Subject–verb agreement and countable nouns
The longer and more academic your sentences become, the easier it is to lose track of the subject. Learn to find the head noun, handle tricky subjects like the number of, each and one of the, and use uncountable nouns and irregular plurals (people, criteria, phenomena, data) without errors.
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
- Find the head noun in long academic subjects and make the verb agree with it
- Use the number of / a number of, each / every, one of the…, there is / there are and collective nouns correctly
- Treat uncountable nouns such as information, advice, research, equipment and evidence correctly, with the right quantifiers
- Use irregular and plural-only nouns (people, criteria, phenomena, data, police) accurately
Three steps to check any verb
- 1
1. Find the verb
Find the main verb that shows tense: is/are, was/were, has/have, does/doesn't, or a present-tense verb that may need -s.
- 2
2. Strip the subject down to its head noun
Cross out everything that only describes the head noun:
- prepositional phrases: of students, in rural areas, with a degree
- relative clauses: who choose to study abroad
- participle phrases: living in Dhaka, built in 2022
The number
of students who choose to study abroadhas increased. - 3
3. Singular or plural? Match the verb
Singular head noun → is, was, has, does, verb + -s. Plural head noun → are, were, have, do, verb with no -s.
Remember the 'one -s' pattern: in the present tense, a plural subject usually has the -s on the noun (students study), and a singular subject has it on the verb (a student studies).
Long subjects: find the head noun
| Sentence | Head noun | Verb |
|---|---|---|
The quality of public hospitals in rural districts has improved. | quality (singular) | has |
Students who work part-time while studying are often exhausted. | students (plural) | are |
The cost of flats near the new metro stations is rising. | cost (singular) | is |
One of the main causes of traffic jams in Dhaka is poor planning. | one (singular) | is |
The effects of climate change on coastal communities are already visible. | effects (plural) | are |
Access to clean water and sanitation remains a problem in some areas. | access (singular, uncountable) | remains |
The percentage of households owning a car was highest in 2020. | percentage (singular) | was |
Reading books in English improves your vocabulary. | reading (a gerund is singular) | improves |
Tricky subjects and the verbs they take
| Subject | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
the number of + plural noun | singular (one figure) | The number of cars has doubled. |
a number of + plural noun | plural (= several) | A number of solutions have been proposed. |
each / every + singular noun | singular | Every student has to submit an essay. Each country sets its own rules. |
one of / each of / neither of / either of + plural noun | singular (neither/either of + plural verb is common in speech) | One of my friends lives in Toronto. Each of the candidates was interviewed. |
everyone, everybody, nobody, someone, anything | singular | Everyone wants a well-paid job. |
people, police, cattle, the + adjective (the elderly, the poor) | plural | People are worried. The police are investigating. The elderly need support. |
collective nouns: government, team, family, committee, public, staff | British English allows singular or plural; American English prefers singular. Be consistent. | The government has announced its budget. / The government have announced their budget. (✗ The government has announced their budget.) |
percentage / fraction + of + noun | agrees with the noun after 'of' | 20% of the land is used for farming. 20% of workers live in rented rooms. Half of the money was spent. Half of the students were absent. |
the majority of + plural noun | plural | The majority of respondents were satisfied. |
the percentage / proportion of + noun (one figure) | singular | The proportion of graduates who found jobs was 64%. |
A and B | plural | Poverty and unemployment are closely linked. |
A as well as / along with / together with B | agrees with A only | The minister, as well as her advisers, was criticised. |
either A or B / neither A nor B | agrees with the nearer subject | Neither the teacher nor the students were ready. Neither the students nor the teacher was ready. |
a gerund or a what-clause | singular | Studying abroad is expensive. What young people need is guidance. |
an amount seen as one unit (money, time, distance) | singular | Ten years is a long time. Five thousand taka is not enough for a month's rent. |
nouns ending in -s with a singular meaning | singular | The news is good. Economics is popular. The United States is… The Philippines is… |
the verb in a relative clause | agrees with the noun the pronoun refers to | Students who live far away… / A student who lives far away… |
Check your understanding
7 questions- 1
The number of people living in cities (be) growing every year.
- 2
A number of studies (show) that sleep affects exam performance.
- 3
'One of the biggest problems in Dhaka ___ traffic congestion.'
