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Pronoun Verb Agreement – Quiz 1
Pronoun Verb Agreement Quiz 1 (30 MCQs)
This multiple-choice question set evaluates your understanding of subject-verb agreement, including pronoun verb agreement in various contexts such as singular and plural subjects, past tense verbs, modal verbs, complex subjects, and neither...nor constructions. It covers essential grammar rules for academic writing.
Quiz Instructions
Select an option to see the correct answer instantly.
1.
True or False:The sentence 'She have a new phone' uses the correct verb form for standard English.
A) True.
B) False.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence 'She have a new phone' uses the incorrect verb form for standard English. In English, the third-person singular subject 'she' requires the verb form 'has', not 'have'. Therefore, the correct sentence would be 'She has a new phone'.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect as the sentence does not use the correct verb form.
Option B:
Correct. The sentence uses an incorrect verb form for standard English.
Option C:
Not applicable since only one option is correct.
Option D:
Not applicable as there are no other options to consider.
2.
Complete the sentence:She ..... very well in the tournament.
A) Plays.
B) Played.
C) Playing.
D) Play.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence requires a past tense verb to agree with the subject "She" and fit the context of the tournament, which implies a completed action. Therefore, "Played" (Option B) is correct as it agrees with the singular subject and indicates an action that happened in the past.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
"Plays" is incorrect because it is in the present tense, which does not fit the context of a completed tournament performance.
Option B:
"Played" is correct as explained above.
Option C:
"Playing" is incorrect because it is an infinitive form and does not agree with the subject in terms of tense or number.
Option D:
"Play" is incorrect for the same reason as Option A; it is in the present tense.
3.
What is a plural subject?
A) A singular subject that refers to one person or thing.
B) A plural subject refers to more than one person or thing, such as 'they', 'we', or 'you'.
C) A subject that is always in the past tense.
D) A subject that can only be used in questions.
Show Answer
Explanations:
A plural subject refers to more than one person or thing, such as 'they', 'we', or 'you'. This is correct because a plural subject requires a verb form that agrees with it by being in the plural tense. For example, "They are going to the park" where "they" is the plural subject and "are going" is the corresponding plural verb form.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect as a singular subject refers to one person or thing.
Option B:
Correct, as explained above.
Option C:
Incorrect as subjects are not related to tense; they can be in any tense regardless of being plural or singular.
Option D:
Incorrect as subjects can appear in both questions and statements, not limited to just questions.
4.
Complete the sentence:Either Sarah or her friends ..... going to bring snacks.
A) Was.
B) Are.
C) Be.
D) Is.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Either Sarah or her friends are going to bring snacks" uses the subject "either...or," which requires a plural verb form, as both subjects (Sarah and her friends) are considered together in this construction. Therefore, the correct answer is
B) Are.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Was - Incorrect; singular verb for plural subject.
Option B:
Are - Correct; plural verb for plural subject.
Option C:
Be - Incorrect; not a complete form of the verb.
Option D:
Is - Incorrect; singular verb for plural subject.
5.
Choose the correct verb form:Either the teacher or the students ..... responsible for the decorations.
A) Was.
B) Is.
C) Are.
D) Be.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The subject "Either the teacher or the students" is considered plural because it includes a plural noun ("students"). Therefore, the verb must also be in its plural form to maintain pronoun-verb agreement. The correct answer is
C) Are.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
"Was" - Incorrect as it does not agree with the plural subject.
Option B:
"Is" - Incorrect for the same reason as Option A.
Option C:
"Are" - Correct, agreeing with the plural subject.
Option D:
"Be" - This is a verb form and not an appropriate answer choice in this context.
6.
Complete the sentence:Everyone ..... welcome to join us.
A) Being.
B) Be.
C) Are.
D) Is.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Everyone is welcome to join us" uses the correct pronoun-verb agreement where "everyone" (singular) agrees with "is" (singular).
Option Analysis:
Option A:
"Being" does not function as a verb in this context and thus is incorrect.
Option B:
"Be" is the infinitive form of the verb, but it should be conjugated to match the subject, making "is" correct here.
Option C:
"Are" is plural and does not agree with the singular subject "everyone," so this option is incorrect.
