📘 SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT

 [📘 SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT (Page 77)

Class XI | Communicative English

Simple Rules, Examples and Textbook Questions with Answers

🌟 1. What is Subject–Verb Agreement?

Subject–Verb Agreement means that the verb must agree with the subject of a sentence.

• Singular subject → Singular verb
• Plural subject → Plural verb

Examples:

• He plays football.
• They play football.
• She is happy.
• We are happy.

Remember: In the simple present tense, singular subjects usually take verbs ending in -s or -es.

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📝 2. Important Rules with Examples

🟢 Rule 1: Singular and Plural Subjects

A singular subject takes a singular verb. A plural subject takes a plural verb.

Examples:

1. The boy plays cricket.
2. The boys play cricket.
3. She writes well.
4. They write well.

🔵 Rule 2: Neither…Nor / Either…Or

The verb usually agrees with the subject nearest to it.

Examples:

1. Neither Raju nor his friends are present.
2. Neither the students nor the teacher is absent.
3. Either the teacher or the students are responsible.

🟣 Rule 3: Along With / As Well As

When two subjects are connected by along with or as well as, the verb agrees with the first subject.

Examples:

1. The teacher, along with her students, is present.
2. Raju, as well as his friends, plays cricket.

🟠 Rule 4: Every / Each / Somebody / Everybody

These words usually take a singular verb.

Examples:

1. Everybody likes music.
2. Each student has a book.
3. Somebody is waiting outside.
4. Every child needs love.

🔴 Rule 5: Many a + Singular Noun

Many a takes a singular noun and a singular verb.

Examples:

1. Many a student faces difficulties.
2. Many a person dreams of success.

🟡 Rule 6: Collective Nouns

Words such as team, family, committee and group refer to a collection of people.

They generally take a singular verb when considered as one unit.

Examples:

1. The team has won the match.
2. The family is happy.
3. The committee has made a decision.

Note: Collective nouns may take plural verbs in British English when the members are considered individually.

🟤 Rule 7: One of the + Plural Noun

The expression one of the is followed by a plural noun.

Examples:

1. She is one of the students who work hard.
2. This is one of the books that are useful.

Remember: In these examples, who and that refer to the plural nouns students and books.

🟢 Rule 8: -ing Form as the Subject

When an activity expressed by an -ing form acts as the subject, it usually takes a singular verb.

Examples:

1. Swimming is good exercise.
2. Reading improves our knowledge.
3. Helping others makes us happy.

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✍️ 3. TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Choose the correct verb form from the brackets.

✅ Question (a)

Neither online popularity nor the number of followers (determine / determines) a person's true self-worth.

Answer: determines

Correct Sentence:

Neither online popularity nor the number of followers determines a person's true self-worth.

Reason: The nearer subject, the number of followers, is singular.

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✅ Question (b)

Volunteering to help others is one of the few activities that genuinely (enrich / enriches) both giver and receiver.

Answer: enrich

Correct Sentence:

Volunteering to help others is one of the few activities that genuinely enrich both giver and receiver.

Reason: The word that refers to the plural noun activities. Therefore, the verb is enrich.

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✅ Question (c)

The teacher, along with her students, actively (participate / participates) in the weekend community service.

Answer: participates

Correct Sentence:

The teacher, along with her students, actively participates in the weekend community service.

Reason: The main subject teacher is singular.

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✅ Question (d)

Every broken heart, when repaired with care and patience, (tell / tells) a beautiful story of healing and reconciliation.

Answer: tells

Correct Sentence:

Every broken heart, when repaired with care and patience, tells a beautiful story of healing and reconciliation.

Reason: Every takes a singular verb.

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✅ Question (e)

Somebody who stands up for a friend during a difficult time (show / shows) immense strength of character.

Answer: shows

Correct Sentence:

Somebody who stands up for a friend during a difficult time shows immense strength of character.

Reason: Somebody is singular.

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✅ Question (f)

The search and rescue team (has / have) worked in perfect coordination to locate the survivors in the dense forest.

Answer: has

Correct Sentence:

The search and rescue team has worked in perfect coordination to locate the survivors in the dense forest.

Reason: The team is considered one unit.

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✅ Question (g)

Many a young person (struggle / struggles) to balance academic pressure with mental well-being.

Answer: struggles

Correct Sentence:

Many a young person struggles to balance academic pressure with mental well-being.

Reason: Many a takes a singular noun and a singular verb.

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📚 4. QUICK REVISION TABLE

Rule	Example
Singular subject	He plays.
Plural subject	They play.
Neither…nor	Neither he nor his friends are ready.
Along with	The teacher, along with the students, is present.
Every / Each	Every child needs care.
Somebody / Everybody	Everybody likes music.
Many a	Many a student faces problems.
Collective noun	The team has won.
One of the + plural noun + who	One of the students who work hard
-ing form as subject	Reading is useful.

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🎯 5. TEXTBOOK ANSWER KEY

Question	Correct Answer
a	determines
b	enrich
c	participates
d	tells
e	shows
f	has
g	struggles

⭐ Easy Memory Trick

✅ He / She / It → Plays, Writes, Has, Is

✅ I / We / You / They → Play, Write, Have, Are

✅ Every / Each / Somebody → Singular Verb

✅ Many a → Singular Verb

✅ Along with → Verb agrees with the first subject

✅ Neither…Nor → Verb agrees with the nearer subject

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[Subject–Verb Agreement എന്നാൽ വാക്യത്തിലെ കർത്താവിന് (Subject) അനുയോജ്യമായ ക്രിയ (Verb) ഉപയോഗിക്കുക എന്നതാണ്.

• Singular Subject: ഏകവചന കർത്താവിന് ഏകവചന ക്രിയ.
• Plural Subject: ബഹുവചന കർത്താവിന് ബഹുവചന ക്രിയ.
• Every, Each, Somebody: ഏകവചന ക്രിയ ഉപയോഗിക്കണം.
• Neither…Nor: അടുത്തുള്ള കർത്താവിനനുസരിച്ച് ക്രിയ തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കണം.
• Along with: ആദ്യത്തെ കർത്താവിനനുസരിച്ച് ക്രിയ ഉപയോഗിക്കണം.
• Many a: ഏകവചന ക്രിയ ഉപയോഗിക്കണം.

ഓർക്കുക: ശരിയായ verb തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കാൻ ആദ്യം വാക്യത്തിലെ പ്രധാന subject കണ്ടെത്തണം.]