Subject-verb agreement

The verb must agree with the subject in number and person. That means, a singular subject should be followed by a singular verb. Similarly, a plural subject should be followed by a plural verb.

Test your understanding of subject-verb agreement with this English test. There are 10 questions in this test. Each question is followed by two answer choices. Choose the most appropriate one.

1. The cost of all essential articles ………………………………….. risen.

a) have

b) has

2. The jury …………………………………. divided in their opinions.

a) are

b) is

3. ‘Tales of the South Pacific’ ……………………………….. exciting.

a) was

b) were

4. Robert Louis Stevenson’s books ……………………………. always exciting.

a) is

b) are

5. Each of the suspected men ………………………………. arrested.

a) was

b) were

6. The cow, as well as the horse, ………………………………….. on grass.

a) feed

b) feeds

7. Neither his father nor his mother …………………………………. alive.

a) is

b) are

8. Many cattle ………………………………… suffering from a disease called BSE.

a) is

b) are

9. The police …………………………………….. looking for a black-haired man in his forties.

a) is

b) are

10. Your jeans …………………………………….. too tight.

a) is

b) are

Answers

1. The cost of all essential articles has risen.

2. The jury are divided in their opinions.

3. ‘Tales of the South Pacific’ was exciting.

4. Robert Louis Stevenson’s books are always exciting.

5. Each of the suspected men was arrested.

6. The cow, as well as the horse, feeds on the grass.

7. Neither his father nor his mother is alive.

8. Many cattle are suffering from a disease called BSE.

9. The police are looking for a black-haired man in his forties.

10. Your jeans are too tight.