Year 3 · Unit 6 · Lesson 1 of 5
Tricky Concord: Get the Verb Right
Neither the teacher nor the students ___ ready.
Is it is or are? Most students guess. Decide, then check.
are. With neither…nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it. Here that is students, which is plural. You will learn this rule and nine more below.
The 10 concord rules examiners test most
Concord means the verb agrees with its subject: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.
Rule 1
Either…or / neither…nor: the verb agrees with the nearer subject.
Neither the teacher nor the students are ready. Neither the students nor the teacher is ready.
Rule 2
Each, every, everyone, everybody, nobody, anyone, someone, either and neither are singular.
Everybody has finished. Neither of the boys is guilty.
Rule 3
One of + plural noun takes a singular verb.
One of my uncles lives in London.
Rule 4
As well as, together with, along with and in addition to do not change the subject.
The headmaster, together with his staff, has arrived.
Rule 5
The number of is singular; a number of is plural.
The number of accidents is rising. A number of pupils are absent.
Rule 6
An amount seen as one whole is singular.
Fifty dollars is too much. Ten kilometres is a long way.
Rule 7
Some nouns look plural but are singular.
The news is good. Mathematics is my favourite subject.
Rule 8
Some nouns are always plural.
The police are here. The cattle are grazing. My trousers are torn.
Rule 9
Uncountable nouns are singular and never add -s.
The furniture is new. She gave me some useful advice.
Rule 10
Collective nouns: singular for one unit, plural when members act separately.
The committee has made its decision. The jury were arguing among themselves.
Find the real subject first
1. One of my friends ___ in Toronto. (live / lives)
The subject is one, not friends. One is singular, so: lives.
2. The box of pens ___ on the table. (is / are)
Cover up "of pens". The subject is box, which is singular, so: is.
3. Either the boys or their father ___ coming. (is / are)
Either…or: look at the nearer subject. That is father, which is singular, so: is.
Common mistake: "The furnitures are new." Furniture is uncountable, so it never takes -s and its verb is singular: The furniture is new.
10 questions with instant feedback
Choose the option that best completes each sentence. Read the feedback after every answer, especially when you are right by guessing.
1.Neither the captain nor the players ___ happy with the result.
Not quite. Was is singular. With neither…nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject, players, which is plural. Answer: C. were.
Not quite. Is is singular. With neither…nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject, players, which is plural. Answer: C. were.
Correct. With neither…nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject, players (plural): were.
Not quite. Has is singular, but the nearer subject, players, is plural. Answer: C. were.
2.Each of the candidates ___ given an answer booklet.
Not quite. The subject is each, not candidates. Each is singular. Answer: B. was.
Correct. Cover up "of the candidates": the subject is each, which is singular.
Not quite. Are is plural, but the subject each is singular. Answer: B. was.
Not quite. Have is plural, but the subject each is singular. Answer: B. was.
3.One of my uncles ___ in London.
Not quite. The subject is one, not uncles. One takes a singular verb. Answer: B. lives.
Correct. The subject is one, so the verb is singular: lives.
Not quite. Are is plural, but the subject one is singular. Answer: B. lives.
Not quite. With one you would need has, not have. Answer: B. lives.
4.The news from the hospital ___ encouraging.
Not quite. News ends in -s but is singular. Answer: C. is.
Not quite. News ends in -s but is singular. Answer: C. is.
Correct. News looks plural but is singular.
Not quite. News ends in -s but is singular, so have is wrong. Answer: C. is.
5.A number of pupils ___ absent today.
Not quite. A number of means "several", so it is plural. Answer: D. are.
Not quite. A number of means "several", so it is plural. Answer: D. are.
Not quite. A number of means "several", so it is plural. Answer: D. are.
Correct. A number of means "several", so it is plural. Compare: The number of pupils is small.
6.The headmaster, together with his staff, ___ arrived.
Not quite. "Together with his staff" is extra information. The subject is the headmaster, which is singular. Answer: B. has.
Correct. "Together with his staff" does not change the subject, the headmaster.
Not quite. The subject is the headmaster (singular), and "are arrived" is not correct English. Answer: B. has.
Not quite. The subject is the headmaster (singular), and "were arrived" is not correct English. Answer: B. has.
7.The police ___ investigating the matter.
Not quite. Police is always plural. Answer: B. are.
Correct. Police is always plural.
Not quite. Police is plural, and "has investigating" is not correct English. Answer: B. are.
Not quite. Police is always plural. Answer: B. are.
8.Fifty dollars ___ too much for this book.
Not quite. Fifty dollars is one amount of money, so it is treated as singular. Answer: C. is.
Not quite. Fifty dollars is one amount of money, so it is treated as singular. Answer: C. is.
Correct. Fifty dollars is one amount, so it takes a singular verb.
Not quite. Fifty dollars is one amount of money, so it is treated as singular. Answer: C. is.
9.My mother gave me some useful ___.
Not quite. Advice is uncountable, so it never takes -s. Answer: B. advice.
Correct. Advice is uncountable: no -s and no "an".
Not quite. Uncountable nouns do not take a or an. You can say "a piece of advice". Answer: B. advice.
Not quite. Advise is the verb, as in "I advise you to rest". The noun is advice. Answer: B.
10.Mathematics ___ my favourite subject.
Not quite. Subjects ending in -ics, such as mathematics, physics and economics, are singular. Answer: C. is.
Not quite. Subjects ending in -ics, such as mathematics, physics and economics, are singular. Answer: C. is.
Correct. Subjects ending in -ics, such as mathematics, are singular.
Not quite. Subjects ending in -ics, such as mathematics, physics and economics, are singular. Answer: C. is.
Correct the error in each sentence
Rewrite each sentence correctly in the box, then check your answers below.
1. Everybody in the class have finished.
2. The furnitures in the room are new.
3. The number of accidents are rising.
4. Either John or his sisters is coming.
5. My trouser is torn.
1. Everybody in the class has finished. (Everybody is singular.)
2. The furniture in the room is new. (Furniture is uncountable.)
3. The number of accidents is rising. (The number of is singular.)
4. Either John or his sisters are coming. (Nearer subject: sisters.)
5. My trousers are torn. (Trousers is always plural.)
Next: the Lesson 1 exit quiz. Five questions, recorded on your dashboard. Aim for 4 out of 5.