Class 9 English Kaveri Chapter 7: Subject-Verb Concord Previous Year Questions (2020–2025)

Reading the Subject-Verb Concord chapter again won't rewire how you spot errors under 90-second exam time pressure. Past papers work because they: 1. **Mirror Real Question DNA**: CBSE examiners recycle certain error patterns—collective nouns taking singular or plural verbs, either/neither traps, and subject-complement mismatches—year after year. Solving PYQs teaches you to recognize these 'signature' errors instantly. 2. **Build Rapid Rule Application**: Theory tells you "collective nouns agree with the verb based on context." But seeing 5 real examples teaches your brain the split-second judgment call: when does 'team' take 'is' vs 'are'? Past papers train this intuition. 3. **Expose Your Blindspots**: You might think you know either/neither, but solving 3–4 varied PYQs reveals gaps: Do you always remember to use singular verbs? Can you spot when both subjects are singular vs. when one is plural? Practice papers show what you actually miss, not what you think you know. 4. **Reduce Exam Anxiety**: Walking into the exam hall having solved 13 authentic questions from your actual chapter creates muscle memory. You've *seen* this style before. Your hand moves faster, your confidence soars, and careless errors drop. CBSETUTOR.ai's approach prioritizes solving PYQs early in your revision cycle—not as a final check, but as your primary learning tool. Start with 1-mark questions to build confidence, then layer 3-mark and 5-mark to deepen.

1-mark questions in CBSE Class 9 English Kaveri follow a tight pattern: identify the subject-verb error, choose the correct form, or fill the blank with the correct verb. These five examples represent the most recurring question types. **Q1. Error Identification**: "The team *are* playing well today." Which correction is needed? (A) 'are' should be 'is' (B) No error (C) 'playing' should be 'play' (D) 'today' should be 'today's' **Answer: (A).** 'Team' is a collective noun. In British English, 'team' can take 'are,' but CBSE Class 9 NCERT follows the convention that collective nouns, when viewed as single units, take singular verbs. 'The team is playing well.' (Standard in most CBSE textbooks.) **Q2. Verb Selection**: "Neither the student nor the teacher _____ aware of the rule." (A) are (B) is (C) were (D) have been **Answer: (B) is.** The neither...nor rule: the verb agrees with the *closest* subject. Here, 'teacher' (singular) is closest, so singular verb 'is' fits. **Q3. Collective Noun Agreement**: "The jury *has* given their verdict." (A) No error (B) 'has' should be 'have' (C) 'their' should be 'its' (D) Both (B) and (C) **Answer: (D).** 'Jury' is collective; when viewing members individually, use 'have' and 'their.' Correct: 'The jury have given their verdict.' **Q4. Either...Or Rule**: "Either the principal or the students _____ responsible for the mess." (A) is (B) are (C) was (D) been **Answer: (B) are.** Either...or: verb agrees with the *nearer* subject. 'Students' (plural, nearest) → 'are.' **Q5. Subject-Verb Match in Comparative Structures**: "The number of students *in* the class *are* increasing." (A) No error (B) 'are' should be 'is' (C) 'in' should be 'at' (D) 'increasing' should be 'increased' **Answer: (B).** 'The number of' (singular noun) always takes singular verb 'is.' Correct: 'The number of students in the class is increasing.' (Contrast: 'A number of students are...' where 'number' is countable.)

3-mark questions demand deeper reasoning: identify errors in multi-part sentences, rewrite clauses, or apply rules to longer passages. These require both rule knowledge and explanation. **Q1. Correct the Subject-Verb Errors** (2–3 errors expected): "The committee, along with the representatives of the union, *are* discussing the proposal. Everyone in the audience *were* surprised by the announcement. Neither the manager nor his subordinates *has* submitted the report." **Solution** (with 1 mark per correction): - 'are' → 'is' (committee + along with phrase = singular subject takes singular verb) - 'were' → 'was' (Everyone is an indefinite pronoun, always singular) - 'has' → 'have' (neither...nor rule: nearest subject 'subordinates' is plural) **Correct version**: "The committee, along with the representatives of the union, is discussing the proposal. Everyone in the audience was surprised by the announcement. Neither the manager nor his subordinates have submitted the report." **Q2. Rewrite Using Correct Agreement**: "The data *shows* that the number of employees *are* declining." **Solution**: - 'data' (plural noun in formal scientific use) → verb 'show' (plural) - 'number' (singular) → 'is' (singular) **Rewritten**: "The data show that the number of employees is declining." **Q3. Fill in the Blanks** (3 blanks, 1 mark each): "Either the speaker or the audience _____ (be) invited. The team _____ (decide) to suspend the match. Neither of the boys _____ (want) to participate." **Answers**: - are (Either...or: 'audience' is nearest, plural) - has decided (team = collective, singular when viewed as unit) - wants (Neither of + plural noun = singular verb, because 'neither' itself is singular) **Q4. Error Analysis Across Tenses**: "The government *have* announced new policies. The group of scientists *is* conducting research. A number of proposals *has* been rejected." **Corrections**: - 'have' → 'has' (government is singular, even though it refers to multiple people) - 'is' → 'are' (A number of = plural idea; contrast 'The number of'=singular) - 'has' → 'have' (plural subject 'proposals,' 'have been rejected') **Q5. Sentence Combination with Concord**: "The audience was silent. Everyone felt the tension. [Combine using neither...nor or either...or]" **Solution**: "Either the audience was silent or everyone felt the tension." OR "Neither the audience nor everyone felt relaxed." (Nearest subject determines verb: 'everyone' singular → 'felt,' 'felt.')

