Professional Courses
Industry-relevant training in Business, Technology, and Design to help professionals and graduates upskill for real-world careers.
Categories
Interactive Games
Fun, engaging games to boost memory, math fluency, typing speed, and English skillsβperfect for learners of all ages.
Typing
Memory
Math
English Adventures
Knowledge
Enroll to start learning
Youβve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take mock test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement
Unlock Audio Lesson
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson
Today, we're starting with subject-verb agreement. The basic rule is that a singular subject needs a singular verb, while a plural subject needs a plural verb.
Can you give an example of a singular subject with a singular verb?
Sure! 'The cat sleeps.' Here, 'cat' is singular, and 'sleeps' is the singular verb. What about a plural example?
'The cats sleep' works, right?
Exactly! That's a perfect example. Remember to look for subject-verb agreement in your writing!
Irregular Verbs and Their Forms
Unlock Audio Lesson
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson
Now letβs talk about two important irregular verbs: 'to be' and 'to have.' Can anyone tell me their present tense forms?
I know! 'I am,' 'He/She/It is,' and 'We/You/They are' for 'to be.'
Right on! And for 'to have'?
'I have,' 'You have,' 'He/She/It has.'
Fantastic! Keep these forms in mind, as they are commonly used in English.
Common Pitfalls in Subject-Verb Agreement
Unlock Audio Lesson
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Lesson
Letβs address some common pitfalls, such as when phrases come between the subject and the verb. Can someone provide an incorrect example?
'The box of chocolates are on the table?'
Exactly! The correct form would be, 'The box of chocolates is on the table.' What makes it tricky?
The subject is 'box' not 'chocolates', so we use 'is', not 'are'!
Great point! Now, how about compound subjects joined by 'and'?
They take a plural verb, right?
Correct! For example, 'John and Mary are going to the store.' Excellent work!
Introduction & Overview
Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.
Quick Overview
Standard
In this section, learners explore subject-verb agreement rules, including the need for singular subjects to pair with singular verbs and plural subjects to use plural verbs. The lesson covers common pitfalls, irregular verbs, and special cases involving phrases and compound subjects.
Detailed
Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensuring Grammatical Harmony
Subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of English grammar. This section teaches that verbs in sentences must agree in number with their subjects. A singular subject requires a singular verb, while a plural subject pairs with a plural verb. Several rules guide this agreement:
- Basic Rule: Singular subjects (he, she, it, or singular nouns) take verbs ending in '-s' or '-es'; plural subjects (we, you, they, or plural nouns) use the base verb form.
-
Examples:
- Singular: The dog barks loudly.
- Plural: The dogs bark loudly.
- Irregular Verbs 'To Be' and 'To Have': These verbs take unique forms.
- 'To Be' Examples:
- Present: I am, He/She/It is, We/You/They are
- Past: I/He/She/It was, We/You/They were
- 'To Have' Example: I have, He/She/It has.
- Common Pitfalls include ignoring phrases between the subject and verb, complex subjects joined by 'and', 'or', or 'nor', and special cases regarding indefinite pronouns which are always singular.
This section emphasizes the importance of subject-verb agreement for clear and effective communication.
Youtube Videos
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Introduction to Subject-Verb Agreement
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule in English grammar that ensures your sentences sound natural and correct. It means that the verb in a sentence must match its subject in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.
Detailed Explanation
Subject-verb agreement is the concept that the subject of a sentence and its verb must agree in number. This means if the subject is singular (referring to one), the verb should also be singular. Conversely, if the subject is plural (referring to more than one), the verb should be plural. This helps in making sentences clear and understandable.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a team where one player speaks for the whole group. If they say "The team plays well," they are treating the team as one unit. If the group wanted to mention they all play together, they might say, "The players play well." This is similar to subject-verb agreementβone voice for a single subject, and multiple voices for many!
Basic Rule for Singular and Plural Subjects
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
β Basic Rule:
β Singular Subject + Singular Verb: For most verbs in the present tense, a singular subject (he, she, it, or a singular noun) takes an '-s' or '-es' ending.
β Examples:
β The dog barks loudly. (Singular dog, singular barks)
β She writes excellent stories. (Singular she, singular writes)
β The flower blooms in spring. (Singular flower, singular blooms)
β Plural Subject + Plural Verb: For plural subjects (we, you, they, or a plural noun), the verb remains in its base form (without '-s' or '-es') in the present tense.
β Examples:
β The dogs bark loudly. (Plural dogs, plural bark)
β They write excellent stories. (Plural they, plural write)
β The flowers bloom in spring. (Plural flowers, plural bloom)
Detailed Explanation
When it comes to subject-verb agreement, we follow specific rules:
- For singular subjects (like 'he', 'she', 'it', or a singular noun), verbs typically end with '-s' or '-es'. For example, 'The dog barks loudly' shows that a singular dog is doing the barking.
