✏️ WritingGrade 3Lesson 7
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Grammar — Subject-Verb Agreement
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Learning Objectives
- 1Identify the subject of a sentence and decide whether it is singular or plural
- 2Add -s or -es to a present tense verb when the subject is singular (he, she, it, or a singular noun)
- 3Use the base form of the verb when the subject is plural (they, we, I, or a plural noun)
- 4Correct common subject-verb agreement errors in sentences
- 5Recognize that 'I' takes the base form of the verb even though it is singular
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Mini Lesson
Every sentence has two key parts: the subject (who or what the sentence is about) and the verb (the action or state). The verb must always agree with the subject in number — this is called subject-verb agreement.
Singular subject → singular verb
- A singular subject is one person, place, or thing.
- When the subject is he, she, it, or a singular noun, add -s or -es to the verb.
- Example: The dog runs fast. One dog, so the verb gets -s.
- Example: She reads every night.
Plural subject → plural verb (base form)
- A plural subject is more than one person, place, or thing.
- When the subject is I, you, we, they, or a plural noun, use the base form of the verb — no -s.
- Example: The dogs run fast. More than one dog, no -s on the verb.
- Example: They read every night.
Quick test — the "one or many?" rule
- Ask yourself: is the subject one thing or more than one?
- One thing → verb gets -s: The bird sings.
- More than one → verb stays base form: The birds sing.
- Special: I always takes the base form even though it is singular — I walk, not I walks.
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Ask yourself: Can I look at any sentence, find the subject, decide if it is singular or plural, and then choose the correct verb form?
Vocabulary
Subject
The noun or pronoun a sentence is about — it must agree with the verb in numbere.g. In 'The dog runs fast,' the subject is the dog.
Verb
The action or state word in a sentence — it must match the subject in numbere.g. In 'She reads every night,' reads is the verb.
Singular
Describes exactly one person, place, or thinge.g. The bird, she, and a book are singular subjects.
Plural
Describes more than one person, place, or thinge.g. The birds, they, and two books are plural subjects.
Agreement
The match between subject and verb in number — singular with singular, plural with plurale.g. Subject-verb agreement keeps your sentences clear.
Base form
The basic form of a verb used with plural subjects and with I and youe.g. run, read, sing, walk are base forms.
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