Understand the rule first
Find the true subject before choosing a verb. Ignore interrupting phrases, and make every pronoun point unmistakably to one noun.
Grammar & agreement 11+ practice
Make subjects, verbs and pronouns agree clearly throughout a sentence.
Choose: ‘The basket of apples is/are heavy.’
- Ask what is heavy: the basket.
- Basket is singular.
- The phrase ‘of apples’ does not change the subject.
A common misconception
Matching the verb to the nearest noun rather than to the sentence’s actual subject.
Reusable method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.Question 1 of 10 EnglishcoreChoose the correct sentence.
- AThe group of musicians is rehearsing.
- BThe group of musicians are rehearsing.
- CThe group of musicians were rehearses.
- DThe group of musicians be rehearsing.
Need a hint?
The subject is group, not musicians.
Show worked answer
Answer A: The group of musicians is rehearsing.
Group is singular, so it takes is.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.
Question 2 of 10 EnglishcoreComplete the sentence: ‘Neither of the answers ___ correct.’
- Aare
- Bwere
- Cis
- Dbe
Need a hint?
Neither means not one and is treated as singular here.
Show worked answer
Answer C: is
Neither is singular, so ‘is correct’ agrees.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.
Question 3 of 10 EnglishcoreWhich revision removes the unclear pronoun? ‘Sam told Yusuf that he had won.’
- ASam told Yusuf about the win.
- BSam told Yusuf that Yusuf had won.
- CHe told him that he had won.
- DSam said that he won Yusuf.
Need a hint?
Name the person who won.
Show worked answer
Answer B: Sam told Yusuf that Yusuf had won.
Replacing he with Yusuf makes the meaning unambiguous.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.
Question 4 of 10 Englishexam-styleChoose the correct sentence.
- AEach of the runners have a number.
- BEach of the runners has a number.
- CEach of the runners having a number.
- DEach of the runners are having a number.
Need a hint?
The subject each is singular.
Show worked answer
Answer B: Each of the runners has a number.
Each takes the singular verb has.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.
Question 5 of 10 Englishexam-styleComplete the sentence: ‘The scissors ___ in the top drawer.’
- Ais
- Bwas
- Care
- Dbe
Need a hint?
Scissors is grammatically plural in standard English.
Show worked answer
Answer C: are
The plural noun scissors takes are.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.
Question 6 of 10 EnglishcoreWhich sentence is grammatically correct?
- ANeither of the answers are correct.
- BNeither of the answers were correct now.
- CNeither of the answer is correct.
- DNeither of the answers is correct.
Need a hint?
The subject ‘neither’ is singular.
Show worked answer
Answer D: Neither of the answers is correct.
‘Neither’ takes the singular verb ‘is’, while ‘answers’ correctly follows ‘of the’.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.
Question 7 of 10 EnglishcoreChoose the correct words: ‘Maya and ___ carried the boxes by ___.’
- AI; ourselves
- Bme; ourselves
- CI; us
- Dme; us
Need a hint?
Use the subject form before the verb and a reflexive pronoun at the end.
Show worked answer
Answer A: I; ourselves
‘Maya and I’ is the subject, and ‘ourselves’ refers back to both people.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.
Question 8 of 10 EnglishcoreComplete the sentence: ‘By the time the bell rang, the class ___ the task.’
- Afinish
- Bhad finished
- Chas finishing
- Dwill finish
Need a hint?
The finishing happened before another past event.
Show worked answer
Answer B: had finished
The past perfect ‘had finished’ shows the task was completed before the bell rang.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.
Question 9 of 10 EnglishexamWhich revision is correct? Original: ‘Each of the players have brought their kit.’
- AEach of the players have brought his kit.
- BEach of the player has brought their kit.
- CEach of the players has brought their kit.
- DEach of the players are bringing their kit.
Need a hint?
Make the verb agree with ‘each’.
Show worked answer
Answer C: Each of the players has brought their kit.
‘Each’ is singular, so ‘has brought’ is required. Singular ‘their’ is acceptable and clear here.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.
Question 10 of 10 EnglishstretchWhich sentence makes it completely clear who was carrying the map?
- AWhen Sam met Leo, he was carrying the map.
- BSam met Leo while he carried the map.
- CCarrying the map, he met Leo.
- DSam, who was carrying the map, met Leo.
Need a hint?
Choose the sentence that names the person directly beside the describing clause.
Show worked answer
Answer D: Sam, who was carrying the map, met Leo.
The relative clause ‘who was carrying the map’ directly and unambiguously describes Sam.
Quick method: Find the true subject before selecting the verb.