CBSE Class 10/Overview
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EnglishCh-8 12 min comprehensive revision
NCERT Class 10 English — Chapter 8

Grammar: Subject-Verb Concord

Exhaustive guide for CBSE Class 10 Subject-Verb Concord: the 15 fundamental rules of agreement, proximity logic, compound subjects, indefinite pronouns, collective nouns, and error-spotting drills.

Quick Key Takeaways:
Fundamental Rule: Singular subjects take singular verbs (V1+s/es, is, was, has); plural subjects take plural verbs (V1, are, were, have).
Intervening Prepositional Phrases: Phrases introduced by along with, together with, as well as, accompanied by, in addition to do not affect the main subject's number.
The Law of Proximity (Correlatives): When subjects are joined by either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
Indefinite Pronouns Rule: Each, every, everyone, everybody, neither, either, one of the strictly require singular verbs.
Quantities, Distance & Time: Specific sums of money, periods of time, and distances viewed as a single unit take singular verbs (Fifty thousand rupees is a huge sum).
Jump to Concept:1. 1. The 15 Master Rules of Subject-Verb Concord2. 2. CBSE Board Solved Grammar Drills: Concord Error Spotting3. 3. High-Yield Solved Board Examination Questions (3-Mark & 6-Mark)4. 4. Reference-to-Context (RTC) Solved Extract Drill5. 5. CBSE Examiner Marking Scheme, High-Scoring Vocabulary & Pitfalls
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1. The 15 Master Rules of Subject-Verb Concord

Grammar Rules & Concepts

Grammar rules, sentence structures, common exceptions, and foundational concepts of Grammar: Subject-Verb Concord.

• Rules 1–5: Intervening Phrases, Compound Subjects & Pairs
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Rule 1 (Intervening Expressions): Words joined to a singular subject by with, as well as, along with, together with, accompanied by, in addition to are parenthetical; the verb remains singular. Example: The captain, along with all his sailors, was rescued.
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Rule 2 (Compound Subjects Joined by 'And'): Two or more nouns joined by 'and' take a plural verb (Rohan and Priya are participating).
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Rule 3 (Singular Pair Nouns Expressing One Idea): When two nouns express a single combined unit or dish, they take a singular verb. Example: Bread and butter is wholesome food. / Slow and steady wins the race.
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Rule 4 (Single Idea with Single Article): If two nouns refer to the same person (indicated by an article before the first noun only), the verb is singular. Example: The Director and Producer has arrived. (One person). In contrast: The Director and the Producer have arrived. (Two distinct persons).
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Rule 5 (Plural in Form, Singular in Meaning): Names of subjects, books, or diseases ending in '-s' take singular verbs. Example: Mathematics is fascinating. / Measles is infectious.
• Rules 6–10: Proximity, Indefinite Pronouns & Collective Nouns
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Rule 6 (The Law of Proximity): With either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also, the verb agrees with the nearest subject. Examples: Neither the teacher nor the students were present. / Neither the students nor the teacher was present.
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Rule 7 (Indefinite Pronouns): Each, every, everyone, someone, nobody, either, neither, one of the take singular verbs. Example: Each of the participants was awarded a certificate. / One of my friends lives in London.
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Rule 8 (Collective Nouns): Singular when acting as a unified body (The jury has delivered its verdict); plural when individual members act separately (The jury were divided in their opinions).
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Rule 9 (Sums of Money, Time & Distance): Singular when considered a single unified quantity. Example: Ten miles is a long distance to walk. / Fifty thousand rupees was paid.
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Rule 10 ('A Number of' vs 'The Number of'): 'A number of students are absent' (Plural) vs 'The number of applicants is increasing' (Singular).
📊 Subject-Verb Concord: 4-Quadrant Logic MapVisual Model
Grammar: Tenses, Modals & Concord Transformation Matrix
Tenses & Sequence of Time
•Simple Past vs Present Perfect (specific past time anchor)
•Past Perfect for earlier of two sequential past events
•Reported Speech backshift rules (Present -> Past, Past Simple -> Past Perfect)
Subject-Verb Concord & Modals
•Collective nouns, indefinite pronouns (each, every takes singular)
•Neither/Nor proximity rule (verb agrees with closest subject)
•Modals: Modal + Base Verb (V1); necessity, permission, deduction
Core Concept: Universal grammatical consistency across syntactic structures and reporting transformations

Visual schematic detailing the core concord rules: Intervening Phrases, Correlative Proximity, Indefinite Pronouns, and Unit Quantities.

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2. CBSE Board Solved Grammar Drills: Concord Error Spotting

Solved Examples & Drills

Step-by-step solved examples, error-correction methods, and board practice drills for Grammar: Subject-Verb Concord.

• Board Exam Error-Correction Drills
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Incorrect: One of the boys have broken the window pane. →\rightarrow Correct: One of the boys has broken the window pane. ('One of the' takes singular verb).
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Incorrect: The Minister, along with his security guards, were present. →\rightarrow Correct: The Minister, along with his security guards, was present. (Intervening phrase ignored).
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Incorrect: Neither the captain nor the players was ready. →\rightarrow Correct: Neither the captain nor the players were ready. (Proximity: 'players' is plural).
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Incorrect: Fifty kilometers are a long journey. →\rightarrow Correct: Fifty kilometers is a long journey. (Unit distance takes singular verb).
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3. High-Yield Solved Board Examination Questions (3-Mark & 6-Mark)

Topper Solved Q&A

Important past CBSE board questions solved according to official marking criteria.

