06 Subject Verb Agreement Part 3 - Topic Guide and MCQs

1. Choose the pair that correctly completes the sentence in the simple present: Naman is the only one of the researchers who _____ the tribal dialect, while his colleagues _____ on an interpreter.

   1. understand; relies
   2. understand; rely
   3. understands; rely
   4. understands; relies
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) understands; rely

   Explanation: 'The only one ... who' singles out one person, so 'understands' is required. The separate plural subject 'colleagues' takes 'rely'.

2. Choose the correct simple present form: The stationery supplied to this branch _____ suitable for archival use.

   1. is
   2. are
   3. were
   4. have been
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) is

   Explanation: Stationery is an uncountable noun and takes singular 'is'. Its reference to several writing materials does not make it grammatically plural.

3. Choose the correct simple present form: Neither the warden nor the hostel residents _____ visitors after the prescribed hour.

   1. entertain
   2. entertains
   3. has entertained
   4. is entertaining
   Show answer

   Answer: (A) entertain

   Explanation: With 'neither...nor', agreement follows the nearer subject, plural 'residents'. Hence 'entertain' is correct despite the singular first subject.

4. Choose the correct simple present form: The surgeon, as well as the anaesthetists, _____ the patient's medical history before the operation.

   1. examine
   2. have examined
   3. examines
   4. are examining
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) examines

   Explanation: An 'as well as' phrase does not change the number of the main subject. Singular 'surgeon' therefore takes 'examines'.

5. Choose the correct simple present form: 'Great Expectations' _____ prominently in the literature section of this reading programme.

   1. feature
   2. have featured
   3. features
   4. are featuring
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) features

   Explanation: The title denotes one novel and takes singular 'features'. The plural form of 'Expectations' within the title does not control agreement.

6. Using British English collective-noun agreement, choose the pair that matches the stated meanings in the simple present: The committee, acting unanimously as one body, _____ the revised policy; the jury, divided among themselves, _____ incompatible interpretations of the testimony.

   1. endorse; offers
   2. endorses; offers
   3. endorse; offer
   4. endorses; offer
   Show answer

   Answer: (D) endorses; offer

   Explanation: A collective noun viewed as a unit takes singular 'endorses'. When the members are explicitly divided, British English uses plural agreement, giving 'offer'.

7. Choose the correct simple present form: A pair of pliers _____ useful for gripping the damaged wire.

   1. are
   2. were
   3. is
   4. have been
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) is

   Explanation: The head noun 'pair' is singular and requires 'is'. Pliers takes a plural verb only when it is itself the head of the subject.

8. Choose the correct simple present form: One of the lifts in the administrative block _____ directly to the basement.

   1. go
   2. goes
   3. are going
   4. have gone
   Show answer

   Answer: (B) goes

   Explanation: The subject is singular 'one', which takes 'goes'. Plural 'lifts' belongs to the following phrase and does not determine the verb.

9. Choose the pair that correctly completes the sentence in the simple present: What the beneficiaries need most _____ reliable transport, and the vehicles which serve the remote hamlets _____ frequent repairs.

   1. are; requires
   2. are; require
   3. is; require
   4. is; requires
   Show answer

   Answer: (C) is; require

   Explanation: The subject clause 'What the beneficiaries need most' takes singular 'is' before the uncountable complement 'transport'. Plural 'vehicles' takes 'require' in the second clause.

10. Choose the pair that correctly completes the sentence in the simple present: Every male and female contestant _____ an individual locker, but the male and female contestants together _____ a common rehearsal room.

    1. have; shares
    2. has; share
    3. has; shares
    4. have; share
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) has; share

    Explanation: 'Every' makes 'male and female contestant' distributive and singular, requiring 'has'. The explicitly plural subject 'contestants' in the second clause requires 'share'.

11. Choose the pair that correctly completes the sentence in the simple present: The number of unresolved appeals _____ small, but a number of appellants _____ dissatisfied with the procedure.

    1. are; remains
    2. is; remain
    3. is; remains
    4. are; remain
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) is; remain

    Explanation: 'The number of' takes singular 'is', whereas 'a number of' means several and takes plural 'remain'. The similar wording conceals different agreement patterns.

12. Choose the correct simple present form: The treasurer, in addition to the elected trustees, _____ a copy of the annual audit report.

    1. receives
    2. receive
    3. are receiving
    4. have received
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) receives

    Explanation: 'In addition to' introduces a supplementary phrase and does not create a plural subject. Singular 'treasurer' therefore requires 'receives'.

13. Choose the correct simple present form: Either the translators or the editor _____ the final wording of the bilingual notice.

    1. approve
    2. have approved
    3. are approving
    4. approves
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) approves

    Explanation: With 'either...or', the verb agrees with the nearer subject. Singular 'editor' requires 'approves', despite the plural first subject.

