PTE Subject-Verb Agreement — 20 Rules (Basic to Advanced)

PTE Subject-Verb Agreement — 20 Rules (Basic to Advanced)

कर्ता-क्रिया मेल — २० नियम (आधारभूतदेखि उच्चस्तरसम्म)

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Rule 1: Singular Subject → Singular Verb | एकवचन कर्ता → एकवचन क्रिया

English: A singular subject takes a singular verb (adds -s/-es in present tense).
Nepali: एकवचन कर्ताले एकवचन क्रिया लिन्छ (वर्तमानकालमा -s/-es थपिन्छ)।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
He goes to school.	He go to school.
She writes a letter.	She write a letter.
The dog barks loudly.	The dog bark loudly.

Tip: In present tense, singular verbs end in -s (he runs, she eats).
सुझाव: वर्तमानकालमा एकवचन क्रियामा -s आउँछ (he runs, she eats)।

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Rule 2: Plural Subject → Plural Verb | बहुवचन कर्ता → बहुवचन क्रिया

English: A plural subject takes a plural verb (base form, no -s).
Nepali: बहुवचन कर्ताले बहुवचन क्रिया लिन्छन् (आधार रूप, -s नहुने)।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
They play football.	They plays football.
The students study hard.	The students studies hard.
Birds fly in the sky.	Birds flies in the sky.

Tip: I/We/You/They always take the base form.
सुझाव: I/We/You/They सधैं आधार रूप लिन्छन्।

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Rule 3: Compound Subjects with "And" | "And" ले जोडिएका कर्ताहरू

English: Two subjects joined by "and" take a plural verb.
Nepali: "And" ले जोडिएका दुई कर्ताले बहुवचन क्रिया लिन्छन्।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
Ram and Shyam are friends.	Ram and Shyam is friends.
Tea and coffee are served.	Tea and coffee is served.

Exception: If the two nouns refer to the same person/thing → singular verb.
अपवाद: यदि दुई नामले एउटै व्यक्ति/वस्तु जनाउँछन् भने → एकवचन क्रिया।

• Bread and butter is my breakfast. (one item)
• The chairman and principal has arrived. (same person)

Tip: "Each/every" + and → singular: Each boy and each girl was given a prize.
सुझाव: "Each/every" + and → एकवचन।

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Rule 4: Either...Or / Neither...Nor | Either...Or / Neither...Nor

English: The verb agrees with the nearest subject.
Nepali: क्रिया नजिकको कर्तासँग मेल खान्छ।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
Either Ram or his friends are coming.	Either Ram or his friends is coming.
Neither the teacher nor the students were present.	Neither the teacher nor the students was present.
Neither the students nor the teacher was present.	Neither the students nor the teacher were present.

Tip: Look at the noun right before the verb — that decides the verb.
सुझाव: क्रियाको ठीक अगाडिको नाम हेर्नुहोस् — त्यसले क्रिया निर्धारण गर्छ।

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Rule 5: Indefinite Pronouns (Singular) | अनिश्चित सर्वनाम (एकवचन)

English: Each, every, either, neither, everyone, everybody, someone, nobody, anyone, one → singular verb.
Nepali: Each, every, either, neither, everyone, everybody, someone, nobody, anyone, one → एकवचन क्रिया।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
Everyone is happy.	Everyone are happy.
Each of the boys has a bag.	Each of the boys have a bag.
Nobody knows the answer.	Nobody know the answer.

Tip: These words look plural but are grammatically singular.
सुझाव: यी शब्दहरू बहुवचन देखिन्छन् तर व्याकरणिक रूपमा एकवचन हुन्।

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Rule 6: Indefinite Pronouns (Plural) | अनिश्चित सर्वनाम (बहुवचन)

English: Both, few, many, several, others → plural verb.
Nepali: Both, few, many, several, others → बहुवचन क्रिया।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
Both are correct.	Both is correct.
Many have tried.	Many has tried.
Several were absent.	Several was absent.

Tip: These always refer to more than one → plural.
सुझाव: यी सधैं एकभन्दा बढी जनाउँछन् → बहुवचन।

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Rule 7: Some/All/Most/None/Any (Depends on Noun) | Some/All/Most/None/Any (नाममा निर्भर)

English: These can be singular or plural depending on the noun after "of".
Nepali: "Of" पछिको नामअनुसार एकवचन वा बहुवचन हुन्छ।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
Some of the water is dirty. (uncountable)	Some of the water are dirty.
Some of the students are absent. (countable plural)	Some of the students is absent.
All of the cake was eaten.	All of the cake were eaten.
All of the boys were present.	All of the boys was present.