- In contrast, when dealing with plural subjects (like 'we', 'you', or 'they'), we keep the verb in its base form, without the '-s'. For example, 'The dogs bark loudly' shows that multiple dogs are barking without a change to the verb.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine you have one coffee mug and you say, 'The mug is hot.' If you suddenly have three mugs and want to talk about them, you would say, 'The mugs are hot.' The first sentence treats one mug as an individual, while the second treats all three as a group, just like how we change our verb based on the number of subjects.
Irregular Verbs: 'To Be' and 'To Have'
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
β Verbs 'To Be' and 'To Have': These are common irregular verbs that have special forms for agreement.
β Verb 'To Be':
β Present Tense:
β I am
β He/She/It is
β We/You/They are
β Past Tense:
β I/He/She/It was
β We/You/They were
β Examples:
β I am a student. She is happy. They are friends.
β He was here yesterday. We were at the park.
β Verb 'To Have':
β Present Tense:
β I/We/You/They have
β He/She/It has
β Examples:
β I have a new book. She has a pet cat.
Detailed Explanation
The verbs 'to be' and 'to have' are irregular and do not follow the usual subject-verb agreement rules. For 'to be:',
- Singular subjects use 'is' and 'am' ('I am,' 'He is') while plural subjects use 'are' ('We are', 'They are'). In the past, 'was' is used for singular and 'were' for plural.
For 'to have:', 'have' is used with plural subjects while 'has' is reserved for singular subjects. This is important for maintaining coherence in communication.
Examples & Analogies
Think of these as special tools in your toolbox. Just like how some tools have unique functions that don't fit into the usual categories, 'to be' and 'to have' are essential in forming sentences in English, regardless of regular rules.
Common Pitfalls of Subject-Verb Agreement
Unlock Audio Book
Signup and Enroll to the course for listening the Audio Book
β Common Pitfalls:
β Phrases between Subject and Verb: Sometimes, a phrase comes between the subject and the verb. Ignore these phrases when checking for agreement.
β Incorrect: The box of chocolates are on the table.
β Correct: The box of chocolates is on the table. (The subject is "box," not "chocolates.")
β Compound Subjects (joined by "and"): When two or more subjects are joined by "and," they usually take a plural verb.
β Example: John and Mary are going to the party.
β Compound Subjects (joined by "or" or "nor"): When subjects are joined by "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
β Example: Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.
β Example: Neither the students nor the teacher is ready.
β Indefinite Pronouns: Words like everyone, everybody, everything, no one, nobody, nothing, someone, somebody, something, anyone, anybody, anything, each, either, neither are singular and take singular verbs.
β Example: Everyone is here. Nothing was lost.
Detailed Explanation
Being aware of common pitfalls can significantly help in mastering subject-verb agreement. Some phrases can confuse agreement rules; for example, phrases between the subject and verb can lead to errors if not ignored. Additionally, compound subjects joined by 'and' use a plural verb, while those joined by 'or' or 'nor' require the verb to align with the nearest subject. Finally, indefinite pronouns such as 'everyone' or 'each' are singular and should take singular verbs.
Examples & Analogies
Consider baking a cake. Sometimes, ingredients like flour might get stuck on the side of the bowl and not mix in. Similarly, phrases can stick between the subject and verb and confuse the agreement, which is why you have to focus on the main subject like your recipe carefully to get a perfect result.
Definitions & Key Concepts
Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.
Key Concepts
-
Subject-Verb Agreement: The rule that verbs must agree with their subjects in number.
-
Singular Subject + Singular Verb: A singular subject requires a singular verb form.
-
Plural Subject + Plural Verb: A plural subject requires a base verb form.
-
Common Pitfalls: Issues such as phrases between the subject and verb that can confuse the agreement.
Examples & Real-Life Applications
See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.
Examples
-
Example of Singular: The cat runs fast.
-
Example of Plural: The cats run fast.
-
Example of Irregular Verb 'To Be': She is a teacher.
-
Example of Common Pitfall: The box of chocolates is on the table.
Memory Aids
Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.
π΅ Rhymes Time
-
Singular cat, it barks like that. Plural cats, they all run fast!
π Fascinating Stories
-
Once there was a box of chocolates that was mistaken for boxes. The box sighed, 'I am singular!'
π§ Other Memory Gems
-
S-V Agreement: Singular and Verb both start with 'S'.
π― Super Acronyms
SVA
- Subject Verb Agreement - as simple as S
- V
- and A.
Flash Cards
Review key concepts with flashcards.
Glossary of Terms
Review the Definitions for terms.
-
Term: Subject
Definition:
The noun or pronoun that performs the action in the sentence.
-
Term: Verb
Definition:
A word that expresses action or state of being.
-
Term: Singular
Definition:
Referring to one person, thing, or concept.
-
Term: Plural
Definition:
Referring to more than one person, thing, or concept.
-
Term: Indefinite Pronoun
Definition:
A pronoun that does not refer to a specific person or thing and often takes a singular verb.
-
Term: Compound Subject
Definition:
A subject made up of two or more nouns joined by a conjunction.