Free Subject-Verb Agreement MCQs with Answers
411 Subject-Verb Agreement MCQs from English, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
Subject-verb agreement requires the verb to match the true subject in number and person, even when other words intervene. Questions cover collective nouns, compound subjects, indefinite pronouns, either and neither, relative clauses, quantities and inverted sentences, where proximity can falsely suggest the wrong verb.
Last updated
411 questions · page 15 of 21
281. The two-thirds (A) majority of (B) the parliamentarians need(C) to make (D) constitutional changes.
- A. two thirds
- B. majority of
- C. need
- D. to make
Explanation: The phrase "two-thirds" indicates a fraction, and the verb "are needed" is more appropriate than "need" to indicate the requirement.- The…
Correct answer: need- A. A lot of social problems are caused by unemployment.
- B. A lot of social problems is caused by unemployment.
- C. A lot of social problems was caused by unemployment.
- D. A lot of social problems have caused by unemployment.
Explanation: "A lot of" is a plural phrase, and the verb "are" agrees with the plural subject "social problems".- The sentence is in the present tense…
Correct answer: A lot of social problems are caused by unemployment.- A. Half of his friends doesn't understand a word he says.
- B. Half of his friends don't understand a word he says.
- C. Half of his friends have not understand a word he say.
- D. Half of his friends has not understand a word he says.
Explanation: "Half of" is a singular phrase, but it's followed by a plural noun "friends", so the verb "don't" (the contraction of "do not") is…
Correct answer: Half of his friends don't understand a word he says.- A. Only after her death I was able to appreciating her
- B. Only after her death I was able to appreciating her.
- C. Only after her death was I able to appreciate her.
- D. Only after her death was I able to appreciating her.
Explanation: The sentence uses the verb "was able to" in the past tense, indicating a specific point in the past when the speaker gained the ability to…
Correct answer: Only after her death was I able to appreciate her.- A. The jury selected by the organizers includes members according to their ranks.
- B. The jury selected by the organizers includes members according to its ranks.
- C. The jury selected by the organizers include members according to his ranks.
- D. The jury selected by the organizers include members according to their ranks.
Explanation: "The jury" is a singular subject, so it takes the singular verb "includes." "Their" is used correctly to refer to the members' ranks.
Correct answer: The jury selected by the organizers includes members according to their ranks.- A. The only one of these most intelligent students who graduates have been awarded.
- B. The only one of these most intelligent students who graduate is awarded.
- C. The only one of these most intelligent students who graduate are awarded.
- D. The only one of these most intelligent students who graduates is awarded.
Explanation: The subject of the sentence is "The only one", which is a singular noun phrase, so the verb "graduates" and "is awarded" should be in the…
Correct answer: The only one of these most intelligent students who graduates is awarded.- A. Ninety percent of us do not have a clue how to wearing fashion accessories such as scarves.
- B. Ninety percent of us does not has a clue how to wear fashion accessories such as scarves.
- C. Ninety percent of us do not have a clue how to wear fashion accessories such as scarves.
- D. Ninety percent of us does not have a clue how to wear fashion accessories such as scarves.
Explanation: "Ninety percent of us" is a plural phrase, so the verb "do" agrees with the subject.- The verb "have" is in the plural form "have" because…
Correct answer: Ninety percent of us do not have a clue how to wear fashion accessories such as scarves.- A. Neither the doctors nor the nurse like when their patients are in pain.
- B. Neither the nurse nor the doctors like when his patients are in pain.
- C. Neither the nurse nor the doctors like when her patients are in pain.
- D. Neither the nurse nor the doctors like when their patients are in pain.
Explanation: "Neither...nor" is a correlative conjunction that connects two singular nouns or phrases, but here it connects a singular noun "nurse"…
Correct answer: Neither the nurse nor the doctors like when their patients are in pain.- A. There were a doctor and a crew of nurses in the emergency room with me during mysurgery.
- B. There was a doctor and a crew of nurses in the emergency room with me during mysurgery.
- C. There have a doctor and a crew of nurses in the emergency room with me during my surgery.
- D. There is a doctor and a crew of nurses in the emergency room with me during my surgery.
Explanation: The subject of the sentence is "a doctor and a crew of nurses", which is a plural noun phrase, but the verb "was" agrees with the singular…
Correct answer: There was a doctor and a crew of nurses in the emergency room with me during mysurgery.- A. Unfortunately, every person gets gifts that they have to wear.
- B. Unfortunately, every persons get gifts that they have to wear.
- C. Unfortunately, every person get gifts that he or she has to wear.
- D. Unfortunately, every person gets gifts that he or she has to wear.
Explanation: "Every person" is a singular noun phrase, so the verb "gets" agrees with the singular subject.- The pronoun "he or she" is used to refer…
Correct answer: Unfortunately, every person gets gifts that he or she has to wear.- A. More than 41 inches of snow has fallen on the city this winter.
- B. More than 41 inches of snow have fallen on the city this winter.
- C. More than 41 inches of snow were fallen on the city this winter.
- D. More than 41 inches of snow have been fallen on the city this winter.
Explanation: "More than 41 inches of snow" is a singular subject (considered as a single quantity), so it takes the singular verb "has fallen."
Correct answer: More than 41 inches of snow has fallen on the city this winter.- A. Everyone should open their book
- B. Everyone should open his book
- C. Everyone should open his or her book
- D. Everyone should open its book
Explanation: "Everyone should open his or her book" is grammatically correct and inclusive, covering both male and female genders.
Correct answer: Everyone should open his or her book- A. Each cat and dog has to be vaccinated
- B. Every cat and dog have to be vaccinated
- C. Each cat and dog have to be vaccinated
- D. Cat and dog each has to be vaccinated
Explanation: "Each cat and dog has to be vaccinated" is correct because "each" is a singular pronoun, and the verb "has" correctly matches the singular…
Correct answer: Each cat and dog has to be vaccinated- A. The number of students are going to drop the course
- B. A number of students have dropped the course
- C. The number of students have dropped the course
- D. A number of students is going to drop the course
Explanation: "A number of students have dropped the course" is correct because "a number of" is a phrase that takes a plural verb, "have," since it…
Correct answer: A number of students have dropped the course- A. Wait
- B. Waits
- C. Have waited
- D. Has waited
Explanation: "Tides and time waits for none" is an idiomatic expression where "time" is often treated as a singular subject despite the compound…
Correct answer: Waits- A. is
- B. Are
- C. Was
- D. Were
Explanation: "Three hundred dollars is what we must pay" is correct because amounts of money are treated as singular subjects.
Correct answer: is297. Two and two _ four
- A. Makes
- B. Make
- C. Are making
- D. Have made
Explanation: Two and two makes four" can be used correctly in some contexts, especially in set phrases where the subject is considered as a single…
Correct answer: Makes- A. Look
- B. Looks
- C. Have looked
- D. Are looking
Explanation: "The kitchen, as well as the dining-room, looks beautiful" is correct. The subject "the kitchen" is singular, so it requires the singular…
Correct answer: Looks- A. My shoes needs repair
- B. My shoe need repair
- C. A pair of shoes need repair
- D. A pair of shoes needs repair
Explanation: A pair of shoes needs repair" is correct because "a pair of shoes" is treated as a singular unit, requiring the singular verb "needs…
Correct answer: A pair of shoes needs repair- A. Are
- B. is
- C. were
- D. have
Explanation: "One of these books is for you" is correct because "one" is a singular pronoun, so it should take the singular verb "is."
Correct answer: is