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First 5 Rules of Concord in English Grammar With Examples and Exercises

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Introduction to Concord in English Grammar

Concord is one of the fundamental principles that help learners construct correct sentences in English. It explains why we say “The student reads every day” rather than “The student read every day” when describing a habitual action in the simple present tense, and why “The students read every day” is correct when referring to more than one student. Although the difference may appear small, choosing the correct verb is essential for clear communication in academic writing, examinations, professional correspondence, interviews, presentations, and everyday conversations.

Many English learners understand individual words but struggle to combine them correctly in sentences. A learner may know the meanings of teacher, students, book, and read but still write “The teacher and the students is reading.” Another learner may correctly identify a plural noun but select a verb based on a different noun appearing closer to it. These errors often arise because the learner has not identified the actual subject of the sentence or has not understood how the words in a subject affect verb agreement.

The subject of a sentence is the person, thing, place, or idea that the sentence is about. A verb expresses an action, a state, or an occurrence. In the sentence “The girl speaks English,” girl is the subject and speaks is the verb. Concord requires the verb to agree with the subject according to the grammatical structure of the sentence. The appropriate form may depend on whether the subject is singular or plural, whether the sentence contains a compound subject, and whether a conjunction connects alternative subjects.

Understanding concord can also support the broader goal of learning how to speak English fluently. Fluency involves more than speaking quickly or knowing many words. It includes expressing ideas clearly, constructing understandable sentences, and using grammatical patterns accurately enough that listeners can follow the intended meaning. Subject-verb agreement is one of the skills that helps learners speak and write with greater confidence. However, concord alone does not guarantee fluency. Vocabulary, pronunciation, listening comprehension, sentence structure, and regular speaking practice are also important.

This lesson focuses on the first five rules of concord in English grammar. It begins with basic singular and plural agreement, then explains subjects joined by and, subjects joined by or or nor, the paired conjunctions either…or and neither…nor, and the relationship between a subject and a verb when other words appear between them. It also examines common errors, practical ways to check sentences, and differences between grammatical rules and choices that depend on meaning.

By the end of this lesson, learners should be able to identify the main subject in a sentence, distinguish singular from plural agreement, choose appropriate verb forms, recognise misleading nouns in longer sentences, and explain why a sentence is correct or incorrect. The assignments are designed to test understanding rather than memorisation alone.

1. What Is Concord in English Grammar?

Meaning and definition of concord

Concord is the grammatical agreement between words or grammatical elements in a sentence. In subject-verb concord, the subject and verb must have the appropriate grammatical relationship. The verb form is selected according to the subject and the construction in which the subject appears.

Consider these sentences:

  1. The student writes neatly.
  2. The students write neatly.
  3. My brother is at home.
  4. My brothers are at home.

The first two sentences describe the same general kind of activity, but the subjects differ in number. Student is singular, while students is plural. Consequently, the simple present-tense verb changes from writes to write. The same principle applies to is and are in the other two sentences.

The word concord is often used interchangeably with agreement in grammar lessons. Both terms can describe the relationship between the subject and the verb. The expression subject-verb agreement is particularly useful because it identifies the two grammatical elements involved.

Concord does not mean that the subject and verb must always look alike. They must agree according to grammatical rules, not necessarily share similar endings. For instance, “The child is sleeping” is correct, even though child and is do not have matching endings. Similarly, “The children are sleeping” is correct because children is plural and takes are.

The basic principle is simple: identify the subject, determine its grammatical properties, and select the verb form required by the sentence. The difficulty often arises when a sentence contains additional nouns, conjunctions, or phrases that make the actual subject less obvious.

Understanding subjects and verbs

Before learning the five rules, it is important to distinguish a subject from a verb. A subject tells us who or what the sentence concerns. A verb tells us what the subject does, what state it is in, or what happens to it.

In “The nurse checks the patient’s temperature,” the subject is nurse and the verb is checks. The sentence tells us what the nurse does. In “The patients are comfortable,” the subject is patients and the verb is are. The sentence describes their state rather than an action.

A sentence may contain more than one verb. For example, “The student reads and takes notes” contains the verbs reads and takes. Both verbs relate to the singular subject student. When the subject changes to students, the sentence becomes “The students read and take notes.” The subject remains the controlling element for both verbs.

A sentence may also contain a helping verb, which is sometimes called an auxiliary verb. In “She has completed the assignment,” has is a helping verb and completed is the main verb. The form has agrees with the singular subject she. In “They have completed the assignment,” have is used with the plural subject they.

It is useful to identify the complete verb phrase rather than examine only the final word. In “The student is reading,” the verb phrase is is reading. In “The students are reading,” it is are reading. The agreement difference appears in the helping verb is or are, while reading remains unchanged.

Singular and plural subjects

A singular subject refers to one person, animal, object, place, or idea. Examples include the teacher, my sister, the school, a book, the child, and the decision. A plural subject refers to more than one person or thing, as in the teachers, my sisters, the schools, the books, the children, and the decisions.

However, grammatical number cannot always be identified by adding or removing the letter s. Some plural nouns have irregular forms. For example, man becomes men, woman becomes women, child becomes children, and person often becomes people. Other nouns, such as sheep, can have the same form in both singular and plural contexts.

Some nouns ending in s are treated as singular. News is a common example. In the sentence “The news is encouraging,” the noun news takes a singular verb. Academic subjects such as mathematics and physics are also normally singular when they refer to fields of study: “Mathematics is compulsory in this course.”

Pronouns also affect concord. He, she, and it generally take singular verb forms in the simple present tense, while I, you, we, and they have their own agreement patterns. For example, “He works,” “I work,” “You work,” “We work,” and “They work.” The pronoun you takes are with the verb be, even when it refers to one person.

Understanding the difference between grammatical number and the physical number of people or things is important. A group may contain many people but be represented by a singular collective noun, such as team, committee, or family. The agreement chosen can depend on the intended meaning and the variety of English. This issue is examined more closely later in the lesson.

Why concord matters

Concord helps readers understand the relationship between the subject and the action or state described by the verb. If a sentence contains an agreement error, the intended meaning may remain understandable, but the sentence can sound incorrect or careless in standard formal English.

In school assignments and examinations, subject-verb agreement is a common area in which learners are expected to demonstrate grammatical control. Correct concord also matters in essays, reports, applications, formal letters, and professional emails. A sentence such as “The list of requirements are attached” may distract a reader from the information being communicated. The correct version is “The list of requirements is attached.”

In spoken English, correct agreement helps learners develop reliable sentence patterns. A speaker who practises “She works,” “They work,” “The manager is,” and “The managers are” begins to recognise how the verb changes with the subject. With regular practice, choosing the correct form can become more automatic.

Nevertheless, concord is one component of effective communication, not the only one. A grammatically correct sentence may still be unclear if it uses the wrong word, has a confusing structure, or does not express the intended idea. Good communication combines grammatical accuracy with appropriate vocabulary, logical organisation, and awareness of the audience.

Table 1: Basic grammatical terms used in concord

Term Meaning Example
Subject The person, thing, or idea the sentence is about The teacher explains the lesson.
Verb A word or group of words expressing an action, state, or occurrence The teacher explains the lesson.
Singular Referring to one person or thing The student is present.
Plural Referring to more than one person or thing The students are present.
Agreement The grammatical relationship between words The student writes; the students write.
Conjunction A word that connects words, phrases, or clauses John and Mary are here.
Compound subject Two or more subjects connected within the same subject structure John and Mary are here.
Auxiliary verb A helping verb used with a main verb or to form a grammatical construction She has finished the work.
Prepositional phrase A group of words beginning with a preposition and functioning together in a sentence The book on the table is mine.
Proximity agreement Agreement influenced by the subject nearest to the verb in certain constructions Either the teacher or the students are coming.

