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

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.