The subject and verb must agree in number: a singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Basic Rules

Rule 1: Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs.

• The dog barks at strangers.
• Dogs bark at strangers.

Rule 2: Compound subjects joined by "and" usually take a plural verb.

• The teacher and the student discuss the assignment.

Exception: When the compound subject refers to a single entity, use a singular verb.

• Rice and beans is a common meal in Tanzania.

Rule 3: With "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it.

• Neither the teacher nor the students are prepared.
• Either the teacher or the student is responsible.

Rule 4: Singular indefinite pronouns (each, everyone, someone) take singular verbs.

• Everyone loves a good story.

Some indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural depending on context: all, some, none.

• All the cake is gone.
• All the cookies are gone.

Rule 5: Collective nouns may take singular or plural verbs depending on meaning.

• The team wins the match. (acting as a unit)
• The team are arguing among themselves. (acting as individuals)

Advanced Rules

Rule 1: Titles and plural-form singular-meaning words take singular verbs.

• "The Man of the People" is a popular novel.
• Mathematics is a challenging subject.

Rule 2: Inverted sentences—ensure agreement after "there is" or "there are."

• There is a book on the table.
• There are many books on the table.

Rule 3: Expressions of amount or quantity take a singular verb when considered as a unit.

• Five hundred shillings is too much for a cup of tea.

Rule 4: In relative clauses, the verb agrees with the antecedent.

• She is one of the students who have passed the exam.

Rule 5: Uncountable nouns take singular verbs.

• The information is reliable.

Some verbs take two objects: a direct object (the thing acted upon) and an indirect object (the recipient).

Pattern 1: Subject – Verb – Indirect Object – Direct Object

Pattern 2: Subject – Verb – Direct Object – Prepositional Phrase

Worked Example:

• Original: The postman brought a letter to her yesterday.
• Revised (double-object pattern): The postman brought her a letter yesterday.

When constructing sentences, follow these steps:

1. Identify the subject and determine whether it is singular or plural.
2. Choose a verb that agrees with the subject in number.
3. Arrange words in the correct order (SVO for simple sentences).
4. For compound sentences, join two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction.
5. For complex sentences, add a dependent clause using a subordinating conjunction.

Example Construction:

• Subject: The students
• Verb: have completed (plural agreement)
• Type: Complex sentence
• Result: Because the students have completed their assignments, the teacher can now mark them.

• Error: The cat and the dog plays in the garden.

• Correction: The cat and the dog play in the garden. (Rule 2: compound subject takes plural verb)

• Error: Either the librarian or the student is responsible.

• Correction: Either the librarian or the students are responsible. (Rule 3: verb agrees with nearest subject)

• Error: There is many reasons why students fail exams.

• Correction: There are many reasons why students fail exams. (Rule 2: inverted sentence)

In everyday life in Tanzania, proper sentence construction with subject-verb agreement and correct word order is essential when conducting business at the market or writing a simple receipt. For example, when a shopkeeper writes "Mwenyewe anauza mboga 5,000 TSH kila kilo," using correct subject-verb agreement ("anauza" agrees with "Mwenyewe") ensures the message is clear to customers, avoiding confusion about prices and quantities during transactions.