Option D:
"Is" correctly agrees with the singular subject "everyone," making it the right choice.
7.
Mr. & Mrs. Stevenson ..... for the Halloween party.
A) Decorates.
B) Decorate.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Mr. & Mrs. Stevenson decorate for the Halloween party." uses a plural subject ("Mr. & Mrs. Stevenson") that requires a plural verb form ("decorate"). Therefore, option B is correct as it matches this pronoun-verb agreement rule.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Uses singular "decorates" with plural subject - incorrect.
Option B:
Uses plural "decorate" with plural subject - correct.
Option C:
Includes both options, but only option B is correct - partially correct but not fully accurate in this context.
Option D:
States no verb form is correct - incorrect.
8.
Which sentence uses correct pronoun-verb agreement?
A) They eat lunch together.
B) It jump over the fence.
C) He run every morning.
D) She walk to school.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "They eat lunch together" correctly uses pronoun-verb agreement. The plural subject "they" agrees with the plural verb form "eat."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct - They eat lunch together.
Option B:
Incorrect - It jump over the fence should be "It jumps over the fence."
Option C:
Incorrect - He run every morning should be "He runs every morning."
Option D:
Incorrect - She walk to school should be "She walks to school."
9.
Fill in the blank with the best verb:Neither the teacher nor the students ..... ready for the exam.
A) Be.
B) Is.
C) Was.
D) Were.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The subject of the sentence is "Neither the teacher nor the students," which is a plural subject due to "students." The verb should agree with this plural subject, hence "Were" (Option D) is correct. This follows the rule that when using "neither...nor" constructions, the verb agrees with the second noun in number and person.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect because "Be" does not agree with the plural subject.
Option B:
Incorrect because "Is" is singular and does not match the plural subject.
Option C:
Incorrect because "Was" is singular and does not match the plural subject.
Option D:
Correct as it agrees with the plural subject "students."
10.
Fill in the blank with the verb that shows proper agreement:Several of the players ..... new shoes for the season.
A) Has.
B) Was.
C) Have.
D) Is.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The subject "Several of the players" is plural, so it requires a verb in its plural form. Therefore, "Have" (Option C) correctly agrees with the subject and is the proper choice.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Has - Incorrect as it does not agree with the plural subject.
Option B:
Was - Incorrect as it is a past tense form of "to be" and does not match the verb agreement rule here.
Option C:
Have - Correct as it agrees with the plural subject "Several of the players."
Option D:
Is - Incorrect as it is a singular present tense form of "to be" and does not agree with the plural subject.
11.
You are asking a friend about their plans. Which question is grammatically correct?
A) Do you want to see a movie?.
B) Does you want to see a movie?.
C) Are you wants to see a movie?.
D) Is you wanting to see a movie?.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option A is correct because it properly uses the auxiliary verb "do" to agree with the subject "you" in the question form, and the main verb "want" is conjugated correctly as "want." The other options are incorrect due to various errors: Option B incorrectly uses "Does" without agreement with the plural subject "you," Option C has a grammatical error with "wants" instead of "want," and Option D incorrectly combines "Is" with "wanting."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Do you want to see a movie? (Correct)
Option B:
Does you want to see a movie? (Incorrect: Agreement error)
Option C:
Are you wants to see a movie? (Incorrect: Verb form error)
Option D:
Is you wanting to see a movie? (Incorrect: Verb form and agreement errors)
12.
Select the pronoun-verb pair that is grammatically correct.
A) We was.
B) They is.
C) He are.
D) I am.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
D) I am.
This sentence follows the rule of pronoun-verb agreement, where "I" (a singular subject) requires the singular verb form "am."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
"We was" is incorrect because "we" (plural) should use a plural verb form like "were."
Option B:
"They is" is incorrect as "they" (plural) requires the plural verb form "are."
Option C:
"He are" is wrong because "he" (singular) should use the singular verb form "is."
Option D:
"I am" correctly uses a singular subject with its corresponding singular verb.
13.
True or False:Neither of the boys want to go to the store.
A) True.
B) False.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Neither of the boys want to go to the store" contains a subject-verb agreement error. The subject "neither of the boys" is plural, so it requires a plural verb form. Therefore, the correct form should be "wants," making the statement false.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect because the sentence is not true.
