As a seventh-grade student, it is important to master the basics of grammar, including the subject-verb agreement. This knowledge will help you write clear, concise sentences that effectively communicate your message.
Subject-verb agreement refers to the correct pairing of a subject and its corresponding verb. In simple terms, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well.
For example:
– She runs every morning. (singular subject “she,” singular verb “runs”)
– They run every morning. (plural subject “they,” plural verb “run”)
Here are some exercises that you can do to improve your understanding and application of subject-verb agreement:
1. Identify the subject and verb in a sentence
Before you can determine if the subject and verb agree, you must first identify them in a sentence. Look for the person, place, or thing that the sentence is about (the subject) and the action or state of being associated with it (the verb).
Example: The cat sleeps on the sofa.
Subject: The cat
Verb: sleeps
2. Match the subject and verb
Once you have identified the subject and verb, check if they match in number (singular or plural). If they do not match, you need to correct the sentence.
Example: The boys runs fast.
Subject: The boys (plural)
Verb: runs (singular)
Correction: The boys run fast.
3. Use subject-verb agreement in compound subjects
Compound subjects are two or more subjects that share the same verb. In this case, the verb must agree with the number of the combined subjects.
Example: The cat and the dog loves to play.
Subjects: The cat and the dog
Verb: loves
Correction: The cat and the dog love to play.
4. Apply subject-verb agreement in questions
Questions also require subject-verb agreement. Inverted sentences (where the verb comes before the subject) can make it tricky to identify the subject and verb, but the same rules apply.
Example: Does the boy and the girl like the movie?
Subject: the boy and the girl
Verb: like
Correction: Do the boy and the girl like the movie?
By practicing these exercises regularly, you can develop your skills in subject-verb agreement and become a better writer. Remember to also pay attention to context, tense, and other grammatical rules that can affect the agreement between subjects and verbs. With dedication and practice, you will soon master this fundamental aspect of grammar.