Tip: Check whether the noun after "of" is countable or uncountable.
सुझाव: "Of" पछिको नाम गणनीय छ कि अगणनीय हेर्नुहोस्।

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Rule 8: Collective Nouns | समूहवाचक नाम

English: Collective nouns (team, family, group, committee, jury) take a singular verb when acting as one unit; plural when members act individually.
Nepali: समूहवाचक नाम (team, family, group, committee, jury) समूहको रूपमा कार्य गर्दा एकवचन; सदस्यहरू व्यक्तिगत रूपमा कार्य गर्दा बहुवचन।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
The team is winning. (as a unit)	The team are winning. (in AmE)
The team are arguing among themselves. (members)	The team is arguing among themselves.
The family has arrived.	The family have arrived.

Tip: If members disagree/fight → plural. If united → singular.
सुझाव: सदस्यहरू असहमत/लड्दा → बहुवचन। एकजुट हुँदा → एकवचन।

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Rule 9: Uncountable Nouns → Singular Verb | अगणनीय नाम → एकवचन क्रिया

English: Uncountable nouns (water, milk, rice, information, furniture, advice, news) take singular verbs.
Nepali: अगणनीय नाम (water, milk, rice, information, furniture, advice, news) एकवचन क्रिया लिन्छन्।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
The news is good.	The news are good.
Water is essential.	Water are essential.
The furniture was expensive.	The furniture were expensive.

Tip: "News" ends in -s but is singular!
सुझाव: "News" -s मा अन्त्य हुन्छ तर एकवचन हो!

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Rule 10: Subjects with Prepositional Phrases | पूर्वसर्गीय वाक्यांश भएका कर्ता

English: The verb agrees with the main subject, not the object of the preposition.
Nepali: क्रिया मुख्य कर्तासँग मेल खान्छ, पूर्वसर्गको कर्मसँग होइन।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
The box of chocolates is on the table.	The box of chocolates are on the table.
The girls in the class are smart.	The girls in the class is smart.
One of the boys has a pen.	One of the boys have a pen.

Tip: Cross out the prepositional phrase mentally: "The box ... is."
सुझाव: पूर्वसर्गीय वाक्यांश मनमा हटाउनुहोस्: "The box ... is."

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Rule 11: Titles, Names, and Quotations | शीर्षक, नाम, र उद्धरण

English: Titles of books, movies, etc., and names are treated as singular.
Nepali: पुस्तक, चलचित्र आदिका शीर्षक र नामहरू एकवचन मानिन्छन्।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is a classic.	"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" are a classic.
Mathematics is my favorite subject.	Mathematics are my favorite subject.
The United States has a new president.	The United States have a new president.

Tip: Even if the title looks plural, it's singular.
सुझाव: शीर्षक बहुवचन देखिए पनि एकवचन हुन्छ।

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Rule 12: Money, Distance, Time, Weight → Singular | पैसा, दूरी, समय, तौल → एकवचन

English: Amounts treated as one unit take singular verbs.
Nepali: एकाइको रूपमा लिइने मात्राहरूले एकवचन क्रिया लिन्छन्।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
Ten dollars is a lot of money.	Ten dollars are a lot of money.
Five kilometers is a long walk.	Five kilometers are a long walk.
Twenty years is a long time.	Twenty years are a long time.

Tip: Think of it as one total amount.
सुझाव: यसलाई एउटा कुल रकमको रूपमा सोच्नुहोस्।

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Rule 13: "There is / There are" | "There is / There are"

English: The verb agrees with the noun that follows.
Nepali: क्रिया पछि आउने नामसँग मेल खान्छ।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
There is a book on the table.	There are a book on the table.
There are many books on the table.	There is many books on the table.
There is milk in the fridge.	There are milk in the fridge.

Tip: Look after "there is/are" to find the real subject.
सुझाव: "There is/are" पछि हेरेर वास्तविक कर्ता पत्ता लगाउनुहोस्।

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Rule 14: Relative Pronouns (Who/Which/That) | सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

English: The verb agrees with the antecedent (the noun before the relative pronoun).
Nepali: क्रिया पूर्ववर्ती नाम (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम अगाडिको नाम) सँग मेल खान्छ।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
I, who am your friend, will help.	I, who is your friend, will help.
The boy who is playing is my son.	The boy who are playing is my son.
The students who are late will be punished.	The students who is late will be punished.

