Practice Worksheet for Subject Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is a critical aspect of the English language. It refers to the matching of the subject of a sentence with its corresponding verb in terms of tense and number. Without proper subject-verb agreement, a sentence may not only become confusing but also lose its intended meaning.

To ensure that your writing is grammatically sound and easily understandable, it is essential to practice subject-verb agreement. This practice worksheet will help you familiarize yourself with the basic rules of subject-verb agreement.

Rule 1: Singular Subjects take Singular Verbs

A singular subject should always be paired with a singular verb. For instance:

– The cat runs fast. (Cat is a singular subject, and runs is a singular verb.)

– My sister drinks coffee every morning. (Sister is a singular subject, and drinks is a singular verb.)

Rewrite the following sentences to ensure that there is subject-verb agreement.

– The dogs barks loudly.

– The child reads books in the library.

Rule 2: Plural Subjects take Plural Verbs

Plural subjects should always be matched with plural verbs. For instance:

– The students attend classes regularly. (Students is a plural subject, and attend is a plural verb.)

– The apples fell from the tree. (Apples is a plural subject, and fell is a plural verb.)

Rewrite the following sentences to ensure that there is subject-verb agreement.

– The bird flies high in the sky.

– The boys plays football after school.

Rule 3: Compound Subjects take Plural Verbs

When a sentence has two or more subjects joined by „and,“ it is called a compound subject. In this case, a plural verb should be used. For instance:

– The cat and the dog chase each other. (Cat and dog are compound subjects and chase is a plural verb.)

– The teacher and the students complete the project. (Teacher and students are compound subjects, and complete is a plural verb.)

Rewrite the following sentences to ensure that there is subject-verb agreement.

– The boy and the girl walks to the park.

– The flowers and the bees attract each other.

Rule 4: Singular or Plural Indefinite Pronouns take Singular or Plural Verbs depending on the context.

Indefinite pronouns such as anyone, everyone, someone, nobody, anything, everything, something, and nothing usually take singular verbs. However, some indefinite pronouns such as some, many, several, both, and few can take singular or plural verbs depending on the context. For instance:

– Everyone loves pizza. (Everyone is an indefinite pronoun, and loves is a singular verb.)

– Some of the students are absent. (Some is an indefinite pronoun, and are is a plural verb.)

Rewrite the following sentences to ensure that there is subject-verb agreement.

– Each of the boys bring their own lunch to school.

– Some of the money is missing from my wallet.

Conclusion

Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of the English language. It helps in avoiding grammatical mistakes that may confuse your readers. By practicing with the above worksheet, you will become more familiar with the basic rules of subject-verb agreement. Ensure to continuously practice, and you will become more confident in your writing.