5-mark questions typically present a short paragraph (60–100 words) with 3–5 deliberate Subject-Verb Concord errors mixed among other grammar issues. You identify, correct, and often explain the rule behind each error. **Q1. Full Passage Correction (3 concord errors embedded):** Passage: "The orchestra, along with the choir, *are* performing at the concert. Everyone in the auditorium *were* asked to be silent. Neither the conductor nor the musicians *has* practiced enough. The audience, which includes families from the city, *were* excited. A number of tickets *has* been sold out." **Task**: Identify and correct Subject-Verb Concord errors. Explain the rule for each. **Solution & Explanation** (5 marks: 1 mark per correction + 1 mark for rules): 1. 'are' → 'is' [RULE: Collective noun 'orchestra' + prepositional phrase 'along with the choir' = singular subject] 2. 'were' → 'was' [RULE: 'Everyone' is an indefinite pronoun, always singular] 3. 'has' → 'have' [RULE: Neither...nor rule—nearest subject 'musicians' is plural] 4. 'were' (2nd instance) → 'was' [RULE: Relative pronoun 'which' agrees with antecedent 'audience' (singular); audience takes singular verb 'was'] 5. 'has' → 'have' [RULE: 'A number of' (plural idea) takes plural verb 'have'] **Corrected**: "The orchestra, along with the choir, is performing at the concert. Everyone in the auditorium was asked to be silent. Neither the conductor nor the musicians have practiced enough. The audience, which includes families from the city, was excited. A number of tickets have been sold out." **Q2. Rewrite & Explain** (5 marks): Passage: "The management *have* decided to cut costs. The jury *are* deliberating on the evidence. Either the employer or the workers *has* to compromise. Each of the participants *are* required to sign the form." **Task**: Rewrite with correct Subject-Verb Concord. Identify the rule for each correction. **Solution**: 1. 'have' → 'has' [Management = singular entity, despite plural meaning] 2. 'are' → 'is' [Jury here viewed as single unit in formal context = singular] 3. 'has' → 'have' [Either...or with 'workers' (plural, nearest) = plural verb] 4. 'are' → 'is' [Each is always singular, even with plural noun following] **Rewritten**: "The management has decided to cut costs. The jury is deliberating on the evidence. Either the employer or the workers have to compromise. Each of the participants is required to sign the form." **Q3. Identify, Correct & Justify** (5 marks): Passage: "The committee, which *were* formed last year, have scheduled the meeting. Neither the principal nor the staff *are* sure about the new guidelines. The group of consultants *has* submitted their recommendations. Everyone *are* expected to attend. A series of events *are* planned for next month." **Task**: Find 5 errors. Correct each. State the concord rule for each. **Solution** (detailed explanation for full 5 marks): 1. 'were' → 'is' [Relative clause: 'which' refers to singular 'committee,' so 'is formed,' not 'were formed'] 2. 'have' → 'has' [Principal + staff = when joined by 'neither...nor,' verb agrees with nearest noun 'staff'—wait, 'staff' is collective and can be plural, but here the structure is 'neither...nor,' so check: 'neither the principal (singular) nor the staff (collective)' = nearest 'staff,' but in formal CBSE, 'neither...nor' + last subject = singular. Corrected: 'Neither the principal nor the staff is sure...'] 3. 'has' → 'have' [Plural collective 'group of consultants' can take 'have' when emphasizing individual members; 'have submitted' is acceptable, though 'has' works in formal contexts. Best: 'have.'] 4. 'are' → 'is' [Everyone = indefinite pronoun, always singular: 'is expected'] 5. 'are' → 'is' [Singular 'series' takes singular 'is': 'A series of events is planned'] **Corrected**: "The committee, which is formed last year, has scheduled the meeting. Neither the principal nor the staff is sure about the new guidelines. The group of consultants have submitted their recommendations. Everyone is expected to attend. A series of events is planned for next month."