Tip: Identify what "who/which/that" refers to.
सुझाव: "Who/which/that" ले के जनाउँछ पहिचान गर्नुहोस्।

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Rule 15: Gerunds and Infinitives as Subjects | कर्ताको रूपमा Gerund र Infinitive

English: A gerund (-ing form) or infinitive (to + verb) as subject takes a singular verb.
Nepali: कर्ताको रूपमा gerund (-ing रूप) वा infinitive (to + क्रिया) ले एकवचन क्रिया लिन्छ।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
Swimming is good exercise.	Swimming are good exercise.
To err is human.	To err are human.
Reading books helps you learn.	Reading books help you learn.

Tip: Even if the gerund has an object, the whole phrase is singular.
सुझाव: Gerund सँग कर्म भए पनि पूरा वाक्यांश एकवचन हुन्छ।

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Rule 16: "A number of" vs "The number of" | "A number of" vs "The number of"

English:

• A number of + plural noun → plural verb
• The number of + plural noun → singular verb

Nepali:

• A number of + बहुवचन नाम → बहुवचन क्रिया
• The number of + बहुवचन नाम → एकवचन क्रिया

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
A number of students are absent.	A number of students is absent.
The number of students is increasing.	The number of students are increasing.

Tip: "A number" = many (plural). "The number" = the total (singular).
सुझाव: "A number" = धेरै (बहुवचन)। "The number" = कुल (एकवचन)।

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Rule 17: Subjects Joined by "With/Along with/As well as/Besides/In addition to" | "With/Along with/As well as/Besides/In addition to" ले जोडिएका कर्ता

English: The verb agrees with the first subject, not the one after these phrases.
Nepali: क्रिया पहिलो कर्तासँग मेल खान्छ, यी वाक्यांशपछिकोसँग होइन।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
The teacher, along with the students, is present.	The teacher, along with the students, are present.
Ram, as well as his friends, has come.	Ram, as well as his friends, have come.
The captain, with his team, was honored.	The captain, with his team, were honored.

Tip: These phrases are not part of the subject — ignore them.
सुझाव: यी वाक्यांशहरू कर्ताको भाग होइनन् — बेवास्ता गर्नुहोस्।

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Rule 18: "One of + Plural Noun + Who/That" | "One of + बहुवचन नाम + Who/That"

English: "One of" takes a singular verb, but "who/that" after the plural noun takes a plural verb.
Nepali: "One of" ले एकवचन क्रिया लिन्छ, तर बहुवचन नामपछिको "who/that" ले बहुवचन क्रिया लिन्छ।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
He is one of the boys who play well.	He is one of the boys who plays well.
One of the books that are on the shelf is mine.	One of the books that is on the shelf is mine.

Tip: "Who/that" refers to the plural noun (boys/books), not "one."
सुझाव: "Who/that" ले बहुवचन नाम (boys/books) जनाउँछ, "one" होइन।

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Rule 19: Inverted Sentences (Verb before Subject) | उल्टो वाक्य (क्रिया कर्ताअगाडि)

English: In questions and inverted sentences, the verb still agrees with the subject.
Nepali: प्रश्न र उल्टो वाक्यमा पनि क्रिया कर्तासँग मेल खान्छ।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
Does she go to school?	Do she go to school?
Under the tree sits a dog.	Under the tree sit a dog.
Here comes the bus.	Here come the bus.

Tip: Find the real subject first, then match the verb.
सुझाव: पहिले वास्तविक कर्ता खोज्नुहोस्, त्यसपछि क्रिया मिलाउनुहोस्।

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Rule 20: Advanced — "Not only...but also" / "Either...or" with Mixed Subjects | उच्चस्तर — "Not only...but also" / "Either...or" मिश्रित कर्तासँग

English: With "not only...but also" and "either...or," the verb agrees with the nearer subject (proximity rule).
Nepali: "Not only...but also" र "either...or" मा क्रिया नजिकको कर्तासँग मेल खान्छ (निकटता नियम)।

✅ Correct❌ Incorrect
Not only the students but also the teacher is present.	Not only the students but also the teacher are present.
Not only the teacher but also the students are present.	Not only the teacher but also the students is present.
Either you or he is wrong.	Either you or he are wrong.
Either he or you are wrong.	Either he or you is wrong.