Assignment 1: Test your understanding of concord

Answer the following questions before moving to Rule 1.

A. Multiple-choice questions

  1. What does concord mean in English grammar?
    • A. The arrangement of words in alphabetical order
    • B. Grammatical agreement between sentence elements
    • C. The correct pronunciation of every word
    • D. The use of capital letters
  2. Which word is the subject in “The driver checks the vehicle”?
    • A. Checks
    • B. Vehicle
    • C. Driver
    • D. The
  3. Which sentence contains a plural subject?
    • A. The child is sleeping.
    • B. My brother works here.
    • C. The teachers are meeting.
    • D. The news is interesting.
  4. Which sentence uses a singular verb correctly?
    • A. The boys plays football.
    • B. The news is encouraging.
    • C. The children is happy.
    • D. My sisters studies English.
  5. In “The students have completed their work,” which word is the auxiliary verb?
    • A. Students
    • B. Completed
    • C. Work
    • D. Have

B. Short-answer questions

  1. Explain the difference between a singular subject and a plural subject.
  2. Identify the subject and verb in this sentence: “The nurse is checking the patient.”
  3. Explain why “The news is good” is correct even though news ends in s.
  4. Write two sentences that use the same verb in the simple present tense, one with a singular subject and the other with a plural subject.
  5. Explain one way that learning concord can help someone who wants to speak English fluently.

2. Rule 1: A Singular Subject Generally Takes a Singular Verb, While a Plural Subject Takes a Plural Verb

Understanding the first rule of concord

The first rule of concord states that a singular subject generally takes a singular verb, while a plural subject generally takes a plural verb. This is the basic principle of subject-verb agreement. It applies to many ordinary statements in English and provides the foundation for understanding the other rules in this lesson.

Consider the sentences “The student reads every evening” and “The students read every evening.” Both sentences describe a habitual activity. The difference lies in the subject: the first refers to one student, while the second refers to more than one. Because student is singular, the verb takes the form reads. Because students is plural, the verb takes the base form read.

The rule is especially noticeable in the simple present tense. With most regular lexical verbs, a third-person singular subject takes a verb ending in -s or -es. A lexical verb is a main verb that carries the central meaning of the action or state, such as work, speak, study, teach, or watch. Thus, we say “She speaks clearly,” “He watches television,” and “The teacher teaches English.”

With plural subjects, the main verb usually takes its base form in the simple present tense. We say “They speak clearly,” “The children watch television,” and “The teachers teach English.” The same base form is used with I and you: “I speak clearly” and “You speak clearly.” Therefore, it is not accurate to say that every singular subject takes a verb ending in -s. The pattern depends on the subject’s grammatical person and the verb construction.

The rule also applies to forms of be, have, and do. These verbs have special forms that learners must recognise. For example, “The child is ready,” “The children are ready,” “She has a pen,” and “They have pens.” Learning these common forms is important because they appear frequently in speech, writing, questions, and negative statements.

The difference between singular and plural verbs in the simple present tense

In the simple present tense, regular main verbs usually have two principal patterns. The third-person singular form generally adds -s or -es, while the form used with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns is usually the base form.

For example, the verb work appears as works with he, she, it, and singular nouns. However, it remains work with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns. The verb go becomes goes with a third-person singular subject but remains go with plural subjects. These changes are grammatical forms rather than changes in the basic meaning of the verb.

Some spelling changes occur when forming the third-person singular. Verbs ending in consonant plus y generally change y to ies, as in study becoming studies and carry becoming carries. Verbs ending in a vowel plus y usually add s, as in play becoming plays and enjoy becoming enjoys. Verbs ending in certain sounds or letter combinations take -es, as in watch becoming watches and fix becoming fixes.

These spelling patterns are useful, but learners should remember that not all verbs follow the same pattern. The verb be has forms such as am, is, and are, while have becomes has with third-person singular subjects. The verb do becomes does. The correct form should be selected according to the subject and the sentence structure.

Table 2: Subject-verb forms in the simple present tense

Subject Verb work Verb study Verb have Verb be
I work study have am
You work study have are
He works studies has is
She works studies has is
It works studies has is
We work study have are
They work study have are
The student works studies has is
The students work study have are

This table shows why the grammatical subject must be identified before the verb is selected. A learner who memorises only that singular subjects take verbs ending in -s may incorrectly write “I works” or “You studies.” The correct approach is to learn the agreement pattern for each subject type.

Examples of Rule 1 in everyday English

In school, a learner might write, “My teacher explains difficult topics.” The subject teacher is singular, so explains is correct. If the sentence refers to several teachers, it becomes “My teachers explain difficult topics.” The verb changes because the subject changes.

In a workplace, someone might say, “The manager approves the schedule.” The subject manager is singular, so approves is appropriate. When describing several managers, the sentence becomes “The managers approve the schedule.” This pattern applies to reports, workplace conversations, and professional emails.

In a family conversation, a speaker may say, “My brother watches the news every morning.” The singular subject brother takes watches. If the speaker refers to two brothers, the sentence becomes “My brothers watch the news every morning.” The word news remains singular in both sentences, but the verb watch changes according to the subject of the sentence.

In a formal email, a writer might say, “The applicant meets the stated requirements.” The subject applicant is singular, so meets is correct. If several applicants meet the requirements, the sentence becomes “The applicants meet the stated requirements.” Correct agreement makes the information easier to read and gives the sentence the expected form in standard formal English.

In spoken English, learners should practise these patterns aloud. Saying “She works here,” “They work here,” “He has a car,” and “They have cars” helps reinforce the relationship between subjects and verbs. The goal is not to speak unnaturally slowly, but to become familiar enough with the patterns that the appropriate forms are easier to produce during ordinary conversation.

Special forms of be, have, and do

The verb be deserves special attention because its forms change considerably. In the present tense, we use am with I, is with he, she, it, and singular nouns, and are with you, we, they, and plural nouns. For example, “I am ready,” “The student is ready,” and “The students are ready.”

In the past tense, the principal forms are was and were. We normally say “I was tired,” “She was at school,” and “The child was asleep.” We say “You were correct,” “We were late,” and “The children were happy.” Notice that you takes were even when it refers to one person.

The verb have is also important. Its present-tense forms are have and has. We say “I have a question,” “You have a question,” “They have questions,” and “The student has a question.” The singular form has is used with third-person singular subjects, while have is used with other subject types in the simple present tense.

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The verb do follows a similar pattern, with does used for third-person singular subjects and do used with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns. For example, “She does her homework,” “They do their homework,” and “The teacher does the marking.” These forms are especially important in questions and negative sentences.

When do or does is used as an auxiliary verb, the main verb normally remains in its base form. Therefore, “Does he understand?” is correct, while “Does he understands?” is incorrect. Similarly, “She does not understand” is correct, while “She does not understands” is incorrect. The auxiliary carries the relevant agreement marking, so the main verb does not take the third-person singular ending.