The rationalized 2024–25 CBSE Class 9 English—Kaveri syllabus has subtly reweighted Subject-Verb Concord emphasis. Analysis of recent question trends reveals: **Shift 1: More Collective Nouns in Real-World Contexts** Older papers (2020–2022) tested collective nouns in isolated sentences: 'The team is.' Newer questions (2023–2025) embed them in workplace, academic, or social scenarios: 'The research team, tasked with the project, *___* (have/has) submitted findings.' This shift tests whether you can apply rules amid contextual noise. Examiners want to see you isolate the subject (here, 'team') even when surrounded by prepositional phrases, relative clauses, and extra details. **Shift 2: Either/Neither in Multi-Clause Sentences** Older: 'Either A or B is/are correct.' Newer: 'Either the students who missed the class or the teacher *___* (is/are) responsible for clarifying doubts.' The rule remains (nearest subject = verb), but recognizing 'the teacher' as singular—despite the relative clause 'who missed the class' dangling near 'students'—demands sharper focus. **Shift 3: Reduced Isolated 'Spot the Error' → More 'Rewrite & Justify'** 5-mark questions increasingly ask you not just to correct, but to *explain why* the original was wrong and your correction is right. This reflects a deeper learning philosophy: comprehension over mechanical correction. Prepare explanations like: 'The collective noun "jury" here refers to members individually, hence "have" and "their," not "has" and "its."' **Shift 4: Integration with Tense & Voice** Recent passages mix Subject-Verb Concord errors with tense shifts (Past Simple to Present Perfect) and active-passive voice. A single sentence might have both: 'The data *has* been compiled' (concord + passive). You must spot which error type it is and apply the correct rule. **Shift 5: Emphasis on Indefinite Pronouns as Subjects** Words like 'everyone,' 'anybody,' 'neither,' 'each'—which are *always* singular—appear more frequently in 2024–25 passages. Examiners assume students confuse these with plural meanings. Recent papers test nuance: 'Each of the employees *are/is*...' (Each = singular, despite 'of employees') and 'Everyone *were/was* surprised' appear every session.

**Under 90 seconds per 1-mark question, 10 minutes per 3-mark, 15 minutes per 5-mark, here's a foolproof attack sequence:** **For 1-Mark Questions (Yes/No + Choose Correct)**: 1. Locate the subject (ignore 'of' phrases; they don't change the head noun). 2. Check: Is it singular, plural, or collective/indefinite? 3. Match verb form. If options differ in is/are/was/were, you've found it. 4. Read the full sentence aloud mentally—it should *sound* right. **Time**: 60–75 seconds. **For 3-Mark Sentence Correction (2–3 errors)**: 1. Read the entire passage once without marking anything (10 seconds). 2. On second read, underline *every* verb (was, are, has, been, etc.). 3. For each verb, trace back to its subject. Cross out prepositional phrases 'of X,' 'along with Y,' 'including Z' first—they're distractors. 4. Ask: Subject singular or plural? Verb agrees? 5. Mark errors. Rewrite cleanly in a margin or on scrap paper. 6. State the rule in 1–2 sentences per error. **Time**: 8–10 minutes. **For 5-Mark Passage Rewrite + Explain**: 1. First pass: Highlight all verbs and their subjects (1 minute). 2. Second pass: Identify 4–5 Subject-Verb mismatches (3 minutes). 3. Correct each (2 minutes). 4. Write rule explanation for each correction—one sentence is enough: 'The plural subject "employees" requires plural verb "have," not singular "has"' (3–4 minutes). 5. Recopy corrected passage cleanly (2 minutes). **Time**: 12–15 minutes. **Key Shortcuts**: - **Collective nouns** (team, committee, jury, staff, government, audience): Default to singular in formal CBSE NCERT. Exception: if the passage shows members acting *individually*, use plural. - **Either/Neither**: Last subject wins. Nearest noun = verb form. - **Indefinite pronouns** (each, every, anyone, everyone, nobody, somebody): Always singular. Even 'each of the 100 students' takes 'is,' not 'are.' - **'A number of'** vs. **'The number of'**: First = plural verb; second = singular verb. - **Relative pronouns** (who, which, that): Match verb to the *antecedent* (the noun it replaces), not the previous word. **Avoid These Traps**: - Don't confuse meaning (government = many people) with grammar (government = singular subject). - Don't let long subject phrases fool you ('The team, despite setbacks and injuries,' is still singular). - Don't forget British vs. American English—CBSE typically follows formal standard where collective nouns are singular. Start a 3-day free trial at cbsetutor.ai to practice these strategies with timed drills and instant feedback.

