Subject-Verb Agreement

1. Subject-Verb Agreement Unit 2 Language Arts

2. Subject-Verb Agreement • Subjects and verbs must always agree in number. Number refers to whether a word is singular or plural. • A word that refers to a person, place, thing, idea, action, or condition is singular. • A word that refers to more than one is plural.

3. Singular and Plural Subjects • Singular subject = singular verb • Each musicianlistens to the others. • Plural subject = plural verb • The musicians play without sheet music.

4. Singular Verbs • Singular Verbs usually end in “s” or “es”. • For Example: • Jumps – singular form of verb • Jump – plural form of verb

5. Singular Irregular Verbs • Is, was, does, and has are singular irregular verbs. • For Example: • Louise ismy best friend. • Jade was at the mall last week.

6. Plural Irregular Verbs • Are, were, have, and do are plural irregular verbs. • For Example: • The playersare meeting today. • Many people doenjoy movies.

7. Doesn’t and Don’t • Use doesn’t with all singular subjects except “I” and “you”. • My dog doesn’t bark at night. • Use don’t with all plural subjects and the pronouns “I” and “you”. • Twenty players don’tknow the time of the meeting. • I don’t work with the t.v. on.

8. Verb Phrases • In a verb phrase, the first helping verb must agree with the subject. • The first verb of the verb phrase is called the helping verb. • Miles Davishas led groups in performance. • His music is becoming legendary.

9. Common Helping Verbs • Be been did might • Am has can may • Is have could • Are had shall • Was does should • Were do will • Been did would

10. Guided Practice problems • Today, instrument makers (coils, coil) the tubes of metal. • They (handles, handle) these instruments more easily than the earlier hours. • French horns (has, have) three or more valves. coil handle have

11. Practice Continued • Friends (have admired, has admired) her interesting collection. • Each part (is, are) made of wood, except the strings. • Samuel (doesn’t, don’t) use computer clip art. have admired is doesn’t

12. Or and Nor • Use a singular verb with singular subjects joined by “or” or “nor”. • The basketball or the football isused at P.E. everyday. • Neither Eric nor David plays the piano.

13. Subjects Joined by And • Use a plural verb with subjects joined by “and”. • For Example: • Cats andhorses run all over the fields at our farm. • A firefighter and a paramedic help save lives.

14. Or and Nor, Again!! • Use a plural verb with plural subjects joined by “or” or “nor”. • For Example: • Books orcomputer games take up most of my time on the weekends. • Neither ghosts nor goblins scare Julia very much.

15. Subjects Joined by Or and Nor • When the parts of a compound subject are joined by or or nor, the verb shouldagree with the part closest to it. • For Example: • A professional orvolunteers serve on emergency teams. • Volunteers or a professionalserves on emergency teams.

16. Guided Practice Problems Arts and crafts (is, are) often hard to tell apart. Even forks and spoons (appear, appears) in museum collections. Either Mrs. Gomez or Mr. Ming (delivers, deliver) the welcome speech on the first day of school. are appear delivers

17. Practice Problems Continued Either Sylvia or her brothers (washes, wash) the kitchen floor each Saturday morning. The heavy rainclouds and the powerful winds (indicates, indicate) that a hurricane is approaching. Neither the sea lion nor the clowns (catches, catch) the ball that the monkey throws into the circus ring. wash indicate catch

18. Indefinite Pronouns • Some pronouns do not refer to a definite, or specific, person, place, thing, or idea. These pronouns are called indefinite pronouns. • When used as subjects, some indefinite pronouns are always singular. Some are always plural. Others can be singular or plural depending on how they are used.

19. Singular Indefinite Pronouns • Singular indefinite pronouns take singular verbs. • Everyone knows about camels in desert caravans. • Everything about them seems strange and exotic.

20. Singular Indefinite Pronouns • Another anybody anyone • Anything each either • Everybody everyone everything • Neither nobody no one • Nothing one somebody • Someone something

21. Plural Indefinite Pronouns • Plural indefinite pronouns take plural verbs. • Few of us realize their importance to desert people. • Many rely on the camel for everyday living. • Both of the camels in this photo areBactrian camels.

22. Plural Indefinite Pronouns • Both • Few • Many • Several

23. Singular OR Plural Indefinite Pronouns • All • Any • Most • None • Some

24. Guided Practice Problems Everyone at the party (likes, like) the cottage cheese and vegetable dip. Everyone (is, are) touched by pictures that capture human suffering. Nobody in the beginning painting class (displays, display) work in the annual art show. