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Subject-Verb Agreement in English for IELTS Band 6 Speaking & Writing
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July 21, 2025
IELTS Grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement
Band 6 Essential Guide for Speaking & Writing
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What is Subject-Verb Agreement?
Subject-verb agreement means your verb must “match” your subject in number (singular/plural) and person (I, you, he/she/it, we, they). This is one of the most common grammar mistakes at Band 6 in IELTS!
Subject-verb agreement means your verb must “match” your subject in number (singular/plural) and person (I, you, he/she/it, we, they). This is one of the most common grammar mistakes at Band 6 in IELTS!
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Why Does It Matter for IELTS?
If you make repeated subject-verb agreement errors, you’ll lose points for “Grammatical Range & Accuracy.” Band 6 expects you to get simple forms right most of the time. Don’t let this simple error drop you to Band 5!
If you make repeated subject-verb agreement errors, you’ll lose points for “Grammatical Range & Accuracy.” Band 6 expects you to get simple forms right most of the time. Don’t let this simple error drop you to Band 5!
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Where Do You Need It Most?
In IELTS Speaking & Writing, you need subject-verb agreement for describing family, habits, routines, giving opinions, and describing charts and experiences—especially in Speaking Part 1 and Writing Task 1.
In IELTS Speaking & Writing, you need subject-verb agreement for describing family, habits, routines, giving opinions, and describing charts and experiences—especially in Speaking Part 1 and Writing Task 1.
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What Does the Examiner Expect?
Examiners want to see you use simple structures (like subject-verb agreement) with good control. Some mistakes are allowed, but too many can make your meaning unclear and hurt your band score.
Examiners want to see you use simple structures (like subject-verb agreement) with good control. Some mistakes are allowed, but too many can make your meaning unclear and hurt your band score.
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Typical IELTS Situations:
Describing your family, routines, and daily life (“My brother likes football.”)
Describing processes/charts in Writing Task 1 (“The students are happy.”)
Giving opinions and experiences in Speaking and Writing Task 2 (“My friends go to the gym.”)
Describing your family, routines, and daily life (“My brother likes football.”)
Describing processes/charts in Writing Task 1 (“The students are happy.”)
Giving opinions and experiences in Speaking and Writing Task 2 (“My friends go to the gym.”)
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Sample Mistake and Correction:
❌ My friends goes to the gym.
✅ My friends go to the gym.
❌ My friends goes to the gym.
✅ My friends go to the gym.
Why It Matters:
Subject-verb agreement is the foundation of clear English. In IELTS, repeated errors with this structure mean you haven’t mastered basic grammar. To get Band 6, show you can match subjects and verbs in all the typical IELTS situations!
Band 6 Descriptors:
Speaking: “…uses a mix of simple and some complex structures, but with limited flexibility. May make frequent errors, but meaning is generally clear.”
Writing: “…uses simple structures accurately but may make frequent errors with complex structures.”
Subject-verb agreement is the foundation of clear English. In IELTS, repeated errors with this structure mean you haven’t mastered basic grammar. To get Band 6, show you can match subjects and verbs in all the typical IELTS situations!
Band 6 Descriptors:
Speaking: “…uses a mix of simple and some complex structures, but with limited flexibility. May make frequent errors, but meaning is generally clear.”
Writing: “…uses simple structures accurately but may make frequent errors with complex structures.”
Practice Exercise 1: Subject-Verb Agreement
Choose the correct verb for each sentence. Press Check Answers to see your score and get detailed explanations!
Tutorial 2: Key Rules & Patterns for Subject-Verb Agreement
These are the rules every IELTS Band 6 learner must master!
Each box explains a rule with color highlights, real examples, and motion effects.
Tap or hover for motion!
Each box explains a rule with color highlights, real examples, and motion effects.
Tap or hover for motion!
🔹Rule 1: Singular vs Plural
Singular subjects use singular verbs (adds -s), and plural subjects use plural verbs (base form).
My brother likes football.
My friends like football.
My friends like football.
💡Rule 2: Third Person Singular "s"
For he, she, it (and singular nouns) in present simple, always add -s to the verb.
She wakes up early.
Rice tastes good.
Rice tastes good.
👥Rule 3: Special Pronouns
I, you, we, they always use the base form (no -s).
Everyone, somebody, nobody are singular and need -s.
Everyone, somebody, nobody are singular and need -s.
Everyone needs water.
They need water.
They need water.
🔢Rule 4: Uncountable Nouns
News, mathematics, advice, information, furniture are uncountable and take a singular verb.
The news is interesting.
Mathematics is difficult.
Mathematics is difficult.
🏢Rule 5: Collective Nouns
Team, staff, family are usually singular in American English, but can be plural in British English.
The team is winning.
The staff are working late.
The staff are working late.
