Subject–verb agreement

The verb must agree with its subject: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. ⟦The cat runs.⟧ ⟦The cats run.⟧ In the present simple, a singular verb usually ends in ⟦-s⟧, the opposite of nouns.

Key facts

  • One person or thing (⟦he⟧, ⟦she⟧, ⟦it⟧, ⟦my sister⟧): ⟦is⟧, ⟦was⟧, ⟦has⟧, ⟦does⟧, and ⟦-s⟧ on the verb: ⟦She plays.⟧
  • More than one (⟦they⟧, ⟦we⟧, ⟦the boys⟧): ⟦are⟧, ⟦were⟧, ⟦have⟧, ⟦do⟧, and no ⟦-s⟧: ⟦They play.⟧
  • The verb agrees with the main noun, not the nearest one: ⟦The box of pencils is on the desk.⟧ ⟦One of my friends lives in Cairo.⟧
  • Two subjects joined by ⟦and⟧ are plural: ⟦Omar and his sister are here.⟧
  • ⟦everyone⟧, ⟦nobody⟧, ⟦each⟧ and ⟦every⟧ are singular: ⟦Everyone is ready.⟧ ⟦People⟧, ⟦children⟧ and ⟦police⟧ are plural: ⟦The people are kind.⟧
  • After ⟦there⟧, the verb agrees with the noun that comes next: ⟦There is a cat.⟧ ⟦There are three cats.⟧

Worked examples

Example 1

Choose: ⟦My parents (is / are) at work.⟧

  1. ⟦My parents⟧ is two people: a plural subject.
  2. A plural subject takes ⟦are⟧: ⟦My parents are at work.⟧

Answer: ⟦are⟧

Example 2

Correct the mistake: ⟦The children plays in the garden.⟧

  1. ⟦children⟧ is the plural of ⟦child⟧.
  2. With a plural subject, the verb has no ⟦-s⟧: ⟦The children play in the garden.⟧

Answer: ⟦The children play in the garden.⟧

Example 3

Choose: ⟦The colour of the walls (is / are) green.⟧

  1. What is green? The colour. ⟦of the walls⟧ just tells us which colour.
  2. ⟦colour⟧ is singular, so the verb is ⟦is⟧.

Answer: ⟦is⟧