Option B:
Correct as explained above.
Option C:
Incorrect since only one option is correct.
Option D:
Incorrect as there is a clear correct answer.
14.
Choose the correct verb in ( ).They ( walk, walks ) their new puppy around the block.
A) Walk.
B) Walks.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The subject of the sentence is "They," which is plural. Therefore, the verb must also be in its plural form to maintain pronoun-verb agreement. The correct verb form for a plural subject is "walk."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. "Walk" is the plural form of the verb that agrees with the plural subject "They."
Option B:
Incorrect. "Walks" is the singular third-person form and does not agree with the plural subject.
Option C:
Incorrect. This option suggests all forms are correct, which is false as only one form agrees with the subject.
Option D:
Incorrect. There is a correct answer among the options provided.
15.
Choose the sentence that correctly applies the pronoun-verb agreement rule for subjects joined by 'or'.
A) Either my mom or my sisters are picking me up.
B) Either my sisters or my mom is picking I up.
C) Either my mom or my sisters is picking me up.
D) Either my sisters or my mom are picking me up.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
A) Either my mom or my sisters are picking me up.
This sentence follows the pronoun-verb agreement rule for subjects joined by 'or'. When a subject includes both singular and plural nouns connected by 'or', the verb should agree with the nearest subject, which in this case is "sisters," making it plural.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. The verb "are" agrees with the plural subject "sisters."
Option B:
Incorrect. The verb "is" does not agree with the plural subject "sisters," and it also incorrectly uses "I" instead of "me."
Option C:
Incorrect. The verb "is" does not agree with the plural subject "sisters."
Option D:
Incorrect. The verb "are" should be singular to match "mom," which is the nearest subject in this construction.
16.
Which sentence shows the correct way to use a modal verb like 'can'?
A) She cans go to the store.
B) We can goes to the store.
C) He can goes to the store.
D) They can go to the store.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option D is correct because it properly uses the modal verb "can" with a plural subject "They." The verb following "can" should be in its base form, which is "go," not "goes."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. "Cans" is the past tense of "can," and it does not agree with the plural subject "She."
Option B:
Incorrect. The verb "goes" does not match the plural subject "We."
Option C:
Incorrect. "Can goes" is a grammatical error; "can" should be followed by the base form of the verb, which is "go."
Option D:
Correct. It uses "can" correctly with the plural subject "They," and "go" is in its base form.
17.
Identify the sentence with the correct pronoun-verb agreement.
A) Everybody want to go to the amusement park.
B) Everybody were wanting to go to the amusement park.
C) Everybody are wanting to go to the amusement park.
D) Everybody wants to go to the amusement park.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Option D is correct because "everybody" is singular, and thus requires a singular verb form, which in this case is "wants."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect; "want" should be "wants" to agree with the singular subject "everybody."
Option B:
Incorrect; "were wanting" is incorrect for a singular subject.
Option C:
Incorrect; "are wanting" is incorrect for a singular subject.
Option D:
Correct; "wants" agrees with the singular subject "everybody."
18.
True or False:'They runs to school every day.' is grammatically correct.
A) True.
B) False.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence 'They runs to school every day.' is grammatically incorrect because the verb 'runs' does not agree with the plural subject 'they'. The correct form should be 'run'.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. The sentence is not grammatically correct.
Option B:
Correct. The sentence has a pronoun-verb agreement error.
Option C:
Incorrect. 'False' is the correct answer.
Option D:
Incorrect. There are no other options to consider.
19.
What is the correct verb for 'They (play, plays) basketball'?
A) Playing.
B) Play.
C) Played.
D) Plays.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct verb for 'They (play, plays) basketball' is
Play
. This is because the subject 'they' is plural, and thus requires a plural verb form to agree with it in number. The sentence structure indicates a general or habitual action, which uses the simple present tense.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
"Playing" is the present participle form of the verb and does not match the subject-verb agreement rule for plural subjects.
Option B:
"Play" correctly matches with the plural subject 'they' in a simple present tense context, making it the correct choice.
Option C:
"Played" is the past tense form of the verb and does not fit the context of a general or habitual action.
Option D:
"Plays" is the third-person singular form of the verb, which does not agree with the plural subject 'they'.
20.
