Subject Verb Agreement - Lesson - 1 for University Admission Test, Job Application Test, BCS Exam and Any Competitive Examination

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

Part 1: Primary Discussion

Subject-Verb Agreement বলতে বাক্যের Subject অনুযায়ী Verb এর সঠিক ব্যবহারকে বোঝায়। বাক্যে Subject এর number ও person অনুযায়ী Verb এর রূপ পরিবর্তিত হয়। সাধারণ নিয়ম হলো:

• Subject যদি Singular হয়, তবে Verb ও Singular হবে।

• Subject যদি Plural হয়, তবে Verb ও Plural হবে।

• He reads a book. (Subject 'He' singular, তাই verb 'reads' singular)

• They read books. (Subject 'They' plural, তাই verb 'read' plural)

Part 2: Important Rules with Previous Questions

Rule-01: Basic Agreement

Subject এবং Verb এর number একই হতে হবে।

• Singular Subject = Singular Verb

• Plural Subject = Plural Verb

Ex: The color of his eyes is blue. (Subject 'The color' singular) Ex: The players are tired. (Subject 'The players' plural)

Rule-02: Prepositional Phrase

Subject এর সাথে Prepositional phrase যুক্ত থাকলে মূল Subject অনুযায়ী verb নির্ধারিত হয়। Preposition এর পরের অংশ (Object of preposition) verb কে প্রভাবিত করে না।

• Ex: The quality of the mangoes is good. (এখানে মূল subject 'The quality', 'mangoes' নয়।)

• Ex: The players in the field are playing well.

Ex: The danger of forest fires is not to be taken lightly. [DU-D: 97-98]

• (A) is

• (B) are

• (C) were

• (D) have

Ans: (A)

Rule-03: 'And' দ্বারা যুক্ত Subject

দুই বা ততোধিক Singular Subject যদি 'and' দ্বারা যুক্ত হয়, তবে Verb Plural হয়।

• Ex: Gold and Silver are precious metals.

• Ex: Fire and water do not agree.

Exception: যদি 'and' দ্বারা যুক্ত দুটি noun একই ব্যক্তি বা বস্তুকে নির্দেশ করে, তবে Verb Singular হয়।

• Ex: The Headmaster and Secretary was present. (একই ব্যক্তি)

• কিন্তু: The Headmaster and the Secretary were present. (আলাদা ব্যক্তি - কারণ উভয়ের আগে article 'the' আছে)

• Ex: Bread and butter is my favorite breakfast. (একই খাবার হিসেবে গণ্য)

• Ex: Slow and steady wins the race.

Ex: Bread and butter is necessary for his life. [DU-C: 05-06]

• (A) are

• (B) were

• (C) is

• (D) have

Ans: (C)

Rule-04: With, Together with, Along with, As well as

যদি দুটি subject নিচের শব্দগুলো দ্বারা যুক্ত থাকে, তবে প্রথম subject অনুযায়ী verb বসে:

• with, together with, along with, accompanied by, as well as, in addition to, including, excluding, and not.

• Ex: The chairman, along with the members, has come. (Subject 'The chairman' singular)

• Ex: Rahim, as well as his brothers, is coming.

Ex: Television, as well as the radio, has an important place in our daily life. [DU-D: 92-93]

• (A) have

• (B) has

• (C) are

• (D) is

Ans: (B)

Rule-05: Either...or, Neither...nor

যদি দুটি subject Or, Nor, Either...or, Neither...nor দ্বারা যুক্ত থাকে, তবে Verb এর নিকটবর্তী subject (দ্বিতীয় subject) অনুযায়ী verb বসে।

• Ex: Either he or his brothers are guilty. (Verb এর কাছের subject 'brothers' plural)

• Ex: Neither the players nor the coach was present. (Verb এর কাছের subject 'coach' singular)

Ex: Neither the moon nor the stars were visible. [DU-B: 12-13]

• (A) is

• (B) was

• (C) are

• (D) were

Ans: (D)

Rule-06: Indefinite Pronouns

নিচের Indefinite Pronoun গুলো Subject হলে Verb সর্বদা Singular হয়:

• Each, Every, Either, Neither, One, Everyone, Everybody, Everything, Anyone, Anybody, Anything, No one, Nobody, Nothing, Someone, Somebody, Something.

• Ex: Each of the boys has got a prize.

• Ex: Everybody wants to be happy.

• Ex: Neither of the pens writes well.