- 4
'Every student in the class ___ a laptop.'
- 5
There (be) a lot of evidence that exercise improves memory.
- 6
'Neither the students nor the teacher ___ aware of the change.'
- 7
Two-thirds of the students in my class (want) to study abroad.
Answer every question to check.
Uncountable nouns: singular verbs, no plural -s
| Noun | ✗ Typical error | ✓ Correct | To count it |
|---|---|---|---|
information | The informations are useful. | The information is useful. | a piece of information, a fact |
advice | Her advices were helpful. | Her advice was helpful. | a piece of advice, a tip |
research | Many researches have shown… | Much research has shown… / Many studies have shown… | a study, a research project |
equipment | The equipments are outdated. | The equipment is outdated. | a piece of equipment, machines |
evidence | There are many evidences. | There is a lot of evidence. | a piece of evidence, a finding |
knowledge | Their knowledges are limited. | Their knowledge is limited. | a skill, an area of expertise |
traffic | The traffics are terrible in Dhaka. | The traffic is terrible in Dhaka. | vehicles, cars, a traffic jam |
news | The news are shocking. | The news is shocking. | a news story, a report |
progress | Students have made good progresses. | Students have made good progress. | a step forward, an improvement |
damage | The cyclone caused many damages. | The cyclone caused a lot of damage. | ('damages' means money paid by order of a court) |
Countable or uncountable decides the quantifier too
| With uncountable nouns (+ singular verb) | With plural countable nouns (+ plural verb) |
|---|---|
| much traffic | many cars |
| little / a little evidence | few / a few studies |
| less pollution | fewer vehicles |
| the amount of rice | the number of people |
| a great deal of research | a large number of researchers |
These work with both kinds of noun: a lot of, lots of, plenty of, some, any, more, most, enough, no. The verb still follows the noun:
- A lot of research has been done.
- A lot of studies have been done.
Two Task 1 traps
- ✗ the amount of people / tourists / cars → ✓ the number of people. Use 'amount' only with uncountable things: the amount of water, money, electricity.
- ✗ less students, less accidents → ✓ fewer students, fewer accidents. You will hear 'less people' in casual speech, but in formal writing examiners expect 'fewer' with countable nouns.
'Much' in positive sentences sounds formal. There is much debate about… is fine in Task 2, but in Speaking prefer a lot of.
Irregular plurals and plural-only nouns
| Singular | Plural | In context |
|---|---|---|
person | people ('persons' only in legal or official notices) | Many people are unaware of the risks. One person was injured. |
child | children (never 'childrens') | Children learn languages quickly. |
criterion | criteria | The main criterion is cost. Four criteria are used to mark your writing. |
phenomenon | phenomena | This phenomenon is common in megacities. These phenomena are linked. |
datum (rare) | data | The data show… / The data shows… (both are accepted; be consistent). Never 'datas'. |
medium | media | The media has / have a powerful influence. (Both are accepted.) |
analysis / hypothesis / crisis / basis | analyses / hypotheses / crises / bases | Two separate analyses were carried out. |
species / series / means | same form | A new species was discovered. Several species are endangered. |
woman / man | women / men | Women make up 60% of the garment workforce. |
— (plural only) | police, cattle, clothes, goods, belongings, earnings, premises, surroundings, outskirts, savings | The police are… / My savings are… / Manufactured goods are exported… |
people (one ethnic group) / peoples | peoples = several nations or ethnic groups | the indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (✗ 'Many peoples think…') |
Academic nouns with irregular plurals
Saved as flashcards with a free accountcriterion
noun (plural: criteria)/kraɪˈtɪəriən/
a standard by which something is judged or a decision is made
মানদণ্ড
Cost is the main criterion most families use when choosing a university abroad.
phenomenon
noun (plural: phenomena)/fəˈnɒmɪnən/
a fact or event that can be observed, especially one that is unusual or worth studying
ঘটনা; প্রপঞ্চ
Waterlogging after heavy rain is a phenomenon that affects millions of people in Dhaka every monsoon.
hypothesis
noun (plural: hypotheses)/haɪˈpɒθəsɪs/
an idea or explanation that is proposed but has not yet been proved
অনুমান; প্রকল্প
The researchers tested the hypothesis that bilingual children are better at switching between tasks.
analysis
noun (plural: analyses)/əˈnæləsɪs/
a detailed examination of something in order to understand it
বিশ্লেষণ
A careful analysis of the survey data shows that rural incomes have risen.
crisis
noun (plural: crises)/ˈkraɪsɪs/
a time of great difficulty, danger or uncertainty
সংকট
Several global financial crises have hit garment exports over the past two decades.
premises
noun (plural only)/ˈpremɪsɪz/
the land and buildings owned or used by a business or organisation
প্রাঙ্গণ; চত্বর
Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the university premises.