Identify the sentence that correctly handles the intervening phrase:She, along with her two cousins, ..... going to the water park.
A) Is.
B) Be.
C) Were.
D) Are.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "She, along with her two cousins, are going to the water park" correctly handles the intervening phrase because "she and her two cousins" together form a plural subject ("three people"), requiring a plural verb "are".
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. The singular verb "is" does not agree with the plural subject.
Option B:
Incorrect. The infinitive form "be" is not a complete verb in this context.
Option C:
Incorrect. While "were" would be correct if the subject were singular, it is incorrect here due to the plural subject.
Option D:
Correct. The plural verb "are" agrees with the plural subject "She, along with her two cousins".
21.
Read the sentence:'Each of the team members, including the captain, want to win the championship.' How would you correct the error in this sentence?
A) Remove the phrase 'including the captain'.
B) Change 'members' to 'member'.
C) The sentence is already correct.
D) Change 'want' to 'wants'.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Each of the team members, including the captain, want to win the championship." contains a subject-verb agreement error. The subject "Each of the team members" is singular and requires a singular verb form. Therefore, changing 'want' to 'wants' corrects this error.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Removing the phrase 'including the captain' does not address the subject-verb agreement issue.
Option B:
Changing 'members' to 'member' would change the meaning of the sentence, making it less inclusive.
Option C:
The original sentence is incorrect due to the subject-verb disagreement.
Option D:
Correcting the verb from 'want' to 'wants' fixes the error in subject-verb agreement.
22.
True or False:The verb in the sentence 'One of my best friends live next door' is grammatically correct.
A) True.
B) False.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "One of my best friends live next door" is grammatically incorrect because it should use the plural verb form "lives" to agree with the plural subject "friends." The correct sentence would be "One of my best friends lives next door."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. The verb does not match the subject.
Option B:
Correct. The verb is grammatically incorrect.
Option C:
Incorrect. "All the above" is not applicable here as only one option is correct.
Option D:
Incorrect. There is a correct answer among the options provided.
23.
True or False:The sentence 'The committee are deciding on the new policy' is grammatically correct.
A) True.
B) False.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence 'The committee are deciding on the new policy' is grammatically incorrect because a singular noun like 'committee' requires a singular verb form, which in this case should be 'is'.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. The sentence does not follow subject-verb agreement rules.
Option B:
Correct. The sentence uses the plural verb 'are' with a singular noun 'committee', which is grammatically incorrect.
Option C:
Incorrect. This option suggests all options are correct, which is not true.
Option D:
Incorrect. There is a correct answer among the given options.
24.
What happens if the subject and verb do not agree?
A) The sentence sounds incorrect, like 'He run every day' instead of 'He runs every day'.
B) The sentence becomes more complex and difficult to understand.
C) The subject becomes plural and the verb changes to past tense.
D) The sentence is grammatically correct but may sound awkward.
Show Answer
Explanations:
When the subject and verb do not agree, it results in a sentence that sounds incorrect to native speakers of English. For example, saying "He run every day" instead of "He runs every day" makes the sentence sound awkward and wrong because the singular subject "he" requires a singular verb form "runs".
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. Sentences with non-agreeing subjects and verbs are perceived as incorrect.
Option B:
Incorrect. The sentence does not become more complex; it just sounds wrong.
Option C:
Incorrect. The subject remains singular, the verb form changes to match the subject number.
Option D:
Incorrect. Grammatical correctness is lost, making the sentence sound awkward rather than correct.
25.
True or False:In the sentence 'Several of the kids want ice cream, ' the verb 'want' correctly agrees with the pronoun 'several'.
A) True.
B) False.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The verb "want" correctly agrees with the pronoun "several." In English grammar, when a plural subject is used with an indefinite pronoun like "several," the verb remains in its plural form. Here, "several of the kids" is treated as a plural subject, hence "want" is correct.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
True. The verb 'want' agrees with the plural pronoun 'several.'
Option B:
False. This would be incorrect as the verb does agree with the subject.
Option C:
All the above. Not applicable here since only one option is correct.
Option D:
None of the above. Incorrect because Option A is true.
26.
Complete the sentence:My brother is great at soccer; he ..... almost every day.
A) Practice.
B) Are practicing.
