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Subject–Verb Agreement Errors

Introduction

English grammar में, verb हमेशा संख्या और व्यक्ति के हिसाब से अपने subject से agree होना चाहिए। इसका मतलब है कि singular subject के साथ singular verb और plural subject के साथ plural verb आता है। Subject-verb agreement समझना ज़रूरी है क्योंकि यही grammatically correct sentences की नींव बनाता है।

Pattern: Subject–Verb Agreement Errors

Pattern

मुख्य बात: Singular subject → Singular verb, Plural subject → Plural verb.

सामान्य rule: जब subject singular हो (सिवाय “I” और “You” के), तो verb में -s या -es जोड़ते हैं।

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Identify the part of the sentence that contains an error:

He go to the gym every morning.

Options:
A. He
B. go
C. to the gym
D. every morning

Solution

  1. Step 1: Subject और Verb पहचानें।

    Subject है He और verb है go.

  2. Step 2: Agreement rule लागू करें।

    “He” एक singular subject है, इसलिए verb भी singular होना चाहिए - goes, न कि “go”.

  3. Step 3: Sentence को सही करें।

    सही वाक्य: He goes to the gym every morning.

  4. Final Answer:

    Option B (go) → Incorrect verb form.

  5. Quick Check:

    He (singular) → goes (singular verb). ✅

Quick Variations

1. Collective nouns (जैसे team, jury) context के अनुसार singular या plural verb ले सकते हैं।

2. Indefinite pronouns जैसे everyone, each, somebody हमेशा singular होते हैं।

3. Compound subjects (जैसे Ravi and Sita) आमतौर पर plural verb लेते हैं।

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1: Sentence का main subject पहचानें (commas या prepositional phrases के शब्द ignore करें)।
  • Step 2: Subject की संख्या (singular/plural) के हिसाब से verb चुनें।
  • Step 3: Singular subject के लिए verb में -s / -es जोड़ें (सिवाय “I” और “You” के)।

Summary

Summary

  • Singular subjects के साथ singular verbs, plural subjects के साथ plural verbs आते हैं।
  • Agreement चेक करते समय modifiers या prepositional phrases को ignore करें।
  • Correction के बाद sentence को दोबारा पढ़ें ताकि subject और verb का logical match सुनिश्चित हो सके।
  • एक common trick: Subject को “he” या “they” से replace कर के verb form चेक करें (जैसे, He goes / They go)।

Practice

(1/5)
1. Identify the part of the sentence with an error: 'The boy play cricket every Sunday.'
easy
A. The boy
B. play
C. cricket
D. every Sunday

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the subject and verb.

    The subject is boy (singular) and the verb is play.

  2. Step 2: Apply subject-verb agreement.

    Since the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular - plays.

  3. Step 3: Correct the sentence.

    The correct sentence is: The boy plays cricket every Sunday.

  4. Final Answer:

    play → Option B.

  5. Quick Check:

    He/She/It → plays ✅
Hint: Singular subject → add ‘s’ or ‘es’ to verb.
Common Mistakes: Choosing 'play' with singular subjects like he/she/it.
2. Find the error in this sentence: 'He don’t like spicy food.'
easy
A. He
B. don’t
C. like
D. spicy food

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the auxiliary verb.

    The contraction ‘don’t’ = do not.

  2. Step 2: Apply the rule.

    With singular subjects (he/she/it), use does not instead of ‘do not’.

  3. Step 3: Correct the sentence.

    The correct sentence is: He doesn’t like spicy food.

  4. Final Answer:

    don’t → Option B.

  5. Quick Check:

    He → doesn’t ✅
Hint: Use 'does not' with he/she/it; 'do not' with I/you/we/they.
Common Mistakes: Using 'don’t' with singular subjects.
3. Choose the part that contains an error: 'My friends enjoys watching movies on weekends.'
easy
A. My friends
B. enjoys
C. watching movies
D. on weekends

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the subject.

    The subject friends is plural.

  2. Step 2: Apply the rule.

    Plural subjects take the base verb form without ‘s’ → enjoy, not ‘enjoys’.

  3. Step 3: Correct the sentence.

    The correct form is: My friends enjoy watching movies on weekends.

  4. Final Answer:

    enjoys → Option B.

  5. Quick Check:

    They → enjoy ✅
Hint: Plural subject → use base verb form (no ‘s’).
Common Mistakes: Adding ‘s’ to verbs when subject is plural.
4. Spot the error: 'Each of the students have submitted the assignment.'
medium
A. Each of the students
B. have
C. submitted
D. the assignment

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the main subject.

    ‘Each of the students’ is treated as singular.

  2. Step 2: Apply the rule.

    Singular subjects take singular verbs → use has instead of ‘have’.

  3. Step 3: Correct the sentence.

    Each of the students has submitted the assignment.

  4. Final Answer:

    have → Option B.

  5. Quick Check:

    Each → has ✅
Hint: Words like 'each', 'every', 'everyone' always take singular verbs.
Common Mistakes: Using plural verb with 'each' or 'every'.
5. Find the grammatically incorrect part: 'Neither of the boys know the answer.'
medium
A. Neither of
B. the boys
C. know
D. the answer

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the subject.

    ‘Neither of the boys’ is a singular expression.

  2. Step 2: Apply the rule.

    Singular subjects take singular verbs, so use knows instead of ‘know’.

  3. Step 3: Correct the sentence.

    The correct form is: Neither of the boys knows the answer.

  4. Final Answer:

    know → Option C.

  5. Quick Check:

    Neither → knows ✅
Hint: Expressions like 'neither of', 'either of' take singular verbs.
Common Mistakes: Using plural verb after 'neither' or 'either'.

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