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Year 8 English — Agreement in longer sentences

Find the real subject of a long sentence and make the verb agree with it, even when words come in between or the order is turned round.

Name: ________________________

  1. 1.There ____ three mangoes left in the basket.

    • a) is
    • b) has
    • c) was
    • d) are

  2. 2.Match each subject to the verb that agrees with it.

    • A basket of oranges
    • The oranges in the basket
    • Everyone in the room
    • All of the children
    • was listening
    • were listening
    • are on the table
    • is on the table

  3. 3.Neither the coach nor the players ____ happy with the result.

    • a) was
    • b) has
    • c) is
    • d) were

  4. 4.A number of students ____ absent today.

    • a) has
    • b) is
    • c) are
    • d) was

  5. 5.Write "is" or "are": Everybody in the two classes ____ ready to leave.

  6. 6.The teacher, along with her students, ____ visiting the museum today.

    • a) have
    • b) is
    • c) were
    • d) are

  7. 7.Write "has" or "have": Ravi and his cousin ____ finished the puzzle.

  8. 8.Which sentence is correct?

    • a) The quality of the mangoes was poor.
    • b) The quality of the mangoes were poor.
    • c) The quality of the mangoes have been poor.
    • d) The quality of the mangoes are poor.

Answer key — Year 8 English — Agreement in longer sentences

  1. 1. d) are
  2. 2. A basket of oranges → is on the table; The oranges in the basket → are on the table; Everyone in the room → was listening; All of the children → were listening
  3. 3. d) were
  4. 4. c) are
  5. 5. is
  6. 6. b) is
  7. 7. have
  8. 8. a) The quality of the mangoes was poor.