Ex: Each of the sons followed his father's trade. [33rd BCS]

• (A) their

• (B) her

• (C) whose

• (D) his

Ans: (D) (Pronoun ও Singular হবে)

Rule-07: Collective Noun

Collective Noun (যেমন: Jury, Committee, Team, Army, Class, Family) সাধারণত Singular Verb গ্রহণ করে যখন তারা সমষ্টিগতভাবে কাজ করে। কিন্তু যদি সদস্যদের মধ্যে মতভেদ বা বিভাজন বোঝায় (Noun of Multitude), তবে Plural Verb বসে।

• Ex: The jury is unanimous in its decision. (ঐকমত্য - Singular)

• Ex: The jury are divided in their opinions. (বিভক্ত - Plural)

Rule-08: Relative Pronoun

Relative Pronoun (who, which, that) এর পরে যে Verb বসে, তা তার Antecedent (পূর্বপদ) অনুযায়ী নির্ধারিত হয়।

• Ex: It is I who am responsible. (Antecedent 'I')

• Ex: It is you who are to blame. (Antecedent 'You')

• Ex: He is one of the boys who have done this. (Antecedent 'boys' plural, তাই have)

Ex: It is I who am to blame. [DU-B: 09-10]

• (A) am

• (B) is

• (C) are

• (D) was

Ans: (A)

Rule-09: Uncountable Noun

Uncountable Noun এর পরে সর্বদা Singular Verb বসে।

• Examples: Water, air, sand, news, physics, mathematics, scenery, information, furniture, advice, machinery, traffic, money, hair ইত্যাদি।

• Ex: The news is bad.

• Ex: Mathematics is my favorite subject.

• Ex: Physics is difficult for me.

Ex: Ill news runs fast. [RU-E: 06-07]

• (A) run

• (B) runs

• (C) ran

• (D) running

Ans: (B)

Rule-10: Plural Nouns with Singular Meaning

কিছু Noun দেখতে Plural মনে হলেও অর্থের দিক থেকে Singular, তাই এদের পর Singular Verb বসে।

• Examples: News, Politics, Economics, Physics, Mathematics, Gallows, Innings, Athletics, Ethics.

• Ex: Politics is a dirty game.

Ex: Choosing the correct sentence: [24th BCS]

• (A) The gallows has been erected.

• (B) The gallows have been erected.

• (C) The gallows has been being erected.

• (D) The gallows have been being erected.

Ans: (A)

Rule-11: Distance, Time, Money

দূরত্ব, সময়, বা টাকার পরিমাণ দেখতে Plural হলেও, যখন একটি নির্দিষ্ট একক হিসেবে বোঝায় তখন Verb Singular হয়।

• Ex: Fifty miles is a long distance.

• Ex: Ten thousand dollars is a lot of money.

Ex: Ten miles is a long distance. [DU-C: 08-09]

• (A) are

• (B) were

• (C) is

• (D) be

Ans: (C)

Rule-12: A number of vs The number of

• A number of (অনেক) + Plural Noun + Plural Verb.

• The number of (সংখ্যাটি) + Plural Noun + Singular Verb.

• Ex: A number of students were present.

• Ex: The number of students was fifty.

Ex: A number of students were absent. [IU-B: 11-12]

• (A) was

• (B) were

• (C) is

• (D) have

Ans: (B)

Rule-13: One of

• One of the + Plural Noun + Singular Verb.

• Ex: One of the boys is absent.

Ex: One of the most important factors that influence the learning process is language. [DU-D: 07-08]

• (A) are

• (B) is

• (C) were

• (D) have

Ans: (B)

Rule-14: Fractional Numbers (ভগ্নাংশ)

ভগ্নাংশের ক্ষেত্রে 'of' এর পরের Noun অনুযায়ী Verb বসে।

• Fraction + of + Uncountable Noun -> Singular Verb.

• Fraction + of + Countable Plural Noun -> Plural Verb.

• Ex: Two-thirds of the work is done. (Work uncountable)

• Ex: Two-thirds of the students are present. (Students countable plural)

Previous Questions

DU Questions & Answers

01. Choose the correct option: Neither of the two boys _____ selected. [DU-B: 23-24]

• (A) has

• (B) have

• (C) was

• (D) were

Ans: (C) Explanation: 'Neither of' এর পর noun plural হলেও verb singular হয়।

02. The number of students seeking admission _____ increased. [DU-D: 15-16]

• (A) have

• (B) has

• (C) are

• (D) were

Ans: (B) Explanation: 'The number of' থাকলে verb singular হয়।

03. Bread and butter _____ my favorite breakfast. [DU-C: 05-06]

• (A) are

• (B) were

• (C) is

• (D) have

Ans: (C) Explanation: 'Bread and butter' কে এখানে একটি খাবার (breakfast) হিসেবে বিবেচনা করা হয়েছে, তাই singular.

