S - V agreement

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Exercise 1
Choose the best answer among A, B, C or D.
1. The driver as well as the passengers …… hurt in the accident.
A. was B. were
2. The salt and the pepper …… put on the table.
A. was B. were
3. Not only she, but also everybody …… embarrassed by his rude manner.
A. is B. are
4. Two hour's study …… enough for him to prepare for a quiz.
A. was B. were
5. Not only the teacher, but also the students themselves …… tired.
A. was B. were
6. He was at his wit's end. His last sixpence …… spent.
A. was B. were
7. She as well as we …… highly satisfied with their work.
A. is B. are
8. Not only the earth but also the planets …… round the sun.
A. moves B. move
9. Two thousand dollars …… wasted by him in the casino.
A. was B. were
10. …… either of them ready to go there?
A. Is B. Are
11. Three Comrades …… a novel by Remark.
A. is B. are
12. Bread and butter …… his usual breakfast.
A. is B. are
13. If either of them …… a leave now, we won't be able to finish the project.
A. takes B. take
14. My aim and objective …… to make English grammar clear to everyone.
A. is B. are

15. I can wait, four weeks …… not so long.
A. is B. are
16. The grey and blue blanket …… washed today.
A. was B. were
17. A variety of questions …… put to the lecturer.
A. was B. were
18. The number of books which we have to read for the exams …… considerable.
A. is B. are
19. A great number of students …… present at the conference.
A. is B. are
20. The great majority of writers, painters, and architects …… talented people.
A. is B. are
Exercise 2
1. Nora and I …… great friends.
A. am B. are
2. …… there three patients due today?
A. Was B. Were
3. Laughing and giggling …… John's Granny.
A. irritates B. irritate
4. Here, in the desk, of all places, …… the thermometer and the screwdriver.
A. was B. were
5. Candlelight and wine …… a touch of romance to the party.
A. adds B. add
6. A black and white dog …… guarding the house.
A. is B. are
7. A black and a white dog …… sitting on the porch.
A. is B. are
8. The Dean and Lexicology lecturer …… in the lecture theatre.
A. was B. were
9. The director and the manager …… signed the contract.

A. has B. have
10. The cheese and the butter …… in the shopping bag.
A. is B. are
11. Whisky and soda …… his favourite drink.
A. is B. are
12. For supper there …… fish and different vegetables to eat.
A. was B. were
13. There …… cakes and tea for breakfast.
A. was B. were
14. Cleopatra, as well as her entire retinue, …… eager to meet Caesar.
A. was B. were
15. Cleopatra and her entire retinue …… eager to meet Caesar.
A. was B. were
16. New York, together with all the other states, …… for President.
A. votes B. vote
17. Ellen, as well as her friends, …… classical music.
A. dislikes B. dislike
18. The soldiers, along with their commander, …… the bivouac area.
A. enters B. enter
19. The bacon and the eggs …… in the fridge.
A. is B. are
20. My cousin with his workmate …… visiting us today.
A. is B. are
Exercise 3
1. David and his wife …… just come.
A. has B. have
2. All of the cake …… eaten.
A. was B. were
3. All the candidates …… to do their best.
A. promises B. promise

4. Every plant and animal …… its own ecological niche.
A. has B. have
5. The committee …… agreed on many points.
A. hasn't B. haven't
6. The committee …… been appointed for a second term.
A. has B. have
7. After consulting, the jury …… its verdict.
A. reports B. report
8. The jury still …… on many points.
A. disagrees B. disagree
9. The team …… time to learn to cooperate with one another.
A. needs B. need
10. The team wearing black and red …… the ball.
A. controls B. control
11 . The crew …… divided the loot among themselves.
A. has B. have
12. The crew …… well-trained.
A. is B. are
13. The family of ducklings …… when the cat approaches.
A. scatters B. scatter
14. His family now …… rather big.
A. is B. are
15. All …… clear.
A. is B. are
16. All …… happy.
A. was B. were
17. The staff of this bank …… very competent.
A. is B. are
18. Our staff …… visiting theatres, restaurants, different presentations from time to
time.