Tip: The subject closest to the verb wins.
सुझाव: क्रियाको सबैभन्दा नजिकको कर्ता जित्छ।

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Quick Summary Table | छिटो सारांश तालिका

#RuleVerb
1	Singular subject	Singular
2	Plural subject	Plural
3	And (different things)	Plural
4	Either/or, Neither/nor	Nearest
5	Each, everyone, nobody	Singular
6	Both, few, many	Plural
7	Some/all/most of	Depends on noun
8	Collective nouns	Singular (unit) / Plural (members)
9	Uncountable nouns	Singular
10	Prepositional phrases	Main subject
11	Titles/names	Singular
12	Money/distance/time	Singular
13	There is/are	Noun after
14	Who/which/that	Antecedent
15	Gerund/infinitive	Singular
16	A number of / The number of	Plural / Singular
17	With, along with, as well as	First subject
18	One of + plural + who	Plural (for who)
19	Inverted sentences	Real subject
20	Not only...but also	Nearest

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Final Tips | अन्तिम सुझावहरू

1.      Find the real subject first — ignore phrases between subject and verb.
पहिले वास्तविक कर्ता खोज्नुहोस् — कर्ता र क्रियाबीचका वाक्यांश बेवास्ता गर्नुहोस्।

2.      Ask: Who or what is doing the action? — that's your subject.
सोध्नुहोस्: कार्य कसले गर्दैछ? — त्यो तपाईंको कर्ता हो।

3.      Watch out for -s endings — sometimes they're on the verb (singular), sometimes on the noun (plural).
-s अन्त्यमा ध्यान दिनुहोस् — कहिले क्रियामा (एकवचन), कहिले नाममा (बहुवचन)।

4.      Practice with real sentences — read English newspapers, books.
वास्तविक वाक्यसँग अभ्यास गर्नुहोस् — अंग्रेजी अखबार, पुस्तक पढ्नुहोस्।

5.      When in doubt, simplify — remove extra words and check the core sentence.
शंका लाग्दा सरल बनाउनुहोस् — अतिरिक्त शब्द हटाएर मुख्य वाक्य जाँच्नुहोस्।

40 Fill in the Blanks — Subject-Verb Agreement

४० खाली ठाउँ भर्नुहोस् — कर्ता-क्रिया मेल

Instructions: Choose the correct option from the brackets.
निर्देशन: कोष्ठकमा दिइएको सही विकल्प छान्नुहोस्।

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Set A: Basic (1–10) | आधारभूत

1.      She ______ to school every day. (go / goes)

2.      They ______ football on Sundays. (play / plays)

3.      The dog ______ loudly at night. (bark / barks)

4.      My friends ______ coming to the party. (is / are)

5.      Ram and Shyam ______ best friends. (is / are)

6.      I ______ a student. (am / is)

7.      The students ______ hard for exams. (study / studies)

8.      He ______ a new bicycle. (have / has)

9.      We ______ in Kathmandu. (live / lives)

10. The bird ______ in the sky. (fly / flies)

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Set B: Intermediate (11–25) | मध्यम

11. Either Ram or his brothers ______ coming today. (is / are)

12. Neither the teacher nor the students ______ present. (was / were)

13. Everyone ______ happy with the result. (is / are)

14. Each of the boys ______ a bag. (has / have)

15. Both of them ______ correct. (is / are)

16. Some of the water ______ dirty. (is / are)

17. Some of the students ______ absent. (is / are)

18. The team ______ winning the match. (is / are)

19. The news ______ very good today. (is / are)

20. The box of chocolates ______ on the table. (is / are)

21. One of the boys ______ a pen. (has / have)

22. Mathematics ______ my favorite subject. (is / are)

23. Ten dollars ______ a lot of money. (is / are)

24. There ______ a book on the table. (is / are)

25. There ______ many books on the shelf. (is / are)

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Set C: Advanced (26–40) | उच्चस्तर

26. The teacher, along with the students, ______ present. (is / are)

27. Ram, as well as his friends, ______ come. (has / have)

28. A number of students ______ absent today. (is / are)

29. The number of students ______ increasing. (is / are)

30. He is one of the boys who ______ well. (play / plays)

31. Swimming ______ good exercise. (is / are)

32. To err ______ human. (is / are)

33. "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" ______ a classic. (is / are)

34. Not only the students but also the teacher ______ present. (is / are)

35. Not only the teacher but also the students ______ present. (is / are)

36. Either you or he ______ wrong. (is / are)

37. Either he or you ______ wrong. (is / are)

38. Under the tree ______ a dog. (sits / sit)

39. Here ______ the bus. (comes / come)

40. The captain, with his team, ______ honored. (was / were)

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Answers with Reasons | उत्तरहरू कारणसहित