• 3-Mark Short Answer Question: Explain the 'Law of Proximity' with correlative conjunctions 'either...or' and 'neither...nor' with two contrasting examples.
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Topper Model Answer (30–40 Words): The Law of Proximity dictates that when two subjects are connected by correlative conjunctions (either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also), the verb must agree in number and person with the noun or pronoun situated closest to it.
• Example 1 (Singular nearest): Neither the parents nor the child is guilty.
• Example 2 (Plural nearest): Neither the child nor the parents are guilty.
• 6-Mark Long Answer / Analytical Question: Explain why 'one of the + plural noun' always takes a singular verb in English grammar.
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Grammatical Architecture: In the phrase 'One of the [plural noun]', the true grammatical subject of the sentence is the singular pronoun 'One', not the plural object of the preposition ('of the students').
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Singular Focus: The sentence isolates a single individual out of a collective group.
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Illustrative Example: 'One of the books is missing.' (Subject is 'One', hence 'is').
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Exception in Relative Clauses: When followed by a relative pronoun (who/that), the verb agrees with the plural antecedent: 'He is one of those players who play brilliantly.'
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4. Reference-to-Context (RTC) Solved Extract Drill

CBSE Board RTC Mastery

Standard CBSE Reference-to-Context extract with multi-part analytical questions and answers.

• Prescribed NCERT Extract: Grammar: Subject-Verb Concord
Identify the error in the sentence and provide the correction: 'The quality of these mangoes were not up to the mark.'
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Q1: What is the main subject of the sentence? →\rightarrow 'The quality' (singular abstract noun), not 'these mangoes'.
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Q2: What is the error? →\rightarrow The plural verb were.
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Q3: What is the correction? →\rightarrow Replace 'were' with was.
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Q4: Write the corrected sentence. →\rightarrow 'The quality of these mangoes was not up to the mark.'
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5. CBSE Examiner Marking Scheme, High-Scoring Vocabulary & Pitfalls

Exam Tips & Marking Rubric

Examiner scoring keys, advanced vocabulary enhancers, and critical pitfall avoidance.

• High-Scoring Vocabulary Bank & Expressive Phrasing
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Concord: Agreement between grammatical words in person, number, or gender (Subject-verb concord).
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Proximity: Nearness in space, time, or relationship (The law of grammatical proximity).
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Parenthetical: Relating to or inserted as a parenthesis or explanatory clause (Parenthetical intervening phrases).
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Correlative: Having a mutual relationship or connection, especially conjunctions working in pairs (Correlatives like neither...nor).
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Antecedent: A word, phrase, or clause that is replaced by a pronoun (The plural antecedent in relative clauses).
• CBSE Topper Answer Presentation & Common Deduction Traps
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'One of the' Rule: The most frequently tested rule in CBSE exams: 'One of the + Plural Noun + Singular Verb'.
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Parenthetical Connectors: Highlight that 'along with', 'as well as', 'together with' never alter the number of the main subject.
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Dishes/Units: Remember 'Bread and butter is', 'Time and tide waits', 'Ten miles is'.
Authentic Board Question (3 Marks)Topic: Grammar: Subject-Verb Concord Applied Grammar Rules & Sentence Transformation
Explain the governing CBSE grammar rules, identification criteria, and syntactic accuracy requirements for Grammar: Subject-Verb Concord.

Official CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Breakdown:

Step 1: Rule & Time Marker Identification: Identify the underlying grammatical rule (tense timeline, modal obligation/probability, concord agreement, or indirect reporting shift).
1 Mark
Step 2: Correct Grammatical Conjugation & Substitution: Apply the precise auxiliary verb, participle form, determiner, or pronoun/tense backshift required by context.
1 Mark
Step 3: Syntactic Precision & Punctuation: Ensure error-free sentence structure, correct spelling of irregular verbs, and accurate punctuation (e.g. removal of quotation marks in reported speech).
1 Mark
Model Student Answer (Target: Full 3/3 Marks):
To secure full 3 marks on Grammar: Subject-Verb Concord in CBSE Board Examinations:

1. Rule Identification: Locate contextual clues and time markers in the sentence to determine the required grammatical form.
2. Accurate Application: Conjugate verbs according to subject number/person or transform direct speech clauses with mandatory reporting changes.
3. Error Check: Verify that the final sentence maintains syntactic agreement, correct tense aspect, and standard spelling.
Examiner Mark Deduction Traps:
•Pay special attention to irregular verb past participles and subject-verb agreement with collective/indefinite pronouns.
•In reported speech, remember to backshift tenses and change time/place adverbs (e.g., "now" →\to "then", "tomorrow" →\to "the next day").

High-Frequency Conceptual Doubts & FAQs

Curated answers to the most common questions asked by Class 10 students.
A singular subject takes a singular verb (S + Vs), and a plural subject takes a plural verb. (e.g., 'The student writes notes' vs 'The students write notes').

Related YouTube Videos & Masterclasses

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