In IELTS, use plural for collective nouns if you want to sound more British!
⚠️Rule 6: “There is / There are”
Match the verb to the noun that comes after it.
There is a cat in the garden.
There are two cats in the garden.
There are two cats in the garden.
➗Rule 7: Words Ending in –s but Singular
Mathematics, news, physics look plural, but are singular in English!
Mathematics is my favourite subject.
The news is good.
The news is good.
🔀Rule 8: Compound Subjects & “Or/Nor”
With and, use plural. With or/nor, match the verb to the nearest subject.
My brother and sister live in London.
Either the teacher or the students are coming.
Either the teacher or the students are coming.
Neither my friend nor his sisters are here.
Practice Exercise 2: Advanced Patterns & Tricky Subjects
Choose the correct verb or rewrite the sentence so the subject and verb agree.
Click Check Answers to see your results and explanations for each one!
Click Check Answers to see your results and explanations for each one!
Tutorial 3: Real IELTS Usage & Practical Examples
See how subject-verb agreement is used in real IELTS Speaking and Writing. All examples are color-coded. Tap or hover for motion!
IELTS Speaking Part 1
Q: Do you like your family?
A: Yes, my family is very important to me. My parents support me, and my brother always helps with my homework.
A: Yes, my family is very important to me. My parents support me, and my brother always helps with my homework.
Notice: 'Family' is a singular collective noun, so we use is. 'Parents' is plural, so support. For 'brother' (singular), we use helps (adds -s).
IELTS Speaking Part 2
Describe a hobby you enjoy.
My favourite hobby is playing tennis. It helps me relax, and I play with my friends every weekend. Tennis is fun, and it keeps me fit.
My favourite hobby is playing tennis. It helps me relax, and I play with my friends every weekend. Tennis is fun, and it keeps me fit.
Notice: 'Hobby' and 'tennis' are singular, so we use is, helps, keeps. For 'I', use base verb play.
IELTS Speaking Part 3
Why do people join sports clubs?
Many people join sports clubs because they want to meet new friends and stay healthy. Clubs provide opportunities for everyone to participate in activities they like.
Many people join sports clubs because they want to meet new friends and stay healthy. Clubs provide opportunities for everyone to participate in activities they like.
Notice: 'People', 'clubs', and 'they' are all plural, so we use join, want, stay, provide, like.
IELTS Writing Task 1
Describe the information in the chart below about how students travel to school.
The chart shows that most students travel to school by bus. Only a small number of students walk, while others cycle or are driven by their parents. The majority prefers the bus because it is convenient.
The chart shows that most students travel to school by bus. Only a small number of students walk, while others cycle or are driven by their parents. The majority prefers the bus because it is convenient.
Notice: 'Chart' and 'majority' (treated as singular) use shows, prefers. 'Students', 'others', and 'parents' are plural, so use travel, walk, cycle, are driven.
IELTS Writing Task 2
Some people believe that city life is better than country life. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
City life offers many advantages. Cities are busy and exciting, and there are more jobs available. However, the countryside is quieter, and people often feel closer to nature. In my opinion, the city is better for young people because there are more opportunities.
City life offers many advantages. Cities are busy and exciting, and there are more jobs available. However, the countryside is quieter, and people often feel closer to nature. In my opinion, the city is better for young people because there are more opportunities.
Notice: 'City life', 'countryside', and 'city' are singular (so offers, is). 'Cities', 'people', 'jobs', and 'opportunities' are plural (so are, feel).
Practice Exercise 3: Real-World IELTS Sentences
Choose the correct verb form or rewrite each sentence so the subject and verb agree.
Click Check Answers to see your results and explanations!
Click Check Answers to see your results and explanations!
Tutorial 4: Advanced Patterns & Common Mistakes
Explore the trickiest subject-verb patterns in English and the most common Band 6 mistakes—so you can avoid them!
Compound Subjects with and / or / nor
With and, use plural; with or/nor, match the verb to the nearest subject.
My brother and sister live in London.
Either the teacher or the students are responsible.
Tip: The verb “agrees” with the closest subject after "or/nor"!
Uncountable Nouns & Plurals
Words like news, mathematics, information look plural but are singular in English.
The news is interesting.
Mathematics is difficult.
Mistake: The information are useful.
✔️ The information is useful.
Collective Nouns (UK vs US English)
Collective nouns like team, staff, group can be plural in British English, but are singular in American English.
The staff are working late. (UK)
The team is winning. (US)
IELTS Tip: Use plural with collective nouns if you want a more British tone!
Tricky Indefinite Pronouns
Everyone, nobody, somebody are always singular; many, few, both are plural.
Everyone needs help sometimes.
Many are called, but few are chosen.
Mistake: Everyone need help sometimes.
✔️ Everyone needs help sometimes.