A. is B. are
19. The public …… and ……
A. stops/ stares B. stop/ stare
20. The council …… been promising to mend the fences, doors and windows for years.
A. has B. have
Exercise 4
1. Visiting relatives …… done on special occasions.
A. is B. are
2. Flying planes …… dangerous.
A. is B. are
3. It …… me to see so much misery in the world.
A. pains B. pain
4. Walls of glass …… much modern architecture.
A. characterizes B. characterize
5. In many species, the male, as well as female, …… for the offspring.
A. cares B. care
6. A backpack, a canteen, and a rifle …… issued to each recruit.
A. was B. were
7. Drinking and driving …… a major cause of highway fatalities.
A. remains B. remain
8. Fried ham and grits …… Diane's idea of a great breakfast.
A. is B. are
9. His closest friend and political ally …… his brother.
A. was B. were
10. Laws, rules, or convention …… most of our everyday decisions.
A. governs B. govern
11. The football team …… beginning to quarrel with one another when the manager
arrived.
A. was B. were
12. There …… a table, four chairs, and a sofa in the room.

A. is B. are
13. The committee …… arranged a new series of programmes.
A. has B. have
14. The jury …… been unable to decide upon a verdict.
A. has B. have
15. He inspected each of the cars which …… in the garage.
A. was B. were
16. Fiona, along with her friends, …… planning a party.
A. is B. are
17. Each generation …… its own slang.
A. has B. have
18. That generation …… sold their souls for money.
A. has B. have
19. The crew …… experienced pilots.
A. was B. were
20. This bunch …… whispering excitedly.
A. was B. were
Exercise 5
1. Measles still …… many Americans.
A. strikes B. strike
2. A pair of jeans …… what I need to buy.
A. is B. are
3. These trousers …… very good.
A. is B. are
4. …… your glasses expensive?
A. Is B. Are
5. There …… a lot of news in the e-mail.
A. is B. are
6. The customs …… at the end of the terminal.,
A. is B. are

7. Where …… your linen come from?
A. does B. do
8. …… furniture sold here?
A. Is B. Are
9. The cattle …… in the fields now.
A. is B. are
10. Diabetes …… an illness caused by too much sugar in the blood.
A. is B. are
11. His earnings …… quite good.
A. is B. are
12. What …… the weather like in London now?
A. is B. are
13. Dice …… used in many games.
A. is B. are
14. Your progress …… everybody happy.
A. makes B. make
15. Work …… the best cure of all the problems.
A. is B. are
16. Her clothes …… chic and …… a fortune.
A. is/ costs B. are/ cost
17. Martha's poultry …… the best in the village.
A. is B. are
18. How …… the wounded?
A. is B. are
19. The goods …… checked regularly.
A. is B. are
20. The contents of the contract ……
A. has changed B. have changed
Exercise 6
1. Dice …… us interesting things.

A. tells B. tell
2. All the floor sweepings and potato peelings …… carried away into this particular
chute.
A. is B. are
3. Your hair …… fast.
A. has grown B. have grown
4. Neither my roommate nor my parents …… going to vote.
A. is B. are
5. Neither you nor Maria …… among the invited.
A. was B. were
6. Either you or I …… wrong.
A. am B. are
7. Either the defendant or the witnesses …… lying.
A. is B. are
8. Of the two jobs, neither …… much appeal.
A. holds B. hold
9. Neither Boris nor his sisters …… to enter University.
A. plans B. plan
10. Either my mother or I …… breakfast each morning.
A. makes B. make
11. Either of these buses …… past my college.
A. goes B. go
12. The number of Congress members …… about 400.
A. is B. are
13. An enormous number of photographs …… taken.
A. was B. were
14. The number of books in this library …… great.
A. is B. are
15. A number of new dictionaries …… on sale now.
A. is B. are

16. Mathematics …… not always an exact science.
A. is B. are
17. The mathematics (calculations) of the project …… not quite exact.
A. is B. are
18. Statistics …… a course many students really dread.
A. is B. are
19. The statistics of that study …… highly questionable.
A. is B. are
20. A great variety of whisky …… produced in Scotland.
A. is B. are
Exercise 7
1. The variety of magazines on sale today …… amazing.
A. is B. are
2. A great variety of children's toys …… produced in the world.
A. is B. are
3. He tells me that most of Majorca …… mountains.
A. is B. are
4. Most of us …… strong views on life.
A. has B. have
5. Most Arabic speakers …… English.
A. understands B. understand
6. The amount of students grants at this University …… considerable.
A. is B. are
7. The percentage of young voters …… risen.
A. has B. have
8. A percentage of the work …… finished.
A. is B. are
9. A percentage of the reports …… finished.
A. is B. are
10. Sixty percent of the students …… working.

