Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-Verb Agreement

Middle School

What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

• This means the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number.
• If the subject is singular, its verb must also be singular.
• If the subject is plural, its verb must also be plural.
• This rule helps your sentences make sense and sound correct.

Learning Objectives

• Find the subject and verb to check if they agree in number.
• Use the correct verb for singular, plural, and compound subjects.
• Find and correct errors in subject-verb agreement in sentences.

What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

• Subject-verb agreement means the subject and verb must match in number.
• A singular subject (one thing) must have a singular verb.
• A plural subject (more than one) must have a plural verb.
• It helps your writing and speaking sound clear and correct.

Let's Learn with an Example

• Let's use this sentence: 'The happy student (reads/read) a book.'
• First, find the subject of the sentence, which is 'student.'
• The subject 'student' is singular because it refers to only one person.
• Singular verbs in the present tense usually end with an '-s.'
• The verb 'reads' is the correct choice to match the singular subject.
• The correct sentence is: The happy student reads a book in the library.

Lets Practice Together

Multiple Choice

Which sentence shows correct subject-verb agreement?

• The cat and the dog play in the yard.

• The cat and the dog plays in the yard.

• My best friend live down the street.

• Those cookies smells delicious.

Lets give it
a Try

Fill in the Blank

Complete the sentence with the correct verb form: Neither the teacher nor the students ________ the answer to the difficult question.

Multiple Choice

In the sentence below, which verb correctly fills the blank? 'The box of old toys, which has been in the attic for years, _____ taking up too much space.'

• is

• are

• were

• have been

Summary

• A singular subject needs a singular verb; a plural subject needs a plural verb.
• In the present tense, singular verbs often end in -s.
• Subjects joined by 'and' usually need a plural verb.
• With 'or' or 'nor,' the verb matches the subject closest to it.
• Good agreement makes your writing clear and easy to understand.