Use the correct subject or verb

Key Notes:

Subject-Verb Agreement

• Definition: The subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural).
• Singular Subjects: Use a singular verb (e.g., “She runs,” “The dog barks”).
• Plural Subjects: Use a plural verb (e.g., “They run,” “The dogs bark”).

Identifying the Subject

• Definition: The subject is the person or thing performing the action in the sentence.
• Finding the Subject: Ask “Who” or “What” before the verb to identify the subject (e.g., “The teacher [subject] explains [verb]”).

Identifying the Verb

• Definition: The verb shows the action or state of being in the sentence.
• Finding the Verb: Locate the action or state of being in the sentence (e.g., “The cat [subject] sleeps [verb]”).

Rules for Common Verbs

• Regular Verbs: Add -s or -es for third-person singular subjects (e.g., “He talks,” “She watches”).
• Irregular Verbs: Some verbs do not follow regular rules and need to be memorized (e.g., “He is,” “They are”).

Special Cases

• Compound Subjects: When the subject is joined by “and,” use a plural verb (e.g., “The cat and dog play”).
• Or/Nor: When subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the nearest subject (e.g., “Neither the cat nor the dogs are outside”).

Collective Nouns

• Definition: Collective nouns refer to a group of people or things.
• Agreement: Use a singular verb if the collective noun acts as a single unit (e.g., “The team wins”), but use a plural verb if the group acts as individuals (e.g., “The team are arguing among themselves”).

Let’s practice!🖊️