SF Prep
03 General English — Common Notes 🕒 Updated 2026-10-16
Common Notes SSC CGL · CHSL · Police · Bank · Railway Chapter 03

🤝 Subject-Verb Agreement

Singular subject → singular verb, plural subject → plural verb. Simple rule, lekin either/or, each, collective nouns, "as well as" jaise cases mein exam traps chhupe hain.

📌 1. Basic rule

  • Singular subject ke saath verb+s/es, is, was, has: He plays. Plural ke saath V1, are, were, have: They play.
  • Subject aur verb ke beech ka phrase ignore karo: The box of apples is heavy. The quality of the mangoes was good.
  • And se jude do subjects → plural: Ram and Shyam are friends. Lekin ek hi vyakti/idea ho to singular: The secretary and treasurer has resigned (ek vyakti). Bread and butter is my breakfast.

📌 2. Special cases

SubjectVerbExample
either…or / neither…nor / not only…but also / orPaas wale (nearest) subject ke hisaab seNeither he nor his friends are guilty.
as well as / along with / with / together with / besides / in addition to / likePehle subject ke hisaab seThe captain, as well as the players, was praised.
each / every / everyone / anybody / nobody / either / neitherSingularEach of the boys has a book.
many a + singular nounSingularMany a student has failed.
a number of / a lot of + pluralPluralA number of students were absent.
the number ofSingularThe number of students is increasing.
one of + plural nounSingular (one)One of my friends lives in Pune.
one of those who/thatPlural (relative clause plural noun se judta hai)He is one of those men who work hard.

📌 3. Collective, uncountable aur amount

  • Collective noun ek unit ki tarah → singular: The jury has given its verdict. Members alag-alag soch rahe ho → plural: The jury were divided in their opinions.
  • Distance, time, money, weight ek amount ho to singular: Ten kilometres is a long distance. Fifty rupees is enough.
  • Subjects jo -s par khatam par singular: news, mathematics, physics, economics (subject), measles: Mathematics is easy.
  • The + adjective = class of people → plural: The rich are not always happy.
  • Percentage/part/half/all/some of → verb "of" ke baad wale noun se: Half of the cake is eaten; half of the cakes are eaten.
⚠️ Exam Traps:
  • "There" sentence mein verb baad wale noun se: There are many books; there is a pen.
  • "Who" ke baad verb antecedent se: I, who am your friend, …

📌 4. Practice MCQs

📝 Practice MCQs (SF Prep dwara taiyar — PYQ nahi)
Q1. Choose the correct option: The box of chocolates ______ on the table. Practice
(A) is
(B) are
(C) were
(D) have been
सही उत्तर: (A) is
व्याख्या: Real subject 'box' (singular) hai; 'of chocolates' ignore karo.
Q2. Choose the correct option: Neither the teacher nor the students ______ present. Practice
(A) was
(B) is
(C) has been
(D) were
सही उत्तर: (D) were
व्याख्या: Neither…nor mein verb nearer subject 'students' (plural) se.
Q3. Choose the correct option: The principal, along with the teachers, ______ the function. Practice
(A) attend
(B) attends
(C) are attending
(D) have attended
सही उत्तर: (B) attends
व्याख्या: 'Along with' ke saath verb pehle subject 'principal' (singular) se.
Q4. Choose the correct option: Each of the players ______ a medal. Practice
(A) have received
(B) are receiving
(C) were receiving
(D) has received
सही उत्तर: (D) has received
व्याख्या: 'Each of' ke baad singular verb.
Q5. Choose the correct option: Many a man ______ tried to climb this peak. Practice
(A) have
(B) has
(C) are
(D) were
सही उत्तर: (B) has
व्याख्या: 'Many a + singular noun' singular verb leta hai.
Q6. Choose the correct option: A number of passengers ______ injured in the accident. Practice
(A) was
(B) is
(C) were
(D) has been
सही उत्तर: (C) were
व्याख्या: 'A number of' = many → plural verb.
Q7. Choose the correct option: The number of road accidents ______ rising every year. Practice
(A) is
(B) are
(C) were
(D) have been
सही उत्तर: (A) is
व्याख्या: 'The number of' singular hai — is.
Q8. Choose the correct option: One of my cousins ______ in Canada. Practice
(A) live
(B) lives
(C) are living
(D) have lived
सही उत्तर: (B) lives
व्याख्या: Subject 'one' hai — singular verb.
Q9. Choose the correct option: Mathematics ______ my favourite subject. Practice
(A) are
(B) were
(C) have been
(D) is
सही उत्तर: (D) is
व्याख्या: Mathematics -s par khatam hota hai par singular subject hai.
Q10. Choose the correct option: The rich ______ not always happy. Practice
(A) are
(B) is
(C) was
(D) has
सही उत्तर: (A) are
व्याख्या: 'The + adjective' poori class (log) ko batata hai — plural.
Q11. Choose the correct option: Bread and butter ______ his usual breakfast. Practice
(A) are
(B) were
(C) is
(D) have been
सही उत्तर: (C) is
व्याख्या: Ek hi dish/idea hai — singular.
Q12. Choose the correct option: The jury ______ divided in their opinions. Practice
(A) was
(B) were
(C) is
(D) has
सही उत्तर: (B) were
व्याख्या: 'Their opinions' — members alag-alag soch rahe hain, isliye plural.
Q13. Choose the correct option: Ten kilometres ______ too long a distance to walk. Practice
(A) are
(B) were
(C) is
(D) have been
सही उत्तर: (C) is
व्याख्या: Distance ek amount ke roop mein — singular.
Q14. Choose the correct option: There ______ a lot of mistakes in your essay. Practice
(A) is
(B) was
(C) has been
(D) are
सही उत्तर: (D) are
व्याख्या: 'There' ke baad verb noun 'mistakes' (plural) se; 'a lot of' + plural → plural.
Q15. Identify the error: Either you or he are responsible for this loss. Practice
(A) are
(B) Either you
(C) or he
(D) for this loss
सही उत्तर: (A) are
व्याख्या: Either…or mein nearer subject 'he' → 'is'.
Q16. Choose the correct option: He is one of those boys who ______ always late. Practice
(A) is
(B) was
(C) are
(D) has been
सही उत्तर: (C) are
व्याख्या: 'One of those who' — 'who' plural noun 'boys' ki taraf jaata hai → are.
Q17. Choose the correct option: The news ______ very encouraging. Practice
(A) was
(B) were
(C) are
(D) have been
सही उत्तर: (A) was
व्याख्या: 'News' singular uncountable noun hai.
Q18. Choose the correct option: Half of the apples ______ rotten. Practice
(A) is
(B) was
(C) has been
(D) are
सही उत्तर: (D) are
व्याख्या: 'Half of' ke baad noun 'apples' plural → are.
Q19. Choose the correct option: I, who ______ your well-wisher, advise you to be careful. Practice
(A) is
(B) am
(C) are
(D) be
सही उत्तर: (B) am
व्याख्या: 'Who' ka antecedent 'I' hai → am.
Q20. Choose the correct option: Everybody ______ to be happy. Practice
(A) want
(B) are wanting
(C) have wanted
(D) wants
सही उत्तर: (D) wants
व्याख्या: Everybody/everyone singular verb lete hain.

📝 Practice questions

General English — Practice MCQs Ch 3: Subject-Verb Agreement
📝 Test this chapter Practice questions

Practice MCQs prepared by SF Prep (not PYQs). Rules checked against standard grammar references.