Subject-Verb Agreement - Deep Mastery

Subject-Verb Agreement = Subject and verb must match in number (singular/plural). Singular subject -> singular verb (is, was, has, V1+s). Plural subject -> plural verb (are, were, have, V1).

Most Important Skill: Find the REAL subject, ignore middle phrases.
Example: The box of pencils is on the desk. Real subject = box (singular) not pencils (plural). So is, not are.
The color of his eyes is blue (color singular -> is, not eyes are).
Rule: Ignore phrases between subject and verb: of, with, along with, as well as, together with, accompanied by, in addition to - these do NOT change subject number.
Example: The teacher along with students is coming (teacher singular -> is, along with students does not make plural).

Basic:
- I am, He/She/It is, You/We/They are
- He goes, They go (V1+s for he/she/it in present simple)
- Singular: is, was, has, does
- Plural: are, were, have, do

AND = Plural: Two subjects joined by AND -> plural verb: Ram and Shyam are coming. He and I are friends.
Exception AND = Singular when one unit/idea: Bread and butter is my breakfast (one idea), Slow and steady wins the race (one proverb), Rice and curry is served (one dish). But if two different things: Bread and butter are sold separately (separate).

OR, Either-or, Neither-nor, Not only-but also = Verb agrees with NEAREST subject (closest to verb):
Either Ram or his friends are coming (friends nearest plural => are).
Either his friends or Ram is coming (Ram nearest singular => is).
Neither he nor his sisters are present.
Neither his sisters nor he is present.
Not only he but also his friends are guilty (friends nearest plural).
Not only his friends but also he is guilty (he nearest singular).

Both...and always plural: Both Ram and Shyam are coming.

Not only...but also parallel structure: Not only tall but also intelligent (both adjectives), Not only he but also his friends were there (both pronouns).

Collective Nouns = Group as ONE unit => Singular verb: Team, family, jury, committee, army, crowd, audience, government, public (as one body), group, class.
The team is winning (as one unit).
The committee has decided.
Exception: When members act individually (divided opinion, fighting among themselves) => plural verb + plural pronoun: The team are fighting among themselves. The jury were divided. The committee are arguing (each member arguing).

Units, Time, Money, Distance, Weight = Singular when considered as ONE amount:
Ten kilometres is a long distance (not are).
Five years is a long time.
Two thousand rupees is a small amount.
Ten kilograms is heavy.
But if counting individual units: Ten kilometres have been covered (individual kms) - rare, usually singular for amount.

Books, Country Names, Diseases that look plural but singular:
Mathematics is difficult (subject).
Measles is a disease.
The United States is powerful (country name).
Gulliver's Travels is a book (title).
Billiards is a game.
News is shocking (news singular always).

Uncountable Nouns = Always Singular Verb, No s:
Advice, information, furniture, luggage, baggage, equipment, knowledge, work (as job), scenery, poetry, traffic, weather, money (as concept).
Information is useful (not are).
Furniture was new (not were).
To make plural use pieces/kinds: A piece of advice, pieces of furniture, kinds of information.
Many vs Much: Many + countable plural (many books), Much + uncountable (much information).

A Number of vs The Number of - Most Tested:
- A number of = many, plural verb: A number of boys are present (many boys).
- The number of = quantity, singular verb: The number of boys is small (quantity is small).
Example: A number of students are absent, The number of absent students is 5.

More than one, Many a:
More than one boy is present (singular despite more than one - exception).
Many a boy is present (many a + singular noun + singular verb).
Many boys are present (many + plural + plural verb).

There is/are = Verb agrees with noun AFTER it (real subject after there):
There is a boy in room (a boy singular => is).
There are boys in room (boys plural => are).
There is a table and two chairs => There are? Rule: First noun after there decides? Actually when list, verb agrees with first noun: There is a table and two chairs (formal). But better: There are a table and two chairs is also accepted, but exam prefers verb with first noun: There is a table and two chairs (table singular => is). Safer: There are two chairs and a table (chairs plural first => are).

