Subject-Verb Agreement: RULE 5

When two ore more nouns or pronouns in the singular are connected by or or nor, either...or, neither....nor they take a singular verb; as-
Neither Nick nor his sister is to blame.
Either the dog or the cat has been killed.

Subject-Verb Agreement: RULE 4

When two subjects are joined by 'as well as', the verb agrees in number and person with the first one; as

• He, as well as they, is ready to jump.
• My comrades, as well as I, are visiting Nepal.

Subject-Verb Agreement: RULE 3

When words are added to a singular subject by with, together with, along with, in addition to, as well as, except, besides, and not, and no less than, the number of the subject remains singular.

• The ship, with all its passengers, was downed.
• The latter, together with other documents, was lost.
• He, along with his parents, is coming today.
• A watch, in addition to rupees fifty, was given to Hari.
• Ram, as well as Shyam was laughing.
• No one, except a few students, was there.
• Milk, besides vegetables, is good for health.
• Satish, and not you, has passed.
• He, no less than his friends, is guilty

Note: In informal English, with and together with are considered as making the subject plural. A plural verb is thus used. The omission of commas is a hint that the subjects are to be treated as more than one, like a compound subject; e.g.,

• The servant together with his master were left standing there.

Subject-Verb Agreement: RULE 2

Plural words that come in between a singular subject and its verb do not change the number of the subject; as-

• The sound of the bells was heady by everyone.
• One of the books is missing.
• The water of those streams was sweet.
• The trouble with those cars was slow speed.

Subject-Verb Agreement: RULE 1

A compound subject joined by and generally takes a plural verb; as-

• You and I are walking.
• Four and Five make eight.
• Are not your sister and brother ill?
• Wealth and happiness are all Ravi wants.
• Bed and table were both very costy.
• Rice and wheat purchased a week before, were both rotten.

Exception: When several singular subjects represent the same person or thing, or when they form one collective idea, a singular verb is used; as-

• Rice and Curry is his favourite dish.
• Truth and honesty is the best policy.
• Slow and Steady wins the race.
• Bread and Butter is our daily need.
• Whisky and soda was his only food.
• The crown and glory of life is character.

One-word Substitution: Part 11

1. Words opposite in meaning: antonym
2. Words different in meaning but similar in sound: homonym
3. Words similar in meaning: synonym
4. Anything which is no longer in use: obsolete
5. Article sold by one country to another: export
6. Article bought by one country from another: import
7. A state which is impartial to all religions: secular
8. That which cannot be heard: inaudible
9. That which cannot be consumed by fire: incombustible
10. That which cannot be believed: incredible

One-word Substitution: Part 10

1. The life-history of a man written by himself: autobiography
2. The life-history of a man written by someone else: biography
3. Animals which live both on land and in water: amphibians
4. Animals which give milk and suckle their young ones: mammals
5. An animal which lives on the flesh of others: carnivorous
6. Animals which live in water: aquatic
7. A style full of words: verbose
8. A style in which a writer displays his knowledge: pedantic
9. Repetition of writing word for word: verbatim
10. Matter written by hand: manuscript