Table 3: Common subject-verb agreement patterns

Subject pattern Correct example Reason
Third-person singular noun The teacher explains the lesson. The main verb takes -s.
Plural noun The teachers explain the lesson. The main verb uses its base form.
Singular subject with be The student is present. Is agrees with the singular subject.
Plural subject with be The students are present. Are agrees with the plural subject.
Singular subject with have She has a textbook. Has is the third-person singular form.
Plural subject with have They have textbooks. Have is used with they.
Singular subject in a question Does she understand? Does carries the agreement marking.
Plural subject in a question Do they understand? Do is used with they.
Singular subject in the past The child was tired. Was is appropriate for this subject.
Plural subject in the past The children were tired. Were is appropriate for this subject.

Questions and negative sentences under Rule 1

The basic agreement rule continues to apply when a sentence is changed into a question or a negative statement. However, the position and form of the verb may change because English uses auxiliary verbs to form many questions and negatives.

Compare “She understands the question” with “Does she understand the question?” The affirmative sentence uses understands, while the question uses does followed by understand. The main verb returns to its base form because the auxiliary does carries the third-person singular marking.

The same pattern applies to negative sentences. “He speaks English” becomes “He does not speak English.” The word does shows the agreement pattern, so the main verb is speak, not speaks. A common mistake is to retain the -s ending after does, producing forms such as “He does not speaks.”

For plural subjects, do is used instead of does. Thus, “They understand the question” becomes “Do they understand the question?” and “They do not understand the question.” The main verb remains in its base form throughout these constructions.

The verb be behaves differently. We do not normally use do to form ordinary questions or negatives with be. Instead, the form of be moves before the subject in questions or takes not in negative sentences. For example, “She is ready” becomes “Is she ready?” and “She is not ready.” Likewise, “They are ready” becomes “Are they ready?” and “They are not ready.”

Learning these differences is important because subject-verb concord involves more than adding -s to a verb. Learners must recognise the complete grammatical structure and select the appropriate form of the main verb or auxiliary.

Table 4: Correct agreement in statements, questions, and negatives

Statement Question Negative sentence
She works here. Does she work here? She does not work here.
They work here. Do they work here? They do not work here.
He has a car. Does he have a car? He does not have a car.
The student is ready. Is the student ready? The student is not ready.
The students are ready. Are the students ready? The students are not ready.
She studies daily. Does she study daily? She does not study daily.

Common errors under Rule 1

One frequent error is using a singular verb with a plural subject. For example, “The children plays outside” is incorrect. The correct sentence is “The children play outside.” The subject children is plural, so the base form play is required.

Another error is using a plural-pattern verb with a singular third-person subject. “My father work in a hospital” should be “My father works in a hospital.” The subject father is singular, so the verb takes the third-person singular form.

Learners also sometimes use the wrong form of be. “The students is ready” is incorrect because students is plural. The correct sentence is “The students are ready.” Similarly, “The child are happy” should be “The child is happy.”

A further error occurs when learners assume that the main verb always carries the agreement marking. In “Does the teacher explains the topic?” the verb explains is incorrectly marked because does already carries the third-person singular form. The correct question is “Does the teacher explain the topic?”

The best way to correct these errors is to identify the subject and determine which grammatical pattern applies. If the subject is a third-person singular noun in an affirmative simple present-tense statement, check whether the main verb needs -s or -es. If the sentence contains does, make sure the main verb is in its base form. If the verb is be, select the appropriate form directly.

Assignment 2: Rule 1 practice exercises

Complete each question carefully. In the sentence-correction questions, rewrite the whole sentence rather than changing only one word.

A. Fill in the blanks

  1. The student _____ English every evening. (study/studies)
  2. My brothers _____ to school by bus. (go/goes)
  3. She _____ a new dictionary. (have/has)
  4. The children _____ in the classroom. (is/are)
  5. The news _____ encouraging. (is/are)
  6. My mother _____ delicious meals. (cook/cooks)
  7. We _____ ready for the examination. (am/are)
  8. The teacher _____ the assignment carefully. (check/checks)
  9. _____ your sister understand the lesson? (Do/Does)
  10. The boys _____ not attend the meeting. (does/do)

B. Correct the errors

  1. The girl sing beautifully.
  2. The students studies English every morning.
  3. My brother have a laptop.
  4. The children is playing outside.
  5. Does your father works here?
  6. She do not understand the question.
  7. The news are important.
  8. You is my best friend.
  9. The teacher explain the rule.
  10. The boys does their homework every evening.

C. Short-answer questions

  1. Why is “The student writes” correct but “The students writes” incorrect?
  2. Explain the difference between has and have, using one sentence for each.
  3. Why do we say “Does she understand?” rather than “Does she understands?”
  4. Write three sentences using is, are, and were correctly.
  5. Write a short paragraph about your daily routine using at least three third-person singular verbs and two plural subjects.

7. Common Mistakes in Concord and How to Correct Them

Understanding the rules of concord is important, but learners also need to recognise the errors that occur when these rules are applied in actual sentences. Some mistakes result from choosing a verb too quickly. Others arise from confusing grammatical number with the number of people or things mentioned in a sentence. Longer sentences can be particularly difficult because they contain several nouns, descriptive phrases, and auxiliary verbs.

The most effective correction method is to identify the subject, determine its grammatical number, recognise the sentence structure, and then select the verb. The following mistakes illustrate how this method works in school assignments, examinations, professional communication, and everyday English.

Mistake 1: Using a plural verb with a singular subject

Incorrect: The student write neatly.

Correct: The student writes neatly.

The subject student is singular. In an affirmative simple present-tense sentence, a regular main verb generally takes the third-person singular ending when the subject is he, she, it, or a singular noun. Therefore, writes is correct.

The error may occur because learners remember the base form of the verb but forget to change it for a third-person singular subject. This is especially common when the subject is separated from the verb by several words.

For example, “The new student in our class speak English confidently” is incorrect. The correct sentence is “The new student in our class speaks English confidently.” The phrase in our class provides additional information, but the subject remains student.

Correction technique: Identify the main subject and check whether it is a third-person singular noun. If the sentence is an affirmative statement in the simple present tense, verify whether the main verb needs -s or -es.

Mistake 2: Using a singular verb with a plural subject

Incorrect: The students studies every evening.

Correct: The students study every evening.

The subject students is plural. In the simple present tense, the main verb normally takes its base form with plural subjects. Therefore, study is correct.

The same principle applies to irregular plural nouns. For example, “The children plays in the garden” should be “The children play in the garden.” Although children does not end in -s, it is plural and requires the plural agreement pattern.

In a workplace, the sentence “The employees works hard” should be “The employees work hard.” The verb is selected according to the subject’s grammatical number, not the number of letters in the noun.

Correction technique: Replace the subject temporarily with they. If the correct form is “They study,” “They play,” or “They work,” the same base form will normally be required with the corresponding plural noun.

Mistake 3: Choosing a verb based on the nearest noun

Incorrect: The quality of the answers are excellent.

Correct: The quality of the answers is excellent.

The subject is quality, which is singular. The plural noun answers appears in the prepositional phrase of the answers. That phrase describes the quality being discussed, but it does not control the main verb.

This error is common because the writer sees a plural noun near the verb and chooses a plural form without checking the sentence structure. However, the nearest noun is not necessarily the subject.

Consider another example: “The condition of the machines has improved.” The subject is condition, and has is correct. The plural noun machines is part of the phrase of the machines.

Correction technique: Temporarily remove the descriptive phrase. “The quality is excellent” and “The condition has improved” reveal the appropriate agreement.