C) Practices.
D) Is practice.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence requires a verb that agrees with the singular subject "he." Option C, "Practices," is correct because it matches the singular subject and is in the present tense, indicating an habitual action.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
"Practice" is incorrect as it does not agree with the singular subject "he."
Option B:
"Are practicing" is incorrect because it uses a plural verb form and auxiliary verb, which do not fit the sentence structure.
Option C:
"Practices" is correct as it agrees with the singular subject "he" and indicates an habitual action.
Option D:
"Is practice" is incorrect because "is" does not agree with the singular subject "he," and "practice" should be a verb form, not a noun.
27.
Complete the sentence:None of the pie ..... eaten.
A) Were.
B) Was.
C) Is.
D) Are.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "None of the pie ... eaten" is a singular subject ("none") followed by a past participle verb form. In English, when using "none" as the subject, it acts as a singular noun and requires a singular verb form.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Were - Incorrect; "were" is plural.
Option B:
Was - Correct; "was" matches with the singular subject "none."
Option C:
Is - Incorrect; "is" does not match with the past participle form needed here.
Option D:
Are - Incorrect; "are" is plural and does not fit the sentence structure.
28.
Choose the correct verb in ( ).We ( think, thinks ) that our school is the best!
A) Think.
B) Thinks.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The subject of the sentence is "we," which is a plural pronoun. Therefore, the verb must also be in its plural form to maintain subject-verb agreement. The correct verb form is "think."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. "Think" agrees with the plural subject "we."
Option B:
Incorrect. "Thinks" does not agree with the plural subject "we." It should be singular.
Option C:
Incorrect. This option suggests both verbs are correct, which is false.
Option D:
Incorrect. There is a correct answer among the options provided.
29.
Choose the sentence where the verb correctly agrees with the antecedent of the relative pronoun 'who'.
A) It is I who is going to lead the presentation.
B) It is my friends who is planning the surprise party.
C) She is one of the students who have a part-time job.
D) He is the one who always help me with my math homework.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The correct answer is
C) She is one of the students who have a part-time job.
In this sentence, "who" refers to "students," which is plural, so the verb "have" should also be in its plural form. The subject-verb agreement here follows the rule that a singular noun or pronoun requires a singular verb, while a plural noun or pronoun requires a plural verb.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect; "I is" should be "I am."
Option B:
Incorrect; "is planning" should be "are planning."
Option C:
Correct as explained.
Option D:
Incorrect; "help" should be "helps."
30.
Complete the sentence:Somebody ..... left their backpack in the classroom.
A) Was.
B) Have.
C) Were.
D) Has.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Somebody ... left their backpack in the classroom" is a singular subject ("somebody") followed by a past tense verb. In English, when using a singular subject with a past tense verb, we use "has" rather than "have." Therefore, option D) Has is correct.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Was - Incorrect as it does not match the singular subject and past tense requirement.
Option B:
Have - Incorrect as it does not match the singular subject and past tense requirement.
Option C:
Were - Incorrect as it is for plural subjects in the past tense, not a singular subject.
Option D:
Has - Correct as it matches the singular subject and past tense requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pronoun-verb agreement?
Pronoun-verb agreement refers to the matching of a verb's form with its subject, ensuring that they agree in number (singular or plural). This rule helps maintain grammatical correctness and clarity in sentences.
How does pronoun-verb agreement work in singular subjects?
In singular subjects, the verb should also be singular. For example, "The cat sleeps" or "Each student writes their essay." The verb form must match the subject to ensure proper agreement.
Can pronoun-verb agreement be challenging in complex subjects?
Yes, complex subjects can pose challenges because they may include phrases or clauses that complicate the identification of the subject. For example, "The idea that everyone should vote is compelling" requires careful analysis to determine the correct verb form.
How does pronoun-verb agreement apply in past tense?
In past tense, verbs change their form to indicate actions that have already occurred. Pronoun-verb agreement still applies; for example, "She walked to the store" or "They played soccer all afternoon." The verb must agree with its subject in both number and tense.
Why is pronoun-verb agreement important?
Pronoun-verb agreement is crucial for clear communication. Proper agreement ensures that sentences are grammatically correct and easy to understand, enhancing the overall quality of writing or speech.