English guide
Learn subject–verb agreement with workplace examples and 20 original TOEIC Part 5-style questions, answers, distractor explanations and retry exercises.
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Prepared with AI assistance and published by English AIdol. No human expert review is claimed.
What this guide covers
Locate the subject of the clause containing the blank, including its main noun.
Choose a finite verb or auxiliary that agrees with the subject and fits the rest of the sentence.
Read the correct answer and distractor rationales after recording your own answer.
Transform the retry sentences and write a new singular/plural contrast.
Find the subject before choosing the verb. This lesson uses 20 original workplace-context multiple-choice questions to practise subject–verb agreement, with an explanation for every option and a separate retry exercise. Work without a timer, record your choices in your notes, and open each explanation after you have committed to an answer.
Independent, untimed practice: these are English AIdol teaching items prepared with AI assistance, not official or recalled ETS questions. The stages are a teaching sequence, not difficulty levels calibrated against the TOEIC test. A result out of 20 is not converted into an official or predicted score.
In the standard TOEIC Listening and Reading test, Part 5 contains 30 Incomplete Sentences questions with four response options. The full Reading section contains 100 questions and lasts 75 minutes; that time is shared across Parts 5, 6 and 7. ETS: About the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test; ETS: TOEIC Listening & Reading Score User Guide (PDF), printed page 5.
Subject–verb agreement is only one useful grammar focus. Completing this set does not cover the vocabulary and other grammar decisions you may encounter in Part 5, or the reading demands of the full section.
ETS converts the number of correct answers in each full section to a scale of 5–495 and does not subtract marks for wrong answers. This targeted exercise has not been equated to an ETS test form, so there is no valid conversion from its answer count to an official Reading score. ETS: TOEIC Listening & Reading Score User Guide (PDF), printed page 9.
In an ordinary present-simple statement, a third-person singular subject takes a verb such as checks; a plural subject takes check. Be uses is/are here, have uses has/have, and negatives use does not/do not before a base verb. I and you have their own patterns, so “singular always means add s” is not a complete rule.
A phrase beginning with of, in or for can put another noun between the subject’s main noun and its verb. That extra noun does not automatically control agreement. Read the whole phrase and ask what the sentence is making a statement about.
Each employee, every employee and everyone take a singular verb. Each of the employees is also singular: of the employees identifies the group from which each individual is considered.
Two separate people joined by and form a plural subject. By contrast, together with adds information about the main subject; it does not work as the conjunction and. These examples concern separate people, not special expressions naming a single thing.
A number of suppliers means several suppliers and takes a plural verb. The number of suppliers refers to the count itself and takes a singular verb.
A sentence can contain more than one verb. In employees who process orders, who refers to employees, so process is plural. The main clause has its own subject and verb. Do not let a noun inside the relative clause change agreement in the main clause.
In a formal sentence introducing the existence or location of things, there is not the noun that determines the number of is or are. Use the following noun phrase: “one spare key” is singular; “two spare keys” is plural.
An entire activity can be the subject. In checking the orders takes time, the subject is the activity checking the orders. Orders is the object of checking, not the subject of takes.
Information and news are uncountable in these uses and take singular verbs. Scissors and glasses, when they mean the two-part objects, take plural verbs. In a pair of glasses, the main noun pair is singular; pairs would be plural.
The schedule of client visits ___ on the noticeboard. Choices: (A) is · (B) are · (C) be · (D) being.
This is a worked example, separate from the 20 questions below. In your own practice, note whether an error came from choosing the wrong subject or from choosing the wrong verb form.
Choose one option per sentence. Use standard written English and keep every word outside the blank unchanged. Write the question number, your choice, and the subject you used to decide. The page does not save answers or run a timer.
Start with singular and plural subjects, including be, do and have. Questions 1–4.
The receptionist ___ visitors at the main entrance every morning.
(A) welcomes
(B) welcome
(C) welcoming
(D) to welcome
Answer: (A) welcomes
Completed sentence: The receptionist welcomes visitors at the main entrance every morning.
Subject to check: The receptionist. Review the related rule.
