Subject Verb Agreement Rules and Exercises Pdf

Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of English grammar. It refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. In simpler terms, it means that the verb must agree with the subject in number. Therefore, if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, then the verb should also be plural. To help you better understand subject-verb agreement, we have compiled some rules and exercises in PDF format that you can use to improve your grammar.

RULES OF SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

1. In a sentence, the subject and verb must always agree in number.

For instance:

– She is a good dancer. (She is singular, and so is the verb is)

– They are good dancers. (They is plural, and so is the verb are)

2. If the subject is separated from the verb by a phrase or clause, the verb still must agree with the subject.

For example:

– Running every day is good exercise. (Running is singular, and so is the verb is)

– The dogs, along with their owner, are going to the park. (Dogs is plural, and so is the verb are)

3. When there are compound subjects usually joined by “and,” the verb should also be plural.

For instance:

– My sister and I are going to the mall. (Sister and I is plural, and so is the verb are)

4. In sentences with a compound subject joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb will agree with the subject closest to the verb.

For example:

– Neither the boys nor the girls want to stay indoors. (Girls is plural, and so is the verb want)

5. When using collective nouns, the verb will depend on how the noun is used in the sentence.

For example:

– The team is having a meeting. (Team is singular, and so is the verb is)

– The team members are having a meeting. (Members is plural, and so is the verb are)

EXERCISES

Here are some exercises to help you practice your subject-verb agreement skills.

Exercise 1: Rewrite each sentence so that the subject and verb agree in number.

1. The dogs barks at night.

2. She plays basketball every day.

3. My brother and sister is going to college.

4. The news are interesting.

5. Each of the students have their own books.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct verb that agrees with the subject.

1. The book (is, are) on the shelf.

2. Neither he nor his friends (like, likes) hiking.

3. John, as well as his brothers, (is, are) invited to the party.

4. The committee (has, have) made their decision.

5. The crowd (cheer, cheers) for their favorite team.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an essential skill that every writer should master. By following these rules and practicing the exercises, you can improve your grammar and become a better communicator. The PDF exercises provided in this article can help you achieve that. So, download them and start practicing!