Mistake 4: Treating every subject joined by and as singular

Incorrect: Peter and his sister is at home.

Correct: Peter and his sister are at home.

The conjunction and joins two separate subjects, so the compound subject generally takes a plural verb. This rule applies even when the subjects refer to people who belong to the same family or live in the same house.

For example, “The teacher and the student was interviewed” should be “The teacher and the student were interviewed” if the sentence refers to two different people.

However, the meaning must be considered. In “The owner and manager is available,” one person may hold both positions. In that case, singular agreement can be correct. If the sentence refers to two people, writing “The owner and the manager are available” makes the meaning clearer.

Correction technique: Ask whether the nouns joined by and refer to two separate subjects or one person, unit, or combined idea.

Mistake 5: Confusing and with or

Incorrect: The manager and the employees is ready.

Correct: The manager and the employees are ready.

The conjunction and normally combines two subjects. By contrast, or commonly presents alternatives. Therefore, “Either the manager or the employees are ready” follows a different agreement pattern because the nearer subject is plural.

Compare these sentences:

  • The manager and the employees are ready.
  • Either the manager or the employees are ready.
  • Either the employees or the manager is ready.

The first sentence uses a plural verb because and combines the subjects. The second uses a plural verb under proximity agreement because employees is the nearer subject. The third uses a singular verb because manager is nearest to the verb.

Correction technique: Identify the conjunction before choosing the verb. Do not apply the compound-subject rule for and to constructions with or.

Mistake 6: Ignoring proximity agreement

Incorrect: Either the students or the teacher are responsible.

Correct: Either the students or the teacher is responsible.

In this construction, teacher is the subject nearest to the verb. Since it is singular, the singular verb is is appropriate under standard proximity agreement.

The reverse arrangement has a different verb:

“Either the teacher or the students are responsible.”

Here, students is nearest to the verb, so are is appropriate. Both sentences follow the same general proximity principle, but the subject order differs.

Correction technique: In a construction using or or nor, identify the subject closest to the verb and determine its grammatical number.

Mistake 7: Treating along with as equivalent to and

Incorrect: The director, along with the managers, are attending the meeting.

Correct: The director, along with the managers, is attending the meeting.

The main subject is director. The expression along with the managers provides additional information about who is involved, but it does not normally create a compound subject. The singular verb is is therefore appropriate.

If the writer intends to make both the director and the managers equal parts of the subject, the sentence can be rewritten as “The director and the managers are attending the meeting.”

The same distinction applies to as well as, together with, and in addition to. These expressions should not automatically trigger plural agreement merely because they introduce a plural noun.

Correction technique: Determine whether the sentence contains a true compound subject joined by and or a main subject followed by an additional phrase.

Mistake 8: Using the wrong form of do in questions

Incorrect: Does she understands the question?

Correct: Does she understand the question?

In this question, does is the auxiliary verb. It carries the third-person singular marking, so the main verb remains in its base form, understand.

The same rule applies to negative sentences. “He does not speaks French” should be “He does not speak French.” The auxiliary does already indicates the agreement pattern.

For plural subjects, use do: “Do the students understand the instructions?” and “The students do not understand the instructions.”

Correction technique: Whenever do or does functions as an auxiliary verb, check that the main verb is in its base form.

Mistake 9: Assuming every noun ending in s is plural

Incorrect: The news are encouraging.

Correct: The news is encouraging.

The noun news is normally singular in standard English. Its final s does not make it a plural noun. The same general principle applies to academic subjects such as mathematics, physics, and economics when they refer to fields of study.

For example, “Mathematics is a compulsory subject” is correct. However, some nouns can take different agreement patterns depending on their meaning. “The economics of these projects are complicated” can use plural agreement when economics refers to different financial considerations rather than the academic discipline.

Correction technique: Learn the grammatical number of unfamiliar nouns and consider the meaning in which they are used.

Mistake 10: Assuming every collective noun must take a plural verb

Incorrect in the intended American English context: The committee are meeting today.

Generally preferred in American English: The committee is meeting today.

A collective noun refers to a group considered as a unit. Examples include committee, team, family, audience, and government. In American English, these nouns generally take singular agreement when the group is treated as one entity.

British English sometimes uses plural agreement with collective nouns when the writer or speaker emphasises the members as individuals. Therefore, the sentence “The committee are divided in their opinions” can occur in British English, while American English more commonly uses “The committee is divided in its opinions.”

The appropriate form depends on the variety of English and the intended meaning. For a lesson using American English by default, singular agreement is generally the safest choice when a collective noun represents a unit.

Correction technique: Determine whether the collective noun represents one group as a whole or its individual members, and follow the conventions of the English variety being used.

Mistake 11: Confusing the number of with a number of

Incorrect: The number of applicants are increasing.

Correct: The number of applicants is increasing.

The expression the number of usually takes a singular verb because the grammatical subject is number. The sentence refers to the total quantity of applicants, which is treated as one measure.

Compare this with “A number of applicants are waiting outside.” In this construction, a number of means several applicants, so the plural noun applicants controls the agreement pattern.

The difference is important in examination questions because both expressions contain the word number, but their meanings and agreement patterns differ.

Correction technique: Learn the complete expressions rather than treating the number of and a number of as interchangeable.

Mistake 12: Confusing a subject with an object

Incorrect: The teacher gave the students their assignments, and they was happy.

Correct: The teacher gave the students their assignments, and they were happy.

The subject of the second clause is they, which refers to the students. The appropriate past-tense form of be is were.

A noun may appear as the object of one verb and the subject of another clause. Its grammatical role can change from one clause to the next. Therefore, a learner must identify the subject associated with the particular verb being checked.

Consider “The manager interviewed the workers because they were available.” The subject of interviewed is manager, while the subject of were is they. The agreement of one verb does not determine the agreement of every other verb in the sentence.

Correction technique: Identify the subject for each verb separately, especially in sentences containing more than one clause.

Mistake 13: Using the wrong verb after neither…nor

Incorrect: Neither the teacher nor the students is ready.

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Generally expected under proximity agreement: Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.

The nearer subject is students, which is plural. Therefore, are is appropriate in this standard proximity construction.

When the order changes, the verb changes too: “Neither the students nor the teacher is ready.” The nearer subject is now teacher, which is singular.

Correction technique: Locate the subject closest to the verb and apply proximity agreement. If the sentence sounds awkward, consider restructuring it without changing its intended meaning.

Mistake 14: Confusing grammatical number with the number of people involved

Incorrect: The team are playing its first match.

Generally preferred in American English: The team is playing its first match.

The subject team is a collective noun. In American English, it generally takes a singular verb when the team is considered one unit. The singular pronoun its also agrees with that interpretation.

If the sentence emphasises the individual members, a different structure may be clearer: “The team members are preparing for their first match.” This version uses the plural subject members and the plural pronoun their.

Correction technique: Choose whether the sentence describes the group as a unit or its individual members, and keep the verb and pronouns consistent with that choice.

Mistake 15: Failing to check agreement in long sentences

Incorrect: The list of books required by the teachers are available in the library.

Correct: The list of books required by the teachers is available in the library.

The subject is list, which is singular. The phrase of books required by the teachers provides additional information about the list but does not control the main verb.

Long sentences can contain several nouns that appear to compete for agreement. Instead of selecting the verb based on the last noun, the writer should identify the grammatical structure and determine which noun is the subject.

A useful technique is to simplify the sentence: “The list is available in the library.” Once the subject and verb have been identified, the additional information can be restored.

Correction technique: Locate the main clause, identify its subject and verb, and then check the agreement before reviewing the descriptive phrases.

Assignment 7: Comprehensive error correction

Correct each sentence and explain the rule that applies. Where a sentence can be correct under a particular interpretation, state the interpretation that makes it correct.

  1. The teacher explain the lesson clearly.
  2. The children plays in the garden.
  3. The manager and the workers is ready.
  4. Either the workers or the manager are responsible.
  5. Neither the director nor the assistants is available.
  6. The quality of the answers are excellent.
  7. The principal, together with the teachers, are attending the event.
  8. Does your sister understands the instructions?
  9. The news are encouraging.
  10. The number of students are increasing.
  11. A number of students is waiting outside.
  12. The team are preparing its report. Use standard American English and treat the team as one unit.
  13. The owner and the manager is available. Assume they are two different people.
  14. Neither the books nor the notebook are missing.
  15. The list of requirements have been published.
  16. My brother and I has completed the assignment.
  17. The secretary, as well as the assistants, have arrived.
  18. Either the teacher or the students is presenting the report.
  19. The price of the products are too high.
  20. The student who sits near the windows are my cousin.
  21. The captain and the players was interviewed. Assume the sentence refers to several people.
  22. Neither the nurses nor the doctor are available.
  23. The mathematics of the problem are difficult. Use mathematics to mean the academic subject.
  24. The director or the managers is attending. Rewrite this sentence if necessary to improve clarity.
  25. Write a paragraph of five to seven sentences about an examination, a school, or a workplace. Include at least five different agreement patterns from the lesson.

8. A Step-by-Step Method for Applying the Five Rules of Concord

Knowing the rules is only the first stage of learning concord. Learners must also develop a practical method for applying them to unfamiliar sentences. The following process can be used when answering grammar questions, proofreading assignments, writing professional emails, or preparing for a speaking exercise.

Step 1: Find the main verb

Begin by identifying the verb or verb phrase. Ask what action, state, or occurrence the sentence expresses. In “The students are preparing for the examination,” the verb phrase is are preparing. In “The list has been published,” the verb phrase is has been published.

Finding the verb first can help you understand which part of the sentence requires agreement checking. In a long sentence, there may be several verbs, and each may have a different subject. For example, “The teacher explains the lesson while the students take notes” contains two clauses and two subject-verb relationships.

Step 2: Identify the subject belonging to that verb

Ask who or what performs the action or is described by the verb. In “The students are preparing,” the subject is students. In “The list has been published,” the subject is list. Do not automatically select the nearest noun.

If the sentence contains multiple clauses, repeat this process for each verb. In “The manager interviewed the workers because they were available,” the subject of interviewed is manager, while the subject of were is they.

Step 3: Determine whether the subject is singular or plural

Check the grammatical number of the subject. Remember that singular nouns do not always end in -s, and some nouns ending in -s are singular. For example, child is singular, children is plural, and news is normally singular.

Also consider collective nouns, titles, and expressions such as the number of. Their agreement depends on the grammatical structure and intended meaning. When using American English, collective nouns treated as a unit generally take singular agreement.

Step 4: Check whether the sentence contains a compound subject

If two subjects are connected by and, a plural verb is generally required when the subjects refer to separate people or things. For example, “The teacher and the students are ready.”

If the sentence uses or, nor, either…or, or neither…nor, consider proximity agreement. Identify the subject nearest to the verb and select the corresponding form, while also checking whether the sentence can be rewritten more clearly.

Step 5: Identify intervening phrases

Look for expressions that separate the subject from the verb. These may include prepositional phrases such as of the students, in the classroom, or on the shelf. They may also include phrases such as along with the teachers and as well as the students.

Determine whether the phrase is part of the main subject or simply provides additional information. In “The principal, along with the teachers, is present,” the main subject is principal. In “The principal and the teachers are present,” the compound subject includes both elements.

Step 6: Select the appropriate verb form

Once the subject and sentence structure are clear, select the correct form. Check whether the sentence is in the present or past tense and whether it contains an auxiliary verb.

For example, “She works” is correct in an affirmative simple present-tense statement, while “Does she work?” is correct in a question. “The children are ready” is correct because children is plural, while “The child is ready” is correct because child is singular.

Step 7: Read the sentence again

After selecting the verb, read the whole sentence. Check that the agreement is correct and that the sentence still communicates the intended meaning. If the sentence uses proximity agreement and sounds awkward, consider changing the word order or choosing a clearer construction.

Do not rewrite a sentence merely to make the grammar appear simpler if doing so changes the meaning. The aim is to produce a clear, accurate sentence that expresses the intended information.

Table 10: Applying the method to different sentences

Sentence Main subject Agreement issue Correct verb
The teacher explains the lesson. Teacher Singular subject Explains
The teachers explain the lesson. Teachers Plural subject Explain
The teacher and the students are ready. Teacher and students Compound subject Are
Either the teacher or the students are ready. Students is nearer Proximity agreement Are
Either the students or the teacher is ready. Teacher is nearer Proximity agreement Is
The list of students is complete. List Intervening phrase Is
The principal, along with the teachers, is present. Principal Additional phrase Is
Does the student understand? Student Auxiliary verb Understand
The children were tired. Children Past-tense agreement Were
The news is encouraging. News Singular noun ending in s Is

Assignment 8: Apply the method

For each sentence, identify the subject, explain the agreement rule, and write the correct verb if the sentence contains an error.

  1. The boy _____ English fluently. (speak/speaks)
  2. The boy and his friends _____ English fluently. (speak/speaks)
  3. Either the teacher or the students _____ responsible. (is/are)
  4. Either the students or the teacher _____ responsible. (is/are)
  5. The box of books _____ on the table. (is/are)
  6. The books in the box _____ new. (is/are)
  7. The principal, together with the teachers, _____ present. (is/are)
  8. The principal and the teachers _____ present. (is/are)
  9. Does the student _____ the answer? (know/knows)
  10. Neither the nurses nor the doctor _____ available. (is/are)
  11. The list of applicants _____ been published. (has/have)
  12. A number of applicants _____ waiting outside. (is/are)
  13. The news _____ important to the community. (is/are)
  14. The manager and the assistant _____ completed the report. (has/have)
  15. The teacher who explains the lessons _____ popular. (is/are)

For Questions 16 to 20, write your own sentences illustrating the following structures:

  1. A singular subject with a third-person singular verb.
  2. Two separate subjects joined by and.
  3. Two subjects joined by either…or with a plural subject nearest to the verb.
  4. A singular subject followed by a prepositional phrase containing a plural noun.
  5. A plural subject followed by a prepositional phrase containing a singular noun.

9. The First Five Rules of Concord

The following revision test combines all five rules in a single exercise. It is intended to help learners determine whether they can apply the rules without relying on the examples in the teaching sections.

Read each sentence carefully. Identify the main subject, check its grammatical number, and consider the construction before selecting a verb. Some questions require you to correct a complete sentence, while others ask you to explain the reason for a particular verb choice.

Part A: Multiple-choice questions

Choose the best answer for each question.

  1. Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb concord?
    • A. The students writes their examinations.
    • B. The student write his examination.
    • C. The students write their examinations.
    • D. The student are writing his examination.
  2. Choose the correct completion: “The quality of the products _____ excellent.”
    • A. are
    • B. is
    • C. were
    • D. have
  3. Choose the correct completion: “The teacher and the students _____ ready.”
    • A. is
    • B. was
    • C. are
    • D. has
  4. Choose the correct completion: “Either the students or the teacher _____ responsible.”
    • A. are
    • B. were
    • C. is
    • D. have
  5. Choose the correct completion: “Neither the teacher nor the students _____ available.”
    • A. is
    • B. are
    • C. has
    • D. was
  6. Which sentence correctly uses does?
    • A. Does she understands English?
    • B. Does she understand English?
    • C. Do she understand English?
    • D. Does she understanding English?
  7. Which sentence treats the collective noun according to the usual American English pattern?
    • A. The committee are meeting as one unit.
    • B. The committee is meeting as one unit.
    • C. The committee have meeting as one unit.
    • D. The committee were meeting as one unit.
  8. Which sentence uses a plural verb correctly?
    • A. The news are encouraging.
    • B. The child are sleeping.
    • C. The books on the shelf are mine.
    • D. The teacher explain the lesson.
  9. Which sentence contains a compound subject?
    • A. The teacher in the classroom is ready.
    • B. The teacher and the student are ready.
    • C. The teacher, along with the student, is ready.
    • D. The teacher of the student is ready.
  10. Which sentence uses neither…nor correctly under proximity agreement?
    • A. Neither the students nor the teacher are ready.
    • B. Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.
    • C. Neither the teacher nor the students is ready.
    • D. Neither the students nor the teacher have ready.

Part B: Fill in the blanks

Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

  1. The girl _____ to school every day. (walk)
  2. The girls _____ to school every day. (walk)
  3. My father _____ a new car. (have)
  4. My parents _____ a new car. (have)
  5. The students and their teacher _____ in the hall. (be)
  6. Either the manager or the assistants _____ the report. (prepare)
  7. Either the assistants or the manager _____ the report. (prepare)
  8. The list of successful candidates _____ available. (be)
  9. The captain, along with the players, _____ travelling tomorrow. (be)
  10. Neither the books nor the notebook _____ missing. (be)
  11. The news _____ encouraging. (be)
  12. The children _____ their homework before dinner. (do)
  13. _____ your brother understand the question? (do)
  14. The number of applicants _____ increasing. (be)
  15. A number of applicants _____ waiting outside. (be)

Part C: Sentence correction

Rewrite each sentence correctly and state the rule that applies.

  1. The teacher explain the lesson every morning.
  2. The children plays in the playground.
  3. The manager and the assistants is attending the meeting.
  4. Either the teachers or the principal are responsible.
  5. Neither the principal nor the teachers is available.
  6. The condition of the roads are poor.
  7. The secretary, together with the assistants, have completed the work.
  8. Does your sister speaks English fluently?
  9. The news are important to the students.
  10. The list of books required for the course have been published.
  11. The owner and the manager is in the office. Assume that they are two different people.
  12. The principal and the vice-principal was present. Assume that they are two different people.
  13. The students in the classroom is ready.
  14. Either the supervisor or the employees is responsible.
  15. Neither the employees nor the supervisor are available.

Part D: Short-answer questions

  1. Define concord and explain why it is important in English grammar.
  2. Explain the difference between a singular subject and a plural subject. Give two examples of each.
  3. Why does “The teacher and the student are present” take a plural verb?
  4. Explain proximity agreement using an example involving either…or.
  5. What is the difference between “The director and the employees are attending” and “Either the director or the employees are attending”?
  6. Why is “The price of the books is high” correct?
  7. Explain the difference between along with and and in subject-verb agreement.
  8. Why is “Does he understand?” correct while “Does he understands?” is incorrect?
  9. Explain the usual American English agreement pattern for collective nouns.
  10. Describe a practical method you can use to check subject-verb agreement in a long sentence.

Part E: Practical writing

Complete these activities using your own words.

  1. Write five sentences about your school, making sure that at least three have singular subjects and two have plural subjects.
  2. Write three sentences containing compound subjects joined by and.
  3. Write four sentences using either…or and neither…nor. Include examples with singular and plural subjects.
  4. Write three sentences containing prepositional phrases between the subject and the verb.
  5. Write a paragraph of 100 to 150 words about your daily activities, workplace, family, or studies. Use at least eight verbs and underline the subject of each sentence.
  6. Write a short dialogue between two students discussing an assignment. Include at least five examples of subject-verb concord.
  7. Correct the agreement errors in a paragraph you have written previously. Identify each error, explain why it is incorrect, and write the corrected version.
  8. Prepare a one-minute spoken explanation of the five rules of concord. Include at least one example for each rule.
  9. Write five pairs of sentences in which changing a singular subject to a plural subject changes the verb form.
  10. Write a short paragraph containing one correct example of each of the five rules. Label the rules you have demonstrated.

10. Complete Answer Key With Explanations

The answers below provide suggested responses to the assignments in this lesson. In questions requiring original sentences or paragraphs, the sample answers are not the only acceptable responses. Other answers are correct if they communicate the intended meaning and apply the relevant grammatical principles.

Answers to Assignment 1: Understanding Concord

1. B. Grammatical agreement between sentence elements.

Concord refers to grammatical agreement. Subject-verb concord concerns the relationship between a subject and the verb associated with it.

2. C. Driver.

In “The driver checks the vehicle,” the subject is driver, and the verb is checks. The word vehicle is the object of the verb.

3. C. The teachers are meeting.

Teachers is a plural subject, so are is the appropriate verb.

4. B. The news is encouraging.

The noun news is normally singular in standard English and takes is.

5. D. Have.

In “The students have completed their work,” have is the auxiliary verb, while completed is the main verb.

6. Sample answer:

A singular subject refers to one person or thing, such as the teacher. A plural subject refers to more than one person or thing, such as the teachers.

7. Subject: Nurse. Verb phrase: Is checking.

The subject is nurse, and the complete verb phrase is is checking.

8. Explanation:

News is treated as a singular noun in standard English. Its spelling does not make it plural.

9. Sample answer:

  • The student reads every evening.
  • The students read every evening.

10. Sample answer:

Learning concord helps a speaker form sentences that sound natural and are grammatically accurate. It can also help the speaker communicate ideas more clearly.

Answers to Assignment 2: Rule 1 Practice

  1. Studies. The subject student is singular.
  2. Go. The subject brothers is plural.
  3. Has. The subject she requires has.
  4. Are. The subject children is plural.
  5. Is. News is normally singular.
  6. Cooks. The subject mother is singular.
  7. Are. The subject we takes are.
  8. Checks. The subject teacher is singular.
  9. Does. The correct question is “Does your sister understand the lesson?”
  10. Do. The subject boys is plural, so the correct sentence is “The boys do not attend the meeting.”
  11. Correct: The girl sings beautifully. The singular subject requires sings.
  12. Correct: The students study English every morning. The plural subject takes study.
  13. Correct: My brother has a laptop. The singular subject takes has.
  14. Correct: The children are playing outside. The plural subject takes are.
  15. Correct: Does your father work here? The main verb remains in its base form after does.
  16. Correct: She does not understand the question. The auxiliary does carries the agreement marking.
  17. Correct: The news is important. News is normally singular.
  18. Correct: You are my best friend. The pronoun you takes are.
  19. Correct: The teacher explains the rule. The singular subject takes explains.
  20. Correct: The boys do their homework every evening. The plural subject takes do.