There is / There are with Plural Nouns
Always match the verb to the noun that comes after “there is/are”.
There is a cat in the garden.
There are many cats in the garden.
Mistake: There is many students in the class.
✔️ There are many students in the class.
Common Band 6 Mistakes
Forgetting “-s” with he/she/it, adding “-s” to plural subjects, and confusing “a number of” / “the number of”.
❌ My friend live in Paris. ✔️ My friend lives in Paris.
❌ My parents travels a lot. ✔️ My parents travel a lot.
❌ The number of students are increasing. ✔️ The number of students is increasing.
❌ A number of students is absent. ✔️ A number of students are absent.
Band 6 to Band 7: Fix these mistakes to instantly upgrade your grammar accuracy!
Practice Exercise 4: Spot the Error & Correct It!
Each sentence below has a subject-verb agreement error.
Rewrite the whole sentence correctly.
Click Check Answers to see your results and explanations!
Rewrite the whole sentence correctly.
Click Check Answers to see your results and explanations!
Tutorial 5: Strategies, Smart Tips & Self-Correction Habits
Master subject-verb agreement in IELTS and real life with these pro strategies and self-check habits—all color-coded, animated, and ready for action!
Step 1: Identify the Real Subject
Underline or highlight the subject in each sentence before you choose the verb.
Tip: Ignore prepositional phrases or extra information between subject and verb.
Step 2: Singular or Plural?
Ask yourself: Am I talking about one thing or more than one?
If it’s a group noun (like “team”), check if it’s treated as singular or plural in your context.
Step 3: Match the Verb
Use he/she/it = verb + “s” and I/you/we/they = base form.
Uncountable noun? Use a singular verb. Plural noun? Use a plural verb.
Step 4: Check for Tricky Patterns
Ignore words between subject and verb. Watch out for “or/nor”, “there is/are”, and group or uncountable nouns.
Smart check: When in doubt, say the sentence aloud—does it sound right?
Step 5: Practice Slow, Check Fast
When you write or speak, pause for a second to check your verb agreement.
Build the habit—one mistake less per paragraph = higher band!
Build the habit—one mistake less per paragraph = higher band!
IELTS writing hack: Double-check your verbs in the last minute!
Step 6: Keep a Mistake Log
Write down every agreement mistake you make with a correction. Review it once a week.
This habit guarantees progress!
Step 7: Use Real-Life Examples
Describe your daily routine, family, or hobbies aloud using correct subject-verb agreement.
Try: “My mother cooks dinner. My friends play football. The team is winning.”
Step 8: Listen & Repeat
Read sentences aloud or listen to native speakers and repeat. Your ear will catch agreement mistakes!
Smart tip: IELTS examiners recommend this for fast grammar improvement.
Practice Exercise 5: Self-Assessment, Reflection & Practice
Test yourself! Choose the correct option or write your own sentences.
Click Check Answers for instant feedback and explanations!
Click Check Answers for instant feedback and explanations!
Tutorial 6: Common IELTS Speaking & Writing Errors
Spot the mistakes made by real IELTS test-takers! Each block shows a real error, an explanation, and a perfect model answer.
Speaking Example 1
My family are big and noisy.
My family is big and noisy.
Explanation: "Family" is a singular collective noun in standard IELTS grammar. Use "is" unless you’re clearly using UK plural style.
Speaking Example 2
She go to work by bus.
She goes to work by bus.
Explanation: "She" is third person singular, so add "-s" to the verb.
Writing Task 1
The students was divided into two groups.
The students were divided into two groups.
Explanation: "Students" is plural, so use "were".
Writing Task 2
The information are not clear.
The information is not clear.
Explanation: "Information" is uncountable and takes a singular verb.
Common Plural Mistake
My parents lives in Tehran.
My parents live in Tehran.
Explanation: "Parents" is plural, so do not add "s" to the verb.
Complex Sentence Error
Neither the teacher nor the students is happy.
Neither the teacher nor the students are happy.
Explanation: With "nor/or", the verb agrees with the nearest subject—here, "students" (plural).
Band 7 Model Example
A number of people are interested in learning English.
Model: "A number of" means "some", so use a plural verb.
Practice Exercise 6: Error Correction Challenge
Find and correct the subject-verb agreement error in each sentence.
Rewrite the whole sentence correctly.
Click Check Answers to get instant feedback and explanations!
Rewrite the whole sentence correctly.
Click Check Answers to get instant feedback and explanations!
End-of-Tutorial Quiz: Test Your Subject-Verb Agreement Skills!
Each quiz randomly selects 10 questions out of 30 on subject-verb agreement.
Choose the correct answer for each question and click Submit.
Retake the quiz for a new set!
Choose the correct answer for each question and click Submit.
Retake the quiz for a new set!
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