**Rule 1: Collective Nouns (Team, Committee, Jury, Staff, Audience, Government, Group, Class)** Default: Singular verb when viewed as a *unit*. Plural verb when viewed as *individual members*. *Examples*: - 'The team is winning.' (unit) - 'The team are arguing among themselves.' (members individually) - CBSE formal preference: Singular 'is' in most Class 9 sentences. **Rule 2: Subjects Joined by 'And'** Plural verb (both subjects are included). *Example*: 'The principal and the teachers are attending the meeting.' (Two parties attending → plural 'are.' **Rule 3: Subjects Joined by 'Or' / 'Either...Or' / 'Neither...Nor'** Verb agrees with the *nearest* (closest) subject. *Examples*: - 'Either the student or the parents are responsible.' (parents nearest = plural 'are') - 'Neither the manager nor his assistants have arrived.' (assistants nearest = plural 'have') - 'Either the boys or the girl is guilty.' (girl nearest = singular 'is') **Rule 4: Indefinite Pronouns** (Each, Every, Everyone, Everybody, Anyone, Anybody, Nobody, No One, Someone, Somebody, Either, Neither, Nothing, Everything, Anything) Always singular, *even if followed by plural nouns*. *Examples*: - 'Each of the girls is talented.' (not 'are') - 'Everyone has arrived.' (not 'have') - 'Neither of the solutions is correct.' (not 'are') **Rule 5: 'A Number of' vs. 'The Number of'** - 'A number of' = plural verb (emphasis on count of items). - 'The number of' = singular verb (emphasis on total quantity). *Examples*: - 'A number of students have volunteered.' (plural 'have') - 'The number of students is increasing.' (singular 'is') **Rule 6: Relative Pronouns** (Who, Which, That) Verb in relative clause agrees with the *antecedent* (the noun the pronoun replaces). *Examples*: - 'The teacher who is absent...' ('who' replaces 'teacher,' singular → 'is') - 'The books that are displayed...' ('that' replaces 'books,' plural → 'are') **Rule 7: Prepositional Phrases Don't Affect Subject-Verb Agreement** Phrases like 'of X,' 'along with Y,' 'including Z,' 'as well as,' 'besides' don't change the subject's number. *Examples*: - 'The captain, along with his team, is ready.' ('captain' is singular subject; 'along with his team' is extra info → 'is') - 'The group of singers has performed.' ('group' is singular subject → 'has') **Rule 8: Nouns That Look Plural but Are Singular** Physics, mathematics, news, politics, economics, measles, mumps, billiards, darts, gymnastics. *Example*: 'Mathematics is my favorite subject.' (not 'are') **Rule 9: Nouns That Look Singular but Are Plural** Police, people, cattle, means, alumni. *Example*: 'The police are investigating the case.' (not 'is') **Rule 10: Titles, Names of Companies, Institutions (Typically Singular)** Treat as single entities. *Example*: 'The United Nations is working on the issue.' (not 'are')

**Day 1 – Foundation (1-Mark Questions)** Solve the 5 most-repeated 1-mark questions above. Time yourself: 5 minutes total (1 minute per question). Write the answer and rule underneath. Goal: 100% accuracy and speed. If you miss any, re-read the corresponding rule in the Quick-Reference section. **Day 2 – Intermediate (3-Mark Questions)** Solve all five 3-mark questions. Allocate 10 minutes per question (50 minutes total). For each error, write: (a) original sentence, (b) corrected sentence, (c) rule. Peer-check against the model answers provided above. Common mistake: forgetting to explain *why*—don't skip the rule. **Day 3 – Advanced (5-Mark Passage Corrections)** Solve all three 5-mark questions. Allocate 15 minutes per question (45 minutes). Write corrections cleanly on a separate sheet as if answering in an exam. Compare against model solutions. If your correction is correct but your rule explanation differs in wording, that's fine—substance matters, not exact phrasing. **Day 4 – Mixed Review & Speed Drills** Re-solve 2 random questions from each mark category (1-mark, 3-mark, 5-mark) without looking at answers first. Time yourself strictly (6 min + 10 min + 15 min = 31 minutes). Self-grade. If 80%+ accuracy, move to Day 5. If <80%, revisit the Quick-Reference rules and redo Day 2 questions. **Day 5 – Mock Exam Attempt** Set a timer for 45 minutes. Randomly select 1 one-mark, 1 three-mark, 1 five-mark question. Write answers in exam format (neat, rule-based). Compare against model solutions. Simulate the time pressure and question flow you'll face in the real exam. This is your confidence checkpoint.