The warehouse assistants ___ sign for parcels until the delivery has been checked.
(A) does not
(B) has not
(C) do not
(D) is not
Answer: (C) do not
Completed sentence: The warehouse assistants do not sign for parcels until the delivery has been checked.
Subject to check: The warehouse assistants. Review the related rule.
The information on this invoice ___ correct.
(A) are
(B) be
(C) being
(D) is
Answer: (D) is
Completed sentence: The information on this invoice is correct.
Subject to check: The information. Review the related rule.
The reports in the blue folder ___ been checked by the accounts assistant.
(A) has
(B) have
(C) is
(D) be
Answer: (B) have
Completed sentence: The reports in the blue folder have been checked by the accounts assistant.
Subject to check: The reports. Review the related rule.
Look beyond nearby nouns and check what each, every, and expressions with number actually refer to. Questions 5–12.
Each of the new employees ___ a security pass on the first day.
(A) receive
(B) receiving
(C) receives
(D) to receive
Answer: (C) receives
Completed sentence: Each of the new employees receives a security pass on the first day.
Subject to check: Each of the new employees. Review the related rule.
Both the designer and the project manager ___ available for a review on Friday.
(A) is
(B) being
(C) be
(D) are
Answer: (D) are
Completed sentence: Both the designer and the project manager are available for a review on Friday.
Subject to check: Both the designer and the project manager. Review the related rule.
Every visitor ___ a badge while inside the factory.
(A) wear
(B) wears
(C) wearing
(D) to wear
Answer: (B) wears
Completed sentence: Every visitor wears a badge while inside the factory.
Subject to check: Every visitor. Review the related rule.
The box of replacement cables ___ been moved to the storage room.
(A) has
(B) have
(C) is
(D) be
Answer: (A) has
Completed sentence: The box of replacement cables has been moved to the storage room.
Subject to check: The box of replacement cables. Review the related rule.
The manager, together with two technicians, ___ the equipment every Monday.
(A) inspect
(B) inspecting
(C) to inspect
(D) inspects
Answer: (D) inspects
Completed sentence: The manager, together with two technicians, inspects the equipment every Monday.
Subject to check: The manager. Review the related rule.
The safety instructions for operating this machine ___ all users to wear protective glasses.
(A) requires
(B) require
(C) requiring
(D) to require
Answer: (B) require
Completed sentence: The safety instructions for operating this machine require all users to wear protective glasses.
Subject to check: The safety instructions. Review the related rule.
A number of suppliers ___ free delivery for large orders.
(A) offer
(B) offers
(C) offering
(D) to offer
Answer: (A) offer
Completed sentence: A number of suppliers offer free delivery for large orders.
Subject to check: A number of suppliers. Review the related rule.
The number of urgent requests ___ higher on Mondays.
(A) are
(B) be
(C) is
(D) being
Answer: (C) is
Completed sentence: The number of urgent requests is higher on Mondays.
Subject to check: The number of urgent requests. Review the related rule.
Separate the verbs in different clauses, then check there, an activity as a subject, and nouns such as news and scissors. Questions 13–20.
Everyone who works in these offices ___ an individual access code.
(A) have
(B) having
(C) to have
(D) has
Answer: (D) has
Completed sentence: Everyone who works in these offices has an individual access code.
Subject to check: Everyone. Review the related rule.
There ___ two spare keyboards in the cabinet beside reception.
(A) is
(B) are
(C) be
(D) being
Answer: (B) are
Completed sentence: There are two spare keyboards in the cabinet beside reception.
Subject to check: two spare keyboards. Review the related rule.
The engineers who ___ the inspection reports also maintain the equipment.
(A) prepare
(B) prepares
(C) preparing
(D) to prepare
Answer: (A) prepare
Completed sentence: The engineers who prepare the inspection reports also maintain the equipment.
Subject to check: who, referring to the engineers. Review the related rule.
The engineer who checks the inspection reports ___ the equipment register every Friday.
