Subject-verb agreement is an essential component of the English language. It refers to the matching of the subject with the verb in a sentence. Simply put, the verb in a sentence must always agree with the subject in terms of person and number. A singular subject requires a singular verb, while a plural subject requires a plural verb.
To help you test your knowledge of subject-verb agreement, we’ve put together a quiz with answers for you. Let’s get started!
Quiz on Subject-Verb Agreement
1. The dog (barks/bark) every morning.
Answer: barks
Explanation: “Dog” is a singular subject and requires a singular verb, which is “barks.”
2. The students (study/studies) hard for their exams.
Answer: study
Explanation: “Students” is a plural subject and requires a plural verb, which is “study.”
3. The book on the shelf (is/are) mine.
Answer: is
Explanation: “Book” is a singular subject and requires a singular verb, which is “is.”
4. My sisters (is/are) coming to visit me this weekend.
Answer: are
Explanation: “Sisters” is a plural subject and requires a plural verb, which is “are.”
5. Either John or his friends (is/are) going to the party.
Answer: is
Explanation: “Either” is a singular subject and requires a singular verb, which is “is.”
6. The boy, as well as his sisters, (plays/play) in the park.
Answer: plays
Explanation: “Boy” is a singular subject, and “sisters” is a plural subject. The verb must agree with the singular subject, which is “plays.”
7. Neither the teacher nor the students (is/are) happy with the test results.
Answer: are
Explanation: “Neither” is singular, but “teacher” and “students” are both plural. Therefore, the verb must agree with the plural nouns, which is “are.”
8. One of my favorite movies (is/are) The Godfather.
Answer: is
Explanation: “One” is a singular subject and requires a singular verb, which is “is.”
9. The committee (has/have) made its decision.
Answer: has
Explanation: “Committee” is a singular subject, and the verb must agree with it. Therefore, the correct verb is “has.”
10. The news from the World Cup (is/are) disappointing.
Answer: is
Explanation: “News” is a singular subject and requires a singular verb, which is “is.”
Conclusion
Subject-verb agreement is an essential part of the English language. By using the correct verb tense, you can help clarify your sentences and avoid confusion. We hope that this quiz has helped you to test your knowledge of subject-verb agreement. Keep practicing, and you’ll become an expert in no time!