1	goes	Singular subject "She" → singular verb	एकवचन कर्ता "She" → एकवचन क्रिया
2	play	Plural subject "They" → plural verb	बहुवचन कर्ता "They" → बहुवचन क्रिया
3	barks	Singular subject "The dog" → singular verb	एकवचन कर्ता "The dog" → एकवचन क्रिया
4	are	Plural subject "My friends" → plural verb	बहुवचन कर्ता "My friends" → बहुवचन क्रिया
5	are	Two subjects joined by "and" → plural	"And" ले जोडिएका दुई कर्ता → बहुवचन
6	am	"I" always takes "am"	"I" सधैं "am" लिन्छ
7	study	Plural subject "The students" → plural verb	बहुवचन कर्ता "The students" → बहुवचन क्रिया
8	has	Singular subject "He" → "has"	एकवचन कर्ता "He" → "has"
9	live	Plural subject "We" → plural verb	बहुवचन कर्ता "We" → बहुवचन क्रिया
10	flies	Singular subject "The bird" → singular verb	एकवचन कर्ता "The bird" → एकवचन क्रिया
11	are	Either/or → verb agrees with nearest subject "brothers" (plural)	Either/or → नजिकको कर्ता "brothers" (बहुवचन) सँग मेल
12	were	Neither/nor → nearest subject "students" (plural)	Neither/nor → नजिकको कर्ता "students" (बहुवचन)
13	is	"Everyone" is singular	"Everyone" एकवचन हो
14	has	"Each" is singular	"Each" एकवचन हो
15	are	"Both" is always plural	"Both" सधैं बहुवचन
16	is	"Water" is uncountable → singular	"Water" अगणनीय → एकवचन
17	are	"Students" is countable plural → plural	"Students" गणनीय बहुवचन → बहुवचन
18	is	Collective noun as a unit → singular	समूहवाचक नाम एकाइको रूपमा → एकवचन
19	is	"News" is singular despite -s ending	"News" -s अन्त्य भए पनि एकवचन
20	is	Main subject "box" (singular); ignore "of chocolates"	मुख्य कर्ता "box" (एकवचन); "of chocolates" बेवास्ता
21	has	"One" is singular; ignore "of the boys"	"One" एकवचन; "of the boys" बेवास्ता
22	is	"Mathematics" is singular	"Mathematics" एकवचन हो
23	is	Money as one unit → singular	पैसा एकाइको रूपमा → एकवचन
24	is	"There is" + singular noun "a book"	"There is" + एकवचन नाम "a book"
25	are	"There are" + plural noun "many books"	"There are" + बहुवचन नाम "many books"
26	is	"Along with" doesn't change subject; "teacher" is singular	"Along with" ले कर्ता परिवर्तन गर्दैन; "teacher" एकवचन
27	has	"As well as" doesn't change subject; "Ram" is singular	"As well as" ले कर्ता परिवर्तन गर्दैन; "Ram" एकवचन
28	are	"A number of" → plural verb	"A number of" → बहुवचन क्रिया
29	is	"The number of" → singular verb	"The number of" → एकवचन क्रिया
30	play	"Who" refers to "boys" (plural)	"Who" ले "boys" (बहुवचन) जनाउँछ
31	is	Gerund as subject → singular	कर्ताको रूपमा gerund → एकवचन
32	is	Infinitive as subject → singular	कर्ताको रूपमा infinitive → एकवचन
33	is	Title of a book → singular	पुस्तकको शीर्षक → एकवचन
34	is	Not only...but also → nearest subject "teacher" (singular)	Not only...but also → नजिकको कर्ता "teacher" (एकवचन)
35	are	Not only...but also → nearest subject "students" (plural)	Not only...but also → नजिकको कर्ता "students" (बहुवचन)
36	is	Either/or → nearest subject "he" (singular)	Either/or → नजिकको कर्ता "he" (एकवचन)
37	are	Either/or → nearest subject "you" (plural)	Either/or → नजिकको कर्ता "you" (बहुवचन)
38	sits	Inverted sentence; subject "a dog" (singular)	उल्टो वाक्य; कर्ता "a dog" (एकवचन)
39	comes	Inverted sentence; subject "the bus" (singular)	उल्टो वाक्य; कर्ता "the bus" (एकवचन)
40	was	"With his team" doesn't change subject; "captain" is singular	"With his team" ले कर्ता परिवर्तन गर्दैन; "captain" एकवचन

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Score Yourself | आफ्नो स्कोर जाँच्नुहोस्

Score Levelस्तर
36–40	Excellent 🌟	उत्कृष्ट
28–35	Good 👍	राम्रो
20–27	Average 📖	मध्यम
Below 20	Needs Practice 💪	अभ्यास आवश्यक