Subject/Verb Agreement PPT Notes & Worksheet

Every verb must agree with its subject!

1.  SINGULAR & PLURAL (number)

  1. Singular refers to one person, place, thing or idea.
  2. Plural means refers to more than one in number.
  • To make a noun plural, add an ______.
  • To make a verb plural, take away the ______.
  • Singular noun example: The girl ______.
  • Plural noun example: The girls ______.
  • Remember the three irregular verbs: ______, have, and ______.
  • General rule: Generally, if the subject ______end in –S, the verb will. If the subject ______end in –S, the verb won’t.

PRACTICE!

Write an original sentence using the singular verb texting.

______.

2.  COMPOUND SUBJECTS

  1. If there are ______or more subjects joined by and, the subject must be ______, so the verb will ______get an “s”.
  2. The boy and girl ______.
  3. If there are ______or more subjects joined by or, the verb agrees with the part of the subject ______.
  4. The professor or the students ______the halls.
  5. The students or the professor ______the halls.

PRACTICE!

Write an original sentence using the compound subject sophomores and juniors.

______.

3.  WATCH OUT!

Many indefinite pronouns are singular! Pronouns such as everyone and everybody seem plural, but they are always singular — so they need a singular verb.

Complete the list: everyone, everything, ______.

·  Everyone knows grammar is fun!

·  Everything shows on white carpet.

PRACTICE!

Write an original sentence using the indefinite pronoun everybody.

______.

4.  POSSIBLE PITFALLS!

Some reminders to avoid confusion:

  1. Sometimes, several words come between the subject and the verb.
  2. The subject can ______be part of a prepositional phrase.
  3. Sometimes, the subject will come ______the verb, in questions or when sentence begins with here or there. The words there and here are ______subjects.
  4. Relative Pronouns (who/which/that) can be either singular or plural, depending on the word they refer to.

NAME:

PERIOD:

Ticket Out the Door!

QUICK & FUNNY COMP CHECKS: Compliments of Urban Dictionary J

1.  There (IS/ARE) a studded emo in my class who wears a different belt everyday! (here & there)

2.  The guy who (SIT/SITS) behind me in my English class talks all the time, so the teacher is constantly putting him on blast. (relative pronoun)

3.  Everyone (KNOW/KNOWS) I am a beast at Call of Duty. (indefinite pronouns)

4.  Evelyn and Kara (DO/DOES) the shuffle really well. (compound subjects)

5.  Since the students in the class (COMPLAIN/COMPLAINS) about having too much homework all the time, the teacher finally told them to swag up. (prepositional phrase)