Here is/are same: Here is your book, Here are your books.

Phrases that DON'T change number - Verb still with real subject before them:
Along with, as well as, together with, accompanied by, in addition to, besides, including, like, unlike.
The teacher along with students is coming (teacher real subject singular => is).
He as well as his friends is guilty (he singular => is).
Ram together with his brothers was present.
Trick: These phrases are like brackets, ignore them: The teacher [along with students] is.

Inversion: Verb before subject for emphasis, but still agrees with subject AFTER:
Never have I seen such beauty (inversion for never).
On the table was a book (a book singular => was, inversion place first).
On the table were books (books plural => were).

Words ending with s but singular:
- Subjects: Mathematics is difficult, Physics is interesting, Economics is useful.
- Diseases: Measles is a disease, Mumps is painful.
- Games: Billiards is a game, Chess is interesting.
- Books/Titles: Gulliver's Travels is a famous book, The Arabian Nights is interesting.
- Countries: The United States is powerful, The Netherlands is beautiful (plural form but singular country).
- News: News is shocking (always singular, never news are).
- Wages, Innings: Wages is (when meaning payment) is, but wages are (when plural of wage) - context.

Distance, Time, Money, Weight as ONE amount singular (already covered but repeat for exam):
Ten miles is long (amount), Five years is enough, Ten rupees is not much.

Each, Every, Either, Neither, One, No one, Anyone, Someone, Everyone as subject singular:
Each boy is present, Every student is present, Either of two boys is present, Neither boy is present, No one is present, Everyone is here.
Exception with of phrase: Each of the boys is present (each still singular), Every one of them is ready.

Always Singular (take is/has/was):
Each, Every, Either, Neither, One, No one, Anyone, Someone, Everyone, Somebody, Anybody, Nobody, Everybody.
Each student is present.
Every boy is ready.
Either of the two boys is present.
Neither answer is correct.
Anyone can do it.
Someone is here.
No one knows.
With of phrase still singular: Each of the boys is present (not are), Every one of them is ready, Neither of them is present.

Always Plural (take are/have/were):
Both, Several, Few, Many, Many of, A few, A number of, Both cats are sleeping.

Depends on Noun After (Singular or Plural):
All, Some, None, Most, Half, Part, Majority, Percentage, etc. - Verb depends on noun after of.
All students are ready (students plural => are).
All the water is gone (water uncountable singular => is).
Some cakes are left (cakes plural => are).
Some sugar is left (sugar uncountable => is).
None of the boys is/are - Both accepted, but singular preferred in exams: None of the boys is present (formal singular).
The majority of students are present (majority + plural noun => plural).
Half of the money is wasted (money uncountable => is), Half of the apples are rotten (apples plural => are).

All SVA Rules in One Page:
1. Find real subject, ignore of/with/along with/as well as/together with phrases: Box of pencils is.
2. Singular subject singular verb is/was/has/V1+s, plural are/were/have/V1.
3. AND plural (Ram and Shyam are) but one idea singular (Bread and butter is).
4. OR/Either-or/Neither-nor/Not only-but also nearest subject: Either Ram or friends are, Either friends or Ram is.
5. Both...and always plural.
6. Collective as one unit is (team is), as individuals are (team are fighting).
7. Units/time/money/distance as amount singular: Ten km is long.
8. Mathematics/Measles/Billiards/News/United States/Gulliver's Travels singular is.
9. Uncountable information/furniture/luggage singular is, pieces of.
10. A number of plural (A number of boys are), The number of singular (The number is). More than one boy is, Many a boy is.
11. There is/are verb after there: There is a boy, There are boys.
12. Along with/as well as/together with ignore, verb with real subject before: Teacher along with students is.
13. Inversion On table was a book, were books.
14. Each/Every/Either/Neither/One/No one/Anyone always singular is, Each of boys is.
15. Both/Several/Few/Many always plural are.
16. All/Some/None/Most/Half depends on noun after of: All students are, All water is.