(A) update
(B) updating
(C) updates
(D) to update
Answer: (C) updates
Completed sentence: The engineer who checks the inspection reports updates the equipment register every Friday.
Subject to check: The engineer. Review the related rule.
Reviewing invoices before payment ___ part of the accountant’s daily routine.
(A) is
(B) are
(C) be
(D) being
Answer: (A) is
Completed sentence: Reviewing invoices before payment is part of the accountant’s daily routine.
Subject to check: Reviewing invoices before payment. Review the related rule.
The news about next month’s branch openings ___ been shared with all employees.
(A) have
(B) is
(C) be
(D) has
Answer: (D) has
Completed sentence: The news about next month’s branch openings has been shared with all employees.
Subject to check: The news. Review the related rule.
The scissors in the first-aid kit ___ blunt and need replacing.
(A) is
(B) are
(C) be
(D) being
Answer: (B) are
Completed sentence: The scissors in the first-aid kit are blunt and need replacing.
Subject to check: The scissors. Review the related rule.
A pair of protective glasses ___ required before anyone enters the workshop.
(A) are
(B) be
(C) is
(D) being
Answer: (C) is
Completed sentence: A pair of protective glasses is required before anyone enters the workshop.
Subject to check: A pair of protective glasses. Review the related rule.
Count correct first attempts only if you want a personal record. A corrected answer is useful learning, but it should not overwrite your first-attempt record. Neither count is a TOEIC score.
Change one folder to several folders. Rewrite the entire sentence: “The folder of signed contracts is in the cabinet.”
The folders of signed contracts are in the cabinet.
The head changes from folder to folders, so is changes to are. Contracts was already plural and did not control the original verb.
Complete both sentences with is or are, then explain the difference: “A number of visitors ___ waiting outside.” “The number of visitors ___ higher than expected.”
A number of visitors are waiting outside. The number of visitors is higher than expected.
A number of refers to several people and takes are. The number of refers to their count and takes is. The similar-looking expressions do not have the same agreement pattern.
Make employee plural and change both affected verbs: “The employee who updates the records works upstairs.”
The employees who update the records work upstairs.
Who now refers to plural employees, so updates becomes update. The main verb works also becomes work.
Replace “A pair of protective glasses” with “The protective glasses”: “A pair of protective glasses is on the workbench.”
The protective glasses are on the workbench.
Without pair as the head, plural glasses controls agreement, so is changes to are.
Choose a workplace situation such as a delivery, a booking or an equipment check. Write one sentence with a singular subject and a second with a plural subject. Add a phrase with a noun of the opposite number, such as “the list of orders” or “the orders on the list”. Underline the subject’s main noun and its verb. If you cannot explain the agreement, return to that rule before moving on.
For broader practice after this focused lesson, open the TOEIC Reading practice guide or the TOEIC practice hub. Apply the same subject check without assuming that every missing word is an agreement question.
Official format and scoring sources checked on . Grammar explanations, sentences, options, answer rationales and retry tasks are original English AIdol teaching material prepared with AI assistance. ETS sources support the exam facts, not the authorship or validation of our practice items. No human examiner review is claimed.
This replacement received an independent automated content review of all 20 answer keys and 80 option explanations, including sentence ambiguity and the official format citations. This is not psychometric validation or human examiner review.
English AIdol is an independent preparation service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS. See our editorial and corrections policy to report an error or a changed official rule.
ETS lists 30 Incomplete Sentences questions in Part 5. They are part of the 100-question Reading section, which lasts 75 minutes. This page offers 20 independent practice items on one grammar topic, not a full Part 5 test.
No. A count out of 20 on this focused, untimed exercise is only a record of your answers here. Official Reading scores use performance across a full test section and ETS scaling. This lesson provides no score conversion or predicted result.
No. The questions, grammar examples, explanations and retry exercises are original English AIdol teaching material prepared with AI assistance. ETS sources are used only for the test-format and scoring facts. No ETS endorsement or examiner review is claimed.
For each missed item, write the subject, the finite verb and the reason your original option fails. Then complete the retry transformations without looking at the answers, and write a new workplace sentence using the same pattern.