Correct errors with subject-verb agreement

Key Notes:

Definition: Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that the subject of a sentence must agree with its verb in number (singular or plural).

Basic Rule:

• A singular subject takes a singular verb (e.g., The dog barks).
• A plural subject takes a plural verb (e.g., The dogs bark).

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Identifying the Subject:

• Find the main subject of the sentence, which can be a noun or pronoun.
• Ignore phrases that might separate the subject and verb (e.g., The cat, along with its kittens, is sleeping).

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Compound Subjects:

• When subjects are joined by “and,” use a plural verb (e.g., Tom and Jerry are friends).
• When subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the nearest subject (e.g., Neither the teacher nor the students were late).

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Indefinite Pronouns:

• Some indefinite pronouns are singular (e.g., everyone, each, anyone) and take singular verbs (e.g., Everyone is here).
• Others are plural (e.g., few, many, several) and take plural verbs (e.g., Many are called).

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Collective Nouns:

• Collective nouns (e.g., team, group, committee) can be singular or plural depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individuals (e.g., The team wins vs. The team are arguing).

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Titles and Names:

• Titles of books, movies, and organizations take singular verbs (e.g., “The Chronicles of Narnia” is a popular series).

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Errors to Correct:

• Look for common errors such as incorrect verb forms, missing subject-verb pairs, and confusion with plural nouns.

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Practice Activities:

• Include exercises where students identify and correct errors in sentences regarding subject-verb agreement.

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Importance:

• Emphasize that correct subject-verb agreement is crucial for clear and effective communication in writing.