third of the mailing list has been typed.
A majority of 3500 indicates his popularity in the constituency.
 Use a plural verb when a plural noun follows the’ of’.
Part of the walls are to be painted.
Two thirds of our workers live in the suburbs.
The majority of our staff members live in villages.
6. Rules for ‘The number’
The expression ‘the number’ has a singular meaning and requires a singular verb,
whereas the expression ‘a number’ has a plural meaning and takes a plural verb.

The number of board members is very small.

A number of board members were absent.
The number of orders is still to be executed is estimated at nearly a 100.
A number of our staff are going on leave.
 7. In sentences containing the words ‘one of’, the verb is chosen as follows:
 In simple form, one of or one of the, a singular verb is used.
One of the reasons for his demotion is his carelessness.
One of the pens is missing from my desk.
 The sentences containing phrases ‘one of those who’ or ‘one of the things that’, a plural verb
is required.
He is one of those managers who favor increasing the staff.

Here favor agrees with those. In the phrase one of those who, those is the plural object of the
preposition of. In the subordinate clause who favor, the relative pronoun who is the subject
and must agree with its antecedent those.

Mr. Verma is one of our officers who is accompanying me.

He is one of our employees who are always alert.

However, when only precedes one of / one of those, a singular verb is used.

Ramesh is only one of our employees who is always alert.

Mr Verma is the only one of our officers accompanying me.
8. Rule of singular nouns and plural verbs

Certain collective nouns, those who are singular in form, are always used in the plural sense
and take a plural verb. For e.g. gentry, cattle, poultry, alphabets, offspring etc.

These poultry are ready for sale.

There are 26 alphabets in English.
The cattle are grazing near the canal.
9. The always singular nouns
Certain nouns are always used in singular and followed by singular verbs. These are not used
in the plural sense and do not take on plural verbs. For e.g. hair, issue, advice,
information, scenery, luggage, mischief, bread, abuse, furniture, land, business,
machinery, poultry etc. (Detailed discussion right after examples)
Her hair has turned grey now.
The scenery of Kasauli is beautiful.
Is there any information in this regard?
All the machinery is old.
I have sold all the furniture that was useless.
My luggage is lying at the bus stand.

A small session on countable and uncountable nouns can really help clear this confusion of
singular / plural.

COUNTABLE Vs UNCOUNTABLE
 (Image courtesy: Juice
Queen)

Countable Nouns: These are the names of objects, people etc. that we can count, e.g. book,
pen, apple, boy, sister, doctor, horse.

Uncountable nouns: These are the names of things, which we cannot count, e.g., milk, oil,
sugar, gold, and honesty. They mainly denote substances and abstract things.

E.g. Nature (uncountable)

NOTE:
 Countable nouns have plural forms and can be used with a/an.
Uncountable nouns do not have plural forms and cannot be used with a/an.

For e.g. we say books but we do not say “milks”.

 The following nouns are usually uncountable in English:Advice, news, information,
furniture, luggage work, business, weather, traffic, scenery, paper, and
bread. Most of these are countable in Indian languages and therefore Indian students
often wrongly use them with ‘a/an’and in the plural.
EXAMPLE :
He gave me an advice. (Incorrect) (ek se kya hoga??)
He gave me some advice (correct) (or, a piece of advice)
The sceneries here are very good. (Incorrect)
The scenery here is very good. (Correct)
10. Each, every, either, neither

The words ‘each, every, either, neither’, used as pronouns or else adjectives, are always
singular and require singular verbs.
Each of them does have political ambitions.
Each employee is responsible for clearing is desk in the evening.
Neither of the boys is eligible for taking the examination.
Neither boy is eligible for selection.
EXCEPTION : If a parenthetical each follows a plural noun or pronoun, the verb should be
singular.
The members each feel their responsibility.
They each have their own problem.
10 each of these books is required.
11. All, any, many ….

All, any, more, most, some – may be singular or plural depending on the meaning, and take
verbs accordingly.

Some of the books seem too old.

Some of the food is not good. (food is a singular noun)
All the typing has been finished. (typing is an activity. Can’t be plural)
All the reports have been typed.
Most of the goods have been sold.
Most of the stock has been sold, but more of these shirts are due. (stock is always singular)
12. The titles of books or magazines are considered singular and take singular verbs.
The Hindustan times still has wide circulation.
The Shiva Trilogy is a best seller.
13. The always singular words which take singular verbs

The following words and their compounds are always singular and requires a singular verb.

Body (anybody, everybody, nobody, somebody)

Thing (anything, everything, nothing, something)
One (anyone, everyone, no one, someone)

Something is wrong with him these days.

Everybody in the office has tickets.
Everyone is required to clear their dues.
Nobody knows the trouble I have seen.
No one is entitled to have his debts cancelled.
14. Rules for relative pronouns

A relative pronoun is one which establishes a relationship between two subjects (who, which,
that). When it is used as a subject, it takes a singular or plural verb to accord with its
antecedent i.e. if the subject is singular, use a singular verb and so on.
 Measles is among the diseases that are curable.
This is only one of the local papers that print a weekly horoscope.
A small test for you.
Directions to solve Questions 1 to 10: Correct the sentences using appropriate
countable/ Uncountable Nouns.
1. The shops were offering a great discount on shirt and trouser
2. We went to very expensive restaurant last night.
3. Nora doesn’t usually wear jewellery but yesterday she wore bangle.
4. Vivek has got to attend seminar tomorrow.
5. We didn’t do very much shopping yesterday.
6. We had nice day today.
7. It was good suggestion.
8. I’m optimist.
9. How often do you visit dentist?
10. Colombo is capital of Sri Lanka.

SOLUTION:
1. The shops were offering a great discount on shirts and trousers
2. We went to a very expensive restaurant last night.
3. Nora doesn’t usually wear collect but yesterday she wore a bangle.
4. Vivek has got to attend a seminar tomorrow.
5. We didn’t do much shopping yesterday.
6. We had a nice day today.
7. It was a good suggestion.
8. I’m an optimist.(aap ek hi hain)
9. How often do you visit the dentist?(importance de bhai “the” lagaake…daant thik karenge
aapka)
10. Colombo is the capital of Sri Lanka.(importance again)
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