Subject Verb Agreement in English Grammar Exercises

Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of English grammar. It refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. In general, the subject refers to the person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about, while the verb refers to the action or state of being of the subject. In simple terms, the subject and verb must agree in number, tense, and person. In this article, we will explore subject-verb agreement in English grammar exercises.

Number agreement:

The first rule of subject-verb agreement is that the subject and verb must agree in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. For example:

– The cat sits on the mat. (singular subject, singular verb)

If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. For example:

– The cats sit on the mat. (plural subject, plural verb)

Tense agreement:

The second rule of subject-verb agreement is that the subject and verb must agree in tense. In other words, if the subject is in the present tense, the verb must also be in the present tense. For example:

– The dog barks loudly. (present tense subject, present tense verb)

If the subject is in the past tense, the verb must also be in the past tense. For example:

– The dog barked loudly. (past tense subject, past tense verb)

Person agreement:

The third rule of subject-verb agreement is that the subject and verb must agree in person. In other words, if the subject is in the first person (I, we), the verb must also be in the first person. For example:

– I am going to the store. (first person subject, first person verb)

If the subject is in the second person (you), the verb must also be in the second person. For example:

– You are going to the store. (second person subject, second person verb)

If the subject is in the third person (he, she, it, they), the verb must also be in the third person. For example:

– She is going to the store. (third person subject, third person verb)

English grammar exercises:

Now that we have discussed the rules of subject-verb agreement, let`s explore some English grammar exercises to test your understanding.

1. Identify the correct subject-verb agreement in the following sentences:

a) The students (is/are) studying for their exams.

b) The dog (barks/bark) loudly at night.

c) My sister and I (am/are) going to the movies.

2. Fill in the blanks with the correct verb in the present tense:

a) The birds (fly/flies) high in the sky.

b) My friends (like/likes) to play tennis.

c) The sun (rises/rise) in the east and sets in the west.

3. Fill in the blanks with the correct verb in the past tense:

a) The cat (jump/jumped) onto the table.

b) We (walk/walked) to school yesterday.

c) She (visit/visited) her grandparents last weekend.

Conclusion:

Subject-verb agreement is an important aspect of English grammar that helps to ensure clear and effective communication. By understanding the rules of subject-verb agreement and practicing with English grammar exercises, you can improve your writing and speaking skills. Remember to always check that the subject and verb agree in number, tense, and person.