Task 1 sentences: Band 6 vs Band 8
Band 6: nine agreement and countability errors
The number of students who studies abroad have risen sharply. The datas shows that a large amount of students prefers the UK, and each of the five countries have increased their share. There is also many evidences that the cost of living in these countries are rising.
Band 8: long subjects, full control
The number of students who study abroad has risen sharply. The data show that a large number of students prefer the UK, and each of the five countries has increased its share. There is also a great deal of evidence that the cost of living in these countries is rising.
Every error on the left comes from losing track of the head noun or treating a noun as the wrong type. 'Who study' agrees with 'students'. 'Has risen' agrees with 'number', and 'each of… has… its' agrees with 'each'. 'Is rising' agrees with 'cost'. Data, evidence and amount/number are countability choices. The vocabulary on both sides is almost identical. Only the control is different.
Find and fix the agreement error
7 questions- 1
Find and correct the mistake:
One of the main reason for this trend are rising incomes.
- 2
Find and correct the mistake:
The equipments in our science laboratory is very old.
- 3
Find and correct the mistake:
Each of the candidates have fifteen minutes to prepare.
- 4
Find and correct the mistake:
There is many reasons why young people move to cities.
- 5
Find and correct the mistake:
Many peoples in my village works in the garment industry.
- 6
Find and correct the mistake:
The amount of tourists visiting Cox's Bazar has increased.
- 7
Find and correct the mistake:
Students who lives far from campus spend hours commuting.
Answer every question to check.
Writing Task 1 practice
100+ words · 15 minThe table below shows the number of students enrolled in five faculties at a university in 2015 and 2025, and the percentage of international students in each faculty in 2025.
Lesson task: Write a short Task 1 report (100–150 words): an introduction, an overview and one body paragraph. Include at least:
- the number of + a correct singular verb
- each of or one of the + a correct singular verb
- a percentage or fraction + of + noun
- there is or there are
| Faculty | Students 2015 | Students 2025 | International students 2025 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business | 3,000 | 4,500 | 25% |
| Engineering | 2,400 | 3,600 | 18% |
| Arts and Humanities | 2,000 | 1,500 | 8% |
| Medicine | 800 | 1,000 | 30% |
| Law | 600 | 900 | 12% |
Self-check before submitting
- ☐ 'The number of' is followed by a singular verb (The number of Business students rose / was…)
- ☐ 'Each of' and 'one of the' take a singular verb (Each of the two smallest faculties saw…)
- ☐ Percentages and fractions agree with the noun after 'of' (30% of medical students were…)
- ☐ A faculty name such as 'Arts and Humanities' is one faculty, so it takes a singular verb
- ☐ Countable nouns use 'number' and 'fewer'; never 'amount of students' or 'less students'
- ☐ Past tense throughout, because 2015 and 2025 are finished years
Final quiz: agreement and countability
11 questions- 1
Match each singular noun with its plural.
criterionphenomenoncrisisanalysischildmedium - 2
Put the words in order to begin a Task 2 sentence.
Drag the cards (or use the arrows) into the correct order.
- 1reasons
- 2One
- 3of
- 4the
- 5is
- 6main
- 3
'The government ___ announced a new plan to reduce air pollution.'
- 4
Economics (be) one of the most popular subjects at Bangladeshi universities.
- 5
The majority of respondents (be) in favour of the new metro line.
- 6
'Ten years ___ a long time to wait for a new bridge.'
- 7
Which sentence is correct?
- 8
Choose TWO correct sentences.
Select 2.
- 9
These criteria (be) used to assess every candidate.
- 10
Find and correct the mistake:
The cost of living in big cities are increasing every year.
- 11
Find and correct the mistake:
The minister, as well as his advisers, were criticised for the decision.
Answer every question to check.
Key takeaways
Keep your progress
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