Subject–Verb Concord MCQs Quiz | Class 10
This quiz is designed for Class X students, focusing on Grammar within Communicative English (Code 101). It covers the Topic: Subject–Verb Concord, with a special emphasis on Complex sentence agreement. Test your understanding, then submit to see your score and download a detailed answer PDF for revision.
Understanding Subject-Verb Concord in Complex Sentences
Subject-Verb Concord, also known as Subject-Verb Agreement, is a fundamental rule in English grammar that states a singular subject must take a singular verb, and a plural subject must take a plural verb. While this rule seems straightforward, it can become tricky, especially in complex sentences where phrases, clauses, or multiple subjects might appear between the main subject and its verb.
Key Principles for Complex Sentence Agreement:
- Intervening Phrases: Words or phrases that come between the subject and the verb do not change the number of the subject. The verb must agree with the true subject.
Example: The list of items (is/are) on the table. (Correct: is, because ‘list’ is the subject) - Compound Subjects joined by ‘And’: If two or more subjects are joined by ‘and’, they usually take a plural verb.
Example: My brother and his friend (is/are) coming. (Correct: are) - Compound Subjects joined by ‘Or’/’Nor’: When subjects are joined by ‘or’, ‘nor’, ‘either…or’, or ‘neither…nor’, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
Example: Neither the students nor the teacher (is/are) present. (Correct: is, agrees with ‘teacher’) - Indefinite Pronouns:
- Singular indefinite pronouns (e.g., each, every, everyone, everybody, anyone, anybody, no one, nobody, someone, somebody, anything, everything, nothing, something) always take a singular verb.
- Plural indefinite pronouns (e.g., both, few, many, several) always take a plural verb.
- Some indefinite pronouns (e.g., all, any, most, none, some) can be singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to.
Example: Each of the boys (has/have) a book. (Correct: has)
Example: Some of the water (is/are) spilled. (Correct: is)
Example: Some of the students (is/are) absent. (Correct: are) - Relative Pronouns (Who, Which, That): When a relative pronoun is the subject of a clause, the verb within that clause agrees with the antecedent (the noun or pronoun the relative pronoun refers to).
Example: He is one of the students who (is/are) intelligent. (Correct: are, ‘who’ refers to ‘students’) - Collective Nouns: Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, committee, audience, crowd) can take either a singular or plural verb depending on whether they are acting as a single unit or as individuals. In most CBSE contexts, treat them as singular unless individual action is clearly emphasized.
Example: The team (is/are) playing well. (Correct: is, acting as a unit) - Expressions of Quantity: Phrases like ‘a number of’, ‘the number of’, ‘majority of’, ‘percentage of’ often cause confusion.
- ‘A number of’ (meaning ‘many’) takes a plural verb. Example: A number of students (were/was) late. (Correct: were)
- ‘The number of’ takes a singular verb. Example: The number of applicants (has/have) increased. (Correct: has)
- Subjects with ‘As well as’, ‘Together with’, ‘Along with’, ‘In addition to’: When these phrases connect two subjects, the verb agrees with the first subject.
Example: The principal, as well as the teachers, (is/are) attending the meeting. (Correct: is, agrees with ‘principal’)
Indefinite Pronouns Verb Agreement Summary:
| Category | Pronouns | Verb Agreement |
|---|---|---|
| Always Singular | each, every, everyone, everybody, anyone, anybody, no one, nobody, someone, somebody, anything, everything, nothing, something | Singular Verb |
| Always Plural | both, few, many, several | Plural Verb |
| Singular or Plural (depends on context) | all, any, most, none, some | Depends on the noun they refer to |
Quick Revision Points:
- Identify the true subject before the verb, ignoring intervening phrases.
- Subjects joined by ‘and’ are plural; by ‘or/nor’ agree with the closest subject.
- ‘Each’, ‘every’, and singular indefinite pronouns take singular verbs.
- ‘A number of’ is plural, ‘The number of’ is singular.
- With ‘as well as’, ‘together with’, etc., the verb agrees with the first subject.
- In relative clauses, the verb agrees with the antecedent of the relative pronoun.
Practice Questions:
Try to identify the correct verb for these sentences:
- The challenges that students face today ______ immense. (is/are)
- Every one of the suggestions ______ considered. (was/were)
- Not only the students but also the professor ______ surprised. (was/were)
- The news about the recent changes ______ alarming. (is/are)
- The CEO, along with his team, ______ presenting the report. (is/are)
