Rules of Subject Verb Agreement Class 10

Subject verb agreement is a fundamental concept in the English language, and a key component of effective communication. It refers to the agreement of the subject and the verb in a sentence, such that the verb agrees with the number and person of the subject. In order to achieve clarity and precision in writing, it is important to follow the rules of subject verb agreement, especially in academic writing such as Class 10 English.

Below are some rules of subject verb agreement that Class 10 students should keep in mind:

1) Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.

For example:

– The boy walks. (singular subject, singular verb)

– The children run. (plural subject, plural verb)

2) When there are compound subjects joined by “and”, the verb should be plural.

For example:

– The dog and the cat play. (two subjects, plural verb)

3) When there are compound subjects joined by “or” or “nor”, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.

For example:

– Either the cat or the dog runs. (singular verb, since “dog” is singular)

– Neither the cat nor the dogs run. (singular verb, since “dogs” is plural)

4) Indefinite pronouns such as “everyone”, “someone”, and “anyone” are singular and require a singular verb.

For example:

– Everyone is here. (singular subject, singular verb)

5) Collective nouns such as “team”, “committee”, and “group” can be singular or plural, depending on the context.

For example:

– The team is in first place. (singular verb, since the team is viewed as a single unit)

– The team are arguing among themselves. (plural verb, since the team members are viewed as individuals)

6) When the subject of the sentence is a title, name, or other proper noun, the verb should agree with the number of the noun.

For example:

– The Beatles are a famous band. (plural subject, plural verb)

– Shakespeare wrote many plays. (singular subject, singular verb)

By following these rules of subject verb agreement, Class 10 students can improve the clarity and correctness of their writing. Proper subject verb agreement ensures that the intended meaning of a sentence is conveyed clearly and effectively, and helps to avoid confusion or ambiguity.