14. Choose the correct simple present form: Every application for a duplicate certificate _____ a recent photograph.

    1. require
    2. requires
    3. are requiring
    4. have required
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) requires

    Explanation: 'Every' followed by a singular noun takes a singular verb, so 'requires' is correct. The reference to multiple applications does not permit 'require'.

15. Choose the correct simple present form: None of the evidence presented during the inquiry _____ the allegation of forgery.

    1. support
    2. have supported
    3. supports
    4. are supporting
    Show answer

    Answer: (C) supports

    Explanation: 'None of' followed by uncountable 'evidence' takes a singular verb, giving 'supports'. The negative meaning of 'none' does not require plural agreement.

16. Choose the correct simple present form: The injured _____ immediate assistance after any major industrial accident.

    1. need
    2. needs
    3. is needing
    4. has needed
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) need

    Explanation: 'The injured' refers to injured people and takes a plural verb. Therefore, 'need' is correct, whereas 'needs' wrongly treats the expression as singular.

17. Choose the pair that correctly completes the sentence in the simple present: The economist and columnist, who is one person, _____ at this institute; the economist and the columnist, who are two different people, _____ at the neighbouring university.

    1. teaches; teach
    2. teach; teaches
    3. teaches; teaches
    4. teach; teach
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) teaches; teach

    Explanation: Two descriptions joined by 'and' take a singular verb when they identify one person. When they identify two people, as explicitly stated in the second clause, a plural verb is required.

18. Choose the correct simple present form: Most of the delegates _____ simultaneous interpretation during the conference.

    1. requests
    2. has requested
    3. is requesting
    4. request
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) request

    Explanation: With 'most of', the following noun determines agreement. Plural 'delegates' requires 'request'; 'most' does not make the subject singular.

19. Choose the correct simple present form: The spectacles displayed in this cabinet _____ to a renowned freedom fighter.

    1. belongs
    2. belong
    3. has belonged
    4. is belonging
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) belong

    Explanation: Spectacles is grammatically plural and takes 'belong'. A singular verb would require a singular head such as 'a pair'.

20. Choose the correct simple present form: The pensioners who _____ outside this district must submit the declaration by post.

    1. resides
    2. has resided
    3. is residing
    4. reside
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) reside

    Explanation: 'Who' takes its number from its antecedent, plural 'pensioners'. Therefore, 'reside' is required.

21. Choose the correct simple present form: Many a shopkeeper _____ credit to regular customers during the harvest season.

    1. extend
    2. are extending
    3. have extended
    4. extends
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) extends

    Explanation: 'Many a' takes a singular noun and a singular verb, so 'extends' is required. Its meaning of numerous shopkeepers does not justify 'extend'.

22. Choose the pair that correctly completes the sentence in the simple present: Jaspreet is one of the auditors who _____ discrepancies that _____ unnoticed during routine scrutiny.

    1. detect; pass
    2. detects; passes
    3. detect; passes
    4. detects; pass
    Show answer

    Answer: (A) detect; pass

    Explanation: 'Who' refers to plural 'auditors', requiring 'detect'. 'That' refers to plural 'discrepancies', requiring 'pass'; neither relative clause agrees with 'Jaspreet'.

23. Choose the correct simple present form: Twenty minutes _____ sufficient for the preliminary briefing.

    1. are
    2. is
    3. were
    4. have been
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) is

    Explanation: A duration treated as one block of time takes a singular verb. Here, twenty minutes is one allotted period, so 'is' is required.

24. Choose the correct simple present form: There _____ several spelling errors in the provisional merit list.

    1. is
    2. was
    3. has been
    4. are
    Show answer

    Answer: (D) are

    Explanation: In a 'there' construction, the verb agrees with the following subject. Plural 'several spelling errors' requires 'are'.

25. Choose the pair that correctly completes the sentence in the simple present: Three-fourths of the reservoir's capacity _____ reserved for agriculture, while three-fourths of the nearby villages _____ on groundwater.

    1. are; depends
    2. is; depend
    3. are; depend
    4. is; depends
    Show answer

    Answer: (B) is; depend

    Explanation: Fractional expressions agree with the noun following 'of'. Singular 'capacity' requires 'is', whereas plural 'villages' requires 'depend'.

06 Subject Verb Agreement Part 3 is factual rather than analytical: you either recall it in seconds or you lose the mark to somebody who did. That makes it one of the cheapest sections to convert - a handful of short sittings usually settles the whole cluster.

Expect one-line recall questions - definitions, stand-for expansions, identifiers and the ordering of things. Practise the wording as well as the concept: these papers test terminology, and the set above uses the same four-option shape they do.

Past papers reuse clusters like this almost verbatim across years and posts. Run the same set until every distractor is familiar - previous-year style questions stop being recall and start being free marks.