04. Time and tide _____ for none. [DU-A: 07-08]

• (A) wait

• (B) waits

• (C) waited

• (D) waiting

Ans: (A) Explanation: Time and tide (সময় ও স্রোত) ভিন্ন দুটি সত্তা, তাই verb plural (wait) হয়।

05. Either you or he _____ to blame. [DU-B: 10-11]

• (A) is

• (B) are

• (C) has

• (D) have

Ans: (A) Explanation: Either...or থাকলে verb এর কাছের subject (he) অনুযায়ী verb হয়।

JU Questions & Answers

01. Slow and steady _____ the race. [JU-A: 12-13]

• (A) win

• (B) wins

• (C) won

• (D) winning

Ans: (B) Explanation: 'Slow and steady' একটি ধারণা বা প্রবাদ হিসেবে singular ধরা হয়।

02. Many a man _____ trying to do it. [JU-B: 14-15]

• (A) are

• (B) were

• (C) is

• (D) have

Ans: (C) Explanation: 'Many a' এর পর noun এবং verb উভয়ই Singular হয়।

RU Questions & Answers

01. Ten thousand dollars _____ a lot of money. [RU-C: 16-17]

• (A) are

• (B) is

• (C) were

• (D) have

Ans: (B) Explanation: নির্দিষ্ট পরিমাণ টাকা/অর্থ singular হিসেবে গণ্য হয়।

02. The Captain with his team members _____ arrived. [RU-A: 18-19]

• (A) have

• (B) has

• (C) were

• (D) are

Ans: (B) Explanation: 'with' দ্বারা যুক্ত হলে প্রথম subject (The Captain) অনুযায়ী verb হয়।

BCS & Other Exams

01. Neither Rini nor Simi _____ qualified for the job. [40th BCS]

• (A) is

• (B) are

• (C) were

• (D) have

Ans: (A) Explanation: Neither...nor এর ক্ষেত্রে ২য় subject (Simi) অনুযায়ী verb হবে।

02. One of my friends _____ a lawyer. [38th BCS]

• (A) are

• (B) is

• (C) were

• (D) have

Ans: (B) Explanation: 'One of' + Plural Noun -> Singular Verb.

TEST

01. The headmaster and secretary _____ present in the meeting.

• (A) was

• (B) were

• (C) have

• (D) are

Ans: (A) (একই ব্যক্তি, কারণ 'the' শুধু headmaster এর আগে আছে)

02. Every boy and every girl _____ given a packet of sweets.

• (A) was

• (B) were

• (C) are

• (D) have

Ans: (A) (Every থাকলে verb singular হয়)

03. Neither the chairman nor the members _____ present.

• (A) is

• (B) was

• (C) are

• (D) has

Ans: (C) (Neither...nor এর ক্ষেত্রে কাছের subject 'members' plural, তাই verb plural)

04. Physics _____ my favorite subject.

• (A) are

• (B) were

• (C) is

• (D) have

Ans: (C) (Subject singular)

05. A large number of people _____ there.

• (A) was

• (B) is

• (C) were

• (D) has

Ans: (C) ('A number of' takes plural verb)

06. Fifty kilograms _____ not a heavy weight.

• (A) are

• (B) were

• (C) is

• (D) have

Ans: (C) (নির্দিষ্ট ওজন singular)

07. One of the boys _____ done the work.

• (A) have

• (B) has

• (C) were

• (D) are

Ans: (B) (One of... singular verb)

08. The father, as well as his sons, _____ present.

• (A) were

• (B) are

• (C) was

• (D) have

Ans: (C) ('As well as' থাকলে প্রথম subject অনুযায়ী verb হয়)

09. There _____ a high school and a college in our village.

• (A) is

• (B) are

• (C) was

• (D) has

Ans: (B) (Subject 'a high school and a college' plural, তাই 'are')

10. It is I who _____ to blame.

• (A) is

• (B) am

• (C) are

• (D) has

Ans: (B) (Relative pronoun 'who' এর antecedent 'I', তাই 'am')