ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel TutoringHour What Is Subject-Verb Agreement? | Learn the Basic Rules with Examples
Hello and welcome! Today, we’re going on a fun adventure to learn about something called subject-verb agreement. Let’s jump right in and discover what it’s all about!
First, let’s talk about what a subject is. A subject is the person, place, or thing that does the action in a sentence or tells us what the sentence is about. For example, in the sentence “Amanda mows the lawn every Sunday,” Amanda is the subject because she is the one doing the action.
Now, let’s see how we match the verb to the subject. If the subject is singular, like “Amanda,” we use a singular verb. So, we say “Amanda mows” because “mows” is a singular verb.
Let’s try another example. Should it be “is playing” or “are playing”? If the subject is “Trevor,” which is singular, we use “is playing.” So, we say “Trevor is playing the guitar in the concert.”
What if the subject is plural? Let’s see. Should it be “bake” or “bakes”? If the subject is “Bakers,” which is plural, we use “bake.” So, we say “The Bakers bake cakes for the party.”
Here’s another one: “is reading” or “are reading”? If the subject is “girls,” which is plural, we use “are reading.” So, we say “The girls are reading fairy tales.”
Let’s look at another example. Should it be “was clicking” or “were clicking”? If the subject is “photographer,” which is singular, we use “was clicking.” So, we say “The photographer was clicking pictures of the event.”
Now, should it be “was jumping” or “were jumping”? If the subject is “athletes,” which is plural, we use “were jumping.” So, we say “The athletes were jumping rope to stay fit.”
What if there are two subjects? Let’s see. Should it be “wash” or “washes”? If the subjects are “Toby and Henry,” we treat them as plural because they are joined by “and.” So, we say “Toby and Henry wash cars for a living.”
Finally, should it be “is decorating” or “are decorating”? If the subjects are “Kiana or Casey,” we treat them as singular because they are joined by “or.” So, we say “Kiana or Casey is decorating the venue.”
Now you know that it’s all about using a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural subject. This helps keep our sentences balanced and correct!
That’s it for today! Remember, learning grammar can be fun. Keep exploring and practicing, and you’ll become a grammar expert in no time. See you next time, and stay curious!
Subject-Verb Agreement Hunt: Go on a subject-verb agreement hunt around your home or classroom! Find five sentences in books, magazines, or signs that show correct subject-verb agreement. Write them down and underline the subject and the verb. Share your sentences with a friend and explain why the subject and verb agree.
Sentence Building Game: Create a set of cards with different subjects (e.g., “The cat,” “My friends,” “The teacher”) and another set with verbs (e.g., “runs,” “are playing,” “teaches”). Mix them up and draw one card from each set to form a sentence. Decide if the sentence makes sense with correct subject-verb agreement. If not, adjust the verb to match the subject. Keep playing to see how many correct sentences you can make!
Everyday Observations: As you go about your day, listen to people talking or read signs and notices. Whenever you hear or see a sentence, think about the subject and verb. Ask yourself if they agree. For example, if you hear “The dog barks,” identify “The dog” as the subject and “barks” as the verb, and check if they match. Share your observations with your family at dinner or with your classmates.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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**Subject-Verb Agreement with Bob and Billy**
Hello and welcome! We’re going on a fun-filled adventure, and we will learn about subject-verb agreement in the process. Let’s dive right into it!
Let us begin with an example. Look at this sentence: What’s the verb that matches the subject? Is it “Mo” or “Moe’s”? Hmm, I don’t know. Let’s first understand what a subject is. A subject is the person, place, or thing that performs the action in a sentence or indicates what the sentence is about. Who is this sentence about? Amanda, right?
Now, which verb do you think will match the subject? I think it’s “Moe’s.” Amanda mows the lawn every Sunday. That’s right! The singular subject Amanda needs a singular verb, so we use “mows.”
Let’s try another example. Is it “is playing” or “are playing”? I think it should be “is playing.” The subject in this sentence, Trevor, is singular, so the verb should be “is playing.” Trevor is playing the guitar in the concert. Good going!
Our next example: Is it “bake” or “bakes”? No, you’re mistaken. We need to use “bake” because we have a plural subject, “Bakers,” in this sentence. Oops, my bad! Thanks for catching that. When you have a plural subject in a sentence, you need to use a plural verb. The Bakers bake cakes for the party.
Right! Our next example: Is it “is reading” or “are reading”? Let me look for the subject. Hmm, it is “girls.” We have a plural noun, meaning we need a plural verb, so we should use “are reading.” Way to go! We are talking about more than one girl, so we use “are reading” and not “is reading.” The girls are reading fairy tales.
Time for our next example: Is it “was clicking” or “were clicking”? Wait a minute! The subject here is “photographer.” It is a singular noun, so we need a singular verb. It is “was clicking.” The photographer was clicking pictures of the event. Great job!
Here comes our next example: Is it “was jumping” or “were jumping”? Hold on a second! We’re talking about more than one athlete, so we should use “were jumping.” The athletes were jumping rope to stay fit. Am I right?
You’re right! Our next example: Is it “wash” or “washes”? We have two subjects here, don’t we? You are right! We have Toby and Henry. If the subject consists of multiple nouns joined by the conjunction “and,” we need to treat the subject as plural. A plural subject needs a plural verb. The answer is “wash,” isn’t it? Toby and Henry wash cars for a living. Perfect!
And now our final example: Is it “is decorating” or “are decorating”? Kiana or Casey are decorating the venue. Nope! If the subject consists of multiple singular nouns joined by “or,” we need to treat the subject as singular. A singular subject takes a singular verb, so Kiana or Casey is decorating the venue.
Thanks! Now I know it’s all about using a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural subject, and balancing the sentences.
That’s a wrap, folks! Visit www.tutoringhour.com for interesting worksheets, as grammar doesn’t have to be boring. Smash the like and subscribe buttons right away, and stay tuned for more subject-verb agreement rules with Bob and Billy. See you next time, buddies! Stay buzzing with knowledge!
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This version removes any informal language and maintains a clear and educational tone.