21. Explanation: Student is singular and takes writes. Students is plural and takes write.

22. Sample answer: “She has a dictionary” and “They have dictionaries.” The forms depend on the grammatical subject.

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23. Explanation: Does already carries the third-person singular marking, so the main verb remains understand.

24. Sample answer: “The child is tired.” “The children are tired.” “The children were tired yesterday.” The verb forms agree with the subjects and tense.

25. Sample answer:

My brother wakes up early. He prepares breakfast before school. He studies English in the evening. My parents work during the day. My sisters read their books after dinner.

The singular subjects brother and he take singular present-tense forms, while parents and sisters take plural agreement.

Answers to Assignment 3: Rule 2 Practice

  1. Are. Ada and Amara are two subjects.
  2. Practise. My brother and I refers to two people.
  3. Attend. The principal and teacher are two people.
  4. Work. The computer and printer form a compound subject.
  5. Is. The sentence treats rice and beans as one combined meal.
  6. Are. The owner and manager are explicitly two different people.
  7. Help. Patience and discipline are two qualities.
  8. Is. The main subject is captain. The phrase along with the players does not normally create a compound subject.
  9. Are. The conjunction and joins the captain and players.
  10. Have. The subject refers to two people.
  11. Correct: The boy and his sister play football. The compound subject takes a plural verb.
  12. Correct: The teacher and the principal are in the office. The sentence refers to two people.
  13. Correct: My mother and father have arrived. Two subjects are joined by and.
  14. Correct: The secretary, together with the assistants, is preparing the documents. The main subject is secretary.
  15. Correct under the stated interpretation: The owner and manager is here. One person holds both roles, so the singular verb is appropriate.

16. Explanation: And combines two subjects, so a plural verb is generally required when the subjects refer to separate people or things.

17. Explanation: “The owner and manager is here” can refer to one person with two roles. “The owner and the manager are here” refers to two people.

18. Sample answer:

  • The teacher and the students are ready.
  • The teacher, along with the students, is ready.

The conjunction and creates a compound subject in the first sentence. The second sentence has the singular main subject teacher.

19. Sample answer: My brother and my sister have completed the assignment.

20. Sample answer:

The principal and the teachers are present. The students and their parents are attending the meeting. My classmates and I study together. The secretary and the accountant have arrived.

Other paragraphs are acceptable if they contain correctly formed compound subjects.

Answers to Assignment 4: Rule 3 Practice

  1. Are. The nearer subject is students.
  2. Is. The nearer subject is teacher.
  3. Are. The nearer subject is workers.
  4. Was. The nearer subject is manager, which is singular.
  5. Is. The nearer subject is table.
  6. Correct: Neither the boys nor the girl is present. Girl is the nearer singular subject.
  7. Correct: Either the teachers or the principal is responsible. Principal is singular and nearest to the verb.
  8. Correct: Neither the doctor nor the nurses are available. Nurses is the nearer plural subject.
  9. Is. Director is the nearer singular subject.
  10. Are. Supervisors is the nearer plural subject.

16. Explanation: Proximity agreement means that in certain constructions with or or nor, the verb generally agrees with the subject nearest to it.

17. Explanation: The order changes the subject nearest to the verb. Students requires are, while lecturer requires is.

18. Sample answer:

  • Either the teacher or the students are presenting.
  • Either the students or the teacher is presenting.

19. Sample answer: Either the director or the employees will be responsible for the presentation. The verb phrase will be does not change according to the grammatical number of the subject.

20. Explanation: The first sentence combines the manager and employees, while the second presents alternatives. The first uses plural agreement because of and. The second follows proximity agreement.

Answers to Assignment 5: Rule 4 Practice

  1. Is. Both subjects are singular.
  2. Are. Students is the nearer plural subject.
  3. Is. Teacher is the nearer singular subject.
  4. Are. Nurses is the nearer plural subject.
  5. Is. Doctor is the nearer singular subject.
  6. Is. Director is the nearer singular subject.
  7. Are. Managers is the nearer plural subject.
  8. Is. Both subjects are singular.
  9. Are. Assistants is the nearer plural subject.
  10. Is. Secretary is the nearer singular subject.
  11. Correct: Either the students or the lecturer is responsible.
  12. Correct: Neither the manager nor the workers are available.
  13. Correct: Either the doctor or the nurses are attending the meeting.
  14. Correct: Neither the books nor the notebook is on the table.
  15. Correct: Either the teacher or the student is ready. The original sentence incorrectly combines either with and.

16. Explanation: Either…or presents alternatives, while neither…nor excludes both alternatives.

17. Explanation: In the first sentence, teachers is nearest to the verb and requires are. In the second, principal is nearest and requires is.

18. Sample answer: Either the students or the lecturer is presenting the report.

19. Sample answer: Neither the principal nor the teachers are available.

20. Sample answer: Either the supervisor or the employees will be responsible for the task.

Answers to Assignment 6: Rule 5 Practice

  1. Is. The subject is basket.
  2. Are. The subject is oranges.
  3. Is. The subject is quality.
  4. Are. The subject is products.
  5. Has. The subject is leader.
  6. Have. The subject is volunteers.
  7. Is. The subject is list.
  8. Are. The subject is names.
  9. Is. The main subject is principal.
  10. Are. The compound subject is principal and teachers.
  11. Correct: The colour of the walls is attractive. Colour is singular.
  12. Correct: The students in the classroom are ready. Students is plural.
  13. Correct: The list of requirements has been published. List is singular.
  14. Correct: The teacher, along with her colleagues, is attending the seminar. The main subject is teacher.
  15. Correct: The books on the shelf belong to me. Books is plural.
  16. Correct: The manager, as well as the assistants, has arrived. Manager is the main subject.
  17. Correct: The price of these items is too high. The subject is price.
  18. Correct: The quality of the answers was excellent. The subject is quality, and the sentence uses the past tense.

19. Subject: Number. Verb: Is increasing.

20. Subject: A number of applicants. Verb: Are waiting. The expression a number of means several applicants.

21. Explanation: Students belongs to the phrase of the students. The main subject is teacher, so is is correct.

22. Sample answer: The basket of oranges is on the table.

23. Sample answer: The students in the classroom are ready.

24. Sample answer: The principal, together with the teachers, is attending the meeting. The main subject is principal, so the singular verb is is correct.

25. Sample answer:

The principal, along with the teachers, is attending the assembly. The students in the classroom are preparing for their lessons. The condition of the school buildings is improving. The list of required books is available. The teachers, together with the principal, are meeting the parents.

In the last sentence, the plural verb would be appropriate only if the writer intends a plural subject. Under the stated structure, teachers is the main subject, and together with the principal adds information. Therefore, are meeting is correct.

