Subject-Verb Agreement — Grammar & Composition Practice Worksheet
Subjects and verbs must agree in number: singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs. In present tense, singular verbs often end in -s (he runs) while plural do not (they run).
Prepositional phrases between subject and verb can trick you — identify the subject, not the object of a preposition. "The box of cookies is empty" — subject is "box" (singular).
Indefinite pronouns vary: everyone, each, nobody, and anything are singular; both, few, and many are plural; some, all, and none depend on context.
Skills practiced
- Matching singular and plural subjects with verbs
- Handling compound subjects joined by and/or
- Agreement with indefinite pronouns
- Ignoring intervening phrases
Practice Worksheet: Subject-Verb Agreement
Instructions: Solve each problem carefully. Show all work clearly. Write your final answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet as directed.
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1.The group of students (is / are) meeting in the library after school.
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2.Neither the teacher nor the students (was / were) aware of the schedule change.
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3.Identify the subject in the following sentence and explain why the verb is singular or plural: “The collection of rare stamps sits in a locked cabinet.”
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4.Each of the contestants (has / have) prepared a short speech.
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5.Mathematics (is / are) my favorite subject.
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6.Correct the verb error in this sentence and explain your reasoning: “The committee have decided to postpone the vote.”
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7.Either the cat or the dogs (is / are) responsible for the mess in the kitchen.
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8.Here (comes / come) the results of the experiment.
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9.Write two to three sentences explaining the rule for subject-verb agreement when the subject is an indefinite pronoun such as “everyone” or “someone.” Provide an example sentence that correctly follows the rule.
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10.The news about the storm (was / were) surprising to everyone.
Answer Key
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1.
The subject is "group" (singular), so the verb must be singular.Final answer: is
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2.
When subjects are joined by "neither...nor," the verb agrees with the subject closer to it. Here, "students" is plural, so the verb is plural.Final answer: were
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3.
Final answer: The subject is "collection" (singular). The verb "sits" is singular because it agrees with the singular subject "collection," not with the plural object of the preposition "stamps."
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4.
The subject "each" is singular, so the verb must be singular.Final answer: has
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5.
The word "mathematics" is treated as a singular subject, even though it ends in "-s."Final answer: is
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6.
Final answer: The correct verb should be "has decided" (singular) because the subject "committee" is a collective noun acting as a single unit. Correction: "The committee has decided to postpone the vote."
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7.
With "either...or," the verb agrees with the subject closer to it. Here, "dogs" is plural, so the verb is plural.Final answer: are
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8.
The subject "results" is plural, so the verb must be plural. In sentences beginning with "here" or "there," the subject follows the verb.Final answer: come
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9.
Final answer: Indefinite pronouns like "everyone," "someone," "anyone," and "no one" are always singular and require singular verbs. For example: "Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting." Even though the pronoun refers to many people, the verb remains singular.
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10.
The word "news" is uncountable and treated as singular, so the verb must be singular.Final answer: was
Common mistakes to avoid
- Matching verb to nearest noun instead of subject
- Treating compound subjects with "or" as always plural
- Using plural verbs with singular indefinite pronouns
- Confusing "there is/are" with following noun
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Last updated: 2026