A. is B. are
11. Sixty percent of the work force …… absent.
A. is B. are
12. A (The) majority of teachers at our school …… women.
A. is B. are
13. That is what …… me.
A. interests B. interest
14. …… the children we live for.
A. It is B. They are
15. …… they who organized all this.
A. It was B. They were
16. The ten minutes …… up.
A. is B. are
17. Two plus two …… four.
A. is B. are
18. Two metres …… not enough for such a dress.
A. is B. are
19. Twenty years …… nothing in comparison with eternity.
A. is B. are
20. …… they, not you, who are at fault.
A. It's B. They're
Exercise 8
1. Twenty five dollars …… the price of the return ticket.
A. is B. are
2. "Seven Days" …… a very popular magazine.
A. is B. are
3. Just look! The lazybones …… sleeping again!
A. is B. are
4. "Gulliver's Travels" …… my favourite book when I was a kid.
A. was B. were

5. What a butter-fingers Tom ……
A. is B. are
6. The Netherlands …… a beautiful country.
A. is B. are
7. …… summons from the local police station.
A. It was a B. They were
8. Broadcasting House …… the headquarters of the BBC.
A. is B. are
9. Ten kilograms …… a lot to lose in one month.
A. is B. are
10. Five minutes …… given to each speaker.
A. is B. are
11. Half of her fortune …… in jewels.
A. is B. are
12. Half of her jewels …… stolen.
A. is B. are
13. Half of the cake …… eaten.
A. is B. are
14. Half of the pies …… eaten.
A. is B. are
15. Statistics …… a very important science in the life of any society.
A. is B. are
16. Recent statistics on birthrate in this country …… not very encouraging.
A. is B. are
17. All of the money …… gone.
A. is B. are
18. All of the books …… lost.
A. is B. are
19. The number of homeless people …… great.
A. is B. are

20. A number of women now …… against the new trends in fashion.
A. is B. are
KEY - SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Exercise 1
Choose the best answer among A, B, C or D.
1. The driver as well as the passengers …… hurt in the accident.
A. was B. were
2. The salt and the pepper …… put on the table.
A. was B. were
3. Not only she, but also everybody …… embarrassed by his rude manner.
A. is B. are
4. Two hour's study …… enough for him to prepare for a quiz.
A. was B. were
5. Not only the teacher, but also the students themselves …… tired.
A. was B. were
6. He was at his wit's end. His last sixpence …… spent.
A. was B. were
7. She as well as we …… highly satisfied with their work.
A. is B. are
8. Not only the earth but also the planets …… round the sun.
A. moves B. move
9. Two thousand dollars …… wasted by him in the casino.
A. was B. were
10. …… either of them ready to go there?
A. Is B. Are
11. Three Comrades …… a novel by Remark.
A. is B. are
12. Bread and butter …… his usual breakfast.
A. is B. are
13. If either of them …… a leave now, we won't be able to finish the project.

A. takes B. take
14. My aim and objective …… to make English grammar clear to everyone.
A. is B. are
15. I can wait, four weeks …… not so long.
A. is B. are
16. The grey and blue blanket …… washed today.
A. was B. were
17. A variety of questions …… put to the lecturer.
A. was B. were
18. The number of books which we have to read for the exams …… considerable.
A. is B. are
19. A great number of students …… present at the conference.
A. is B. are
20. The great majority of writers, painters, and architects …… talented people.
A. is B. are
Exercise 2
1. Nora and I …… great friends.
A. am B. are
2. …… there three patients due today?
A. Was B. Were
3. Laughing and giggling …… John's Granny.
A. irritates B. irritate
4. Here, in the desk, of all places, …… the thermometer and the screwdriver.
A. was B. were
5. Candlelight and wine …… a touch of romance to the party.
A. adds B. add
6. A black and white dog …… guarding the house.
A. is B. are
7. A black and a white dog …… sitting on the porch.
A. is B. are

8. The Dean and Lexicology lecturer …… in the lecture theatre.
A. was B. were
9. The director and the manager …… signed the contract.
A. has B. have
10. The cheese and the butter …… in the shopping bag.
A. is B. are
11. Whisky and soda …… his favourite drink.
A. is B. are
12. For supper there …… fish and different vegetables to eat.
A. was B. were
13. There …… cakes and tea for breakfast.
A. was B. were
14. Cleopatra, as well as her entire retinue, …… eager to meet Caesar.
A. was B. were
15. Cleopatra and her entire retinue …… eager to meet Caesar.
A. was B. were
16. New York, together with all the other states, …… for President.
A. votes B. vote
17. Ellen, as well as her friends, …… classical music.
A. dislikes B. dislike
18. The soldiers, along with their commander, …… the bivouac area.
A. enters B. enter
19. The bacon and the eggs …… in the fridge.
A. is B. are
20. My cousin with his workmate …… visiting us today.
A. is B. are