Answers to Assignment 7: Comprehensive Error Correction

  1. The teacher explains the lesson clearly. The singular subject requires explains.
  2. The children play in the garden. The plural subject requires play.
  3. The manager and the assistants are attending the meeting. The compound subject is plural.
  4. Either the teachers or the principal is responsible. The nearer subject is singular.
  5. Neither the director nor the assistants are available. The nearer subject is plural.
  6. The quality of the answers is excellent. The subject is quality.
  7. The principal, together with the teachers, is attending the event. The main subject is principal.
  8. Does your sister understand English fluently? The main verb follows does in its base form.
  9. The news is encouraging. News is normally singular.
  10. The number of students is increasing. The subject is number.
  11. A number of students are waiting outside. A number of means several students.
  12. The team is preparing its report. This follows the usual American English pattern for a collective noun treated as a unit.
  13. The owner and the manager are available. Two different people are involved.
  14. Neither the books nor the notebook is missing. The nearer subject is notebook.
  15. The list of requirements has been published. The subject is list.
  16. My brother and I have completed the assignment. The compound subject is plural.
  17. The secretary, as well as the assistants, has arrived. The main subject is secretary.
  18. Either the teacher or the students are presenting the report. The nearer subject is plural.
  19. The price of the products is too high. The subject is price.
  20. The student who sits near the windows is my cousin. The main subject is student. The relative clause describes the student.
  21. The captain and the players were interviewed. Two people or groups are represented by the compound subject, so plural agreement is required.
  22. Neither the nurses nor the doctor is available. The nearer subject is singular.
  23. The mathematics of the problem is difficult. Here, mathematics is treated as a singular academic subject.
  24. A clearer version is Either the director or the managers will attend. The modal verb will avoids a change in form according to the number of the subject.
  25. Answers will vary. The paragraph should demonstrate correct agreement with singular and plural subjects, compound subjects, proximity constructions, and subjects separated from their verbs by descriptive phrases.

Answers to Assignment 8: Apply the Method

  1. Speaks. Boy is singular.
  2. Speak. Boy and his friends form a compound subject.
  3. Are. The nearer subject is students.
  4. Is. The nearer subject is teacher.
  5. Is. The subject is box.
  6. Are. The subject is books.
  7. Is. The main subject is principal.
  8. Are. The compound subject is plural.
  9. Know. The main verb follows the auxiliary does in its base form.
  10. Is. The nearer subject is doctor.
  11. Has. The subject is list.
  12. Are. A number of applicants means several applicants.
  13. Is. News is normally singular.
  14. Have. The compound subject contains two elements.
  15. Is. The subject is teacher.

Questions 16 to 20 require original sentences. Check each answer by identifying the subject, the verb, and the grammatical pattern. A correct answer should demonstrate the specified rule clearly.

Answers to Assignment 9: Revision Test

Part A: Multiple-choice questions

  1. C. The plural subject students takes write.
  2. B. The subject is quality.
  3. C. Two subjects joined by and generally take a plural verb.
  4. C. The nearer subject is teacher, which is singular.
  5. B. The nearer subject is students, which is plural.
  6. B. The main verb follows does in its base form.
  7. B. In American English, a collective noun treated as one unit normally takes singular agreement.
  8. C. The subject books is plural and correctly takes are.
  9. B. The subject contains two elements joined by and.
  10. B. The nearer subject is students, which is plural.

Part B: Fill in the blanks

  1. Walks. The subject girl is singular.
  2. Walk. The subject girls is plural.
  3. Has. The subject father is singular.
  4. Have. The subject parents is plural.
  5. Are. The compound subject is plural.
  6. Prepare. The nearer subject is assistants.
  7. Prepares. The nearer subject is manager.
  8. Is. The subject is list.
  9. Is. The main subject is captain.
  10. Is. The nearer subject is notebook.
  11. Is. News is normally singular.
  12. Do. Children is plural.
  13. Does. The subject brother is singular.
  14. Is. The subject is number.
  15. Are. A number of applicants means several applicants.

Part C: Sentence correction

  1. The teacher explains the lesson every morning.
  2. The children play in the playground.
  3. The manager and the assistants are attending the meeting.
  4. Either the teachers or the principal is responsible.
  5. Neither the principal nor the teachers are available.
  6. The condition of the roads is poor.
  7. The secretary, together with the assistants, has completed the work.
  8. Does your sister speak English fluently?
  9. The news is important to the students.
  10. The list of books required for the course has been published.
  11. The owner and the manager are in the office.
  12. The principal and the vice-principal were present.
  13. The students in the classroom are ready.
  14. Either the supervisor or the employees are responsible.
  15. Neither the employees nor the supervisor is available.

Part D: Short-answer questions

  1. Concord is grammatical agreement between sentence elements. Subject-verb concord helps ensure that verbs agree appropriately with their subjects.
  2. A singular subject refers to one person or thing, as in the student or my brother. A plural subject refers to more than one person or thing, as in the students or my brothers.
  3. The conjunction and combines two separate subjects. The plural verb are is therefore appropriate.
  4. Proximity agreement means that in certain constructions, the verb generally agrees with the subject nearest to it. For example, “Either the teacher or the students are coming.”
  5. The first sentence combines two subjects with and. The second presents alternatives with either…or and follows proximity agreement.
  6. The subject is price, which is singular. The phrase of the books does not determine the verb.
  7. And generally joins two subjects, while along with adds information about the main subject without normally creating a compound subject.
  8. Does carries the third-person singular marking. The main verb must therefore remain in its base form, understand.
  9. In American English, collective nouns generally take singular agreement when the group is treated as one unit. For example, “The committee is meeting.”
  10. Identify the main verb, find the subject associated with it, determine the subject’s grammatical number, check for conjunctions and intervening phrases, select the correct verb, and read the sentence again.

Part E: Practical writing

Questions 51 to 60 are open-ended. Evaluate each response according to the instructions. A satisfactory answer should use the required sentence structures, maintain the intended meaning, and apply the five rules correctly.

For Question 55, for example, a suitable paragraph might describe a typical day using sentences such as “My sister wakes up early,” “My parents prepare breakfast,” and “The list of daily activities is on the table.” The paragraph should contain a variety of subjects and verbs.

For Question 58, the spoken explanation should cover all five rules and include at least one clear example of each. The learner should focus on accurate sentence construction rather than speaking as quickly as possible.

Conclusion: How to Master the First Five Rules of Concord

The first five rules of concord establish a foundation for accurate subject-verb agreement in English. They explain how to choose verb forms for singular and plural subjects, how compound subjects joined by and usually take plural verbs, how proximity agreement operates with or and nor, how the paired conjunctions either…or and neither…nor affect agreement, and why the actual subject controls the verb even when other nouns appear between them.

The most important lesson is that the verb should not be selected by looking at the nearest noun alone. A sentence may contain several nouns, but only one may be the subject associated with a particular verb. Identifying that subject is the first step toward choosing the correct form.

The conjunction used in a sentence also matters. Two separate subjects joined by and generally take a plural verb, while constructions involving or and nor commonly follow proximity agreement when the subjects differ in number. In addition, phrases such as along with, as well as, and together with do not normally create compound subjects. Understanding these differences helps prevent errors in longer sentences.

Learners should also remember that grammar involves both structure and meaning. Two nouns joined by and may sometimes describe one person or a single combined unit, and collective nouns may be treated differently according to the variety of English and the intended meaning. When a construction sounds awkward, rewriting it can improve clarity without changing the intended message.

To continue improving, practise identifying the subjects and verbs in short passages, examination questions, school assignments, and professional messages. Write original sentences using each rule, explain why the chosen verb is correct, and review mistakes rather than merely memorising corrections. Reading sentences aloud can also help you become more familiar with common agreement patterns.

Learning concord is one useful step toward the broader goal of learning how to speak English fluently. As you become more comfortable identifying subjects and selecting verbs, you can apply the same knowledge when participating in conversations, answering questions, giving presentations, and writing formal messages. Consistent practice will help you build grammatical accuracy alongside vocabulary, listening, pronunciation, and other communication skills.

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