Subject-Verb Agreement Practice Test 1 Answers

1. My brother or my sister are arriving tomorrow.

Correct sentence: My brother or my sister is arriving tomorrow

Explanation: Two singular subjects connected by or require a singular verb. In this sentence, the brother
and sister are both singular, so the sentence should use the singular verb is.

2. Neither Marren nor her friends is available to assist you.

Correct sentence: Neither Marren nor her friends are available to assist you.

When a singular subject and a plural subject are connected by neither/nor or either/or, the verb agrees
with the subject nearest to it. In the sentence above, the plural verb are is used because it is nearer to
the plural subject friends.

3. Rennie Boy , together with his friends, are going on a camping trip tomorrow.

Correct sentence: Rennie Boy , together with his friends, is going on a camping trip tomorrow.

Explanation: In general, phrases such as together with, along with, as well as, should be ignored when
considering the verb of the sentence. The verb should always agree with the subject. In this sentence,
Armand is the singular subject, so the singular verb is is used.

4. Ren and Mike are going to take the Subprofessional Civil Service Examination next month.
Explanation: No error. Ren and Mike is a plural subject, so the plural verb are is used.

5. Each of the boys play piano well.

Correct sentence: Each of the boys plays piano well.

Explanation: The pronouns each, anyone, anybody, everyone, every one, everybody are singular and
require singular verbs. In the sentence, each is singular so, the singular verb plays must be used.

6. Neither of them are available to meet you at the airport.

Correct sentence: Neither of them is available to meet you at the airport.

Explanation: Sentences that use either or neither (without or) always require singular verb.

7. Ten years are such a long time to wait my love.

Correct sentence: Ten years is such a long time to wait my love.

Explanation: Periods of time take singular verb.

8. Five thousand pesos are a high price to pay for a single T-shirt.

Correct sentence: Five thousand pesos is a high price to pay for a single T-shirt.
Explanation: Amount of money takes singular verb.

9. Fifty percent of the cake have disappeared after just two minutes.

Correct sentence: Fifty percent of the cake has disappeared after just two minutes.

Explanation: The verb used in words that indicate portions such as percent, fraction, part, all, some, etc.
depends on the noun in the “of phrase.” In the sentence above, the cake in “of the cake” phrase is
singular, therefore, the singular verb has should be used.

10. Everybody is happy about the result of the examination

Explanation: No Error. See no. 5 for explanation.

11. One-tenth of the people in this city are unemployed.

Explanation: No error. See no. 9 for explanation.

12. He is one of the men who does the work without complaining.

Correct sentence: He is one of the men who do the work without complaining.

Explanation: The pronouns who, which, and that which is the subject of the verb in the middle of the
sentence become singular or plural according to the noun directly in front of them. In the sentence
above, the noun in front of who is men which is plural, so the plural verb do must be used.
13. The team are going to practice tomorrow for the final competition

Correct sentence: The team is going to practice tomorrow for the final competition

Explanation: Collective nouns such as team and staff may either be singular or plural depending on their
use in the sentence. In the sentence above, the team acts as a unit and therefore requires a singular
verb.

14. The committee are in disagreement whether to use the fund in a feeding program or donate it to a
hospital.

Explanation: No error. Unlike in number 13, the committee in this sentence act as individuals and not as
a unit.

15. Sofia, as well as her brother and sister, is attending a birthday party.

Explanation: No error. See no. 3 for explanation.