Subject-verb agreement is one of the most common grammatical concepts that people struggle with, but it is essential to master if you want to write well. While it may seem like a small detail, using the correct tense can have a significant impact on the clarity and effectiveness of your writing. To help you improve your subject-verb agreement skills, we have put together a list of solved exercises that cover the key concepts you need to know.
Exercise 1: Singular vs. Plural
The first exercise is designed to help you recognize the difference between singular and plural subjects. In this exercise, you`ll be given a sentence with a subject and a verb. Your task is to determine whether the subject is singular or plural and then choose the appropriate form of the verb to match. Here`s an example:
The boy (play/plays) soccer every Saturday.
Solution: The correct form is “plays” because “boy” is a singular subject.
Other examples include:
– The dogs (bark/barks) loudly every night.
Solution: The correct form is “bark” because “dogs” is a plural subject.
– The teacher (teach/teaches) math at the local high school.
Solution: The correct form is “teaches” because “teacher” is a singular subject.
– The birds (fly/flies) south for the winter.
Solution: The correct form is “fly” because “birds” is a plural subject.
Exercise 2: Compound Subjects
The second exercise is all about compound subjects. A compound subject is when two or more nouns or pronouns are connected by a conjunction and share the same verb. In this exercise, you`ll be given sentences with compound subjects, and you`ll need to choose the appropriate verb form to match. Here`s an example:
John and Emily (was/were) at the park last night.
Solution: The correct form is “were” because “John and Emily” constitute a plural subject.
Other examples include:
– My sister and I (love/loves) to travel.
Solution: The correct form is “love” because “my sister and I” constitute a plural subject.
– The book, as well as the movie, (was/were) based on a true story.
Solution: The correct form is “was” because “book” is a singular subject.
– Neither the cats nor the dogs (like/likes) to take a bath.
Solution: The correct form is “like” because “cats” and “dogs” are plural subjects.
Exercise 3: Indefinite Pronouns
In this exercise, you`ll learn how to match verbs to indefinite pronouns. An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that doesn`t refer to a specific person, place, or thing. Examples include “someone,” “anybody,” “everything,” and “anything.” The tricky part about indefinite pronouns is that they can be either singular or plural depending on the context. Here`s an example:
Everyone (has/have) different opinions on politics.
Solution: The correct form is “has” because “everyone” is a singular indefinite pronoun.
Other examples include:
– Somebody (stole/stolen) my phone last night.
Solution: The correct form is “stole” because “somebody” is a singular indefinite pronoun.
– All of the students (has/have) to take the exam tomorrow.
Solution: The correct form is “have” because “students” is a plural noun.
– Nothing (is/are) more important than family.
Solution: The correct form is “is” because “nothing” is a singular indefinite pronoun.
In conclusion, having a firm grasp of subject-verb agreement is crucial for effective writing. By working through these exercises and practicing regularly, you can improve your skills and avoid common errors. Remember that paying attention to subject-verb agreement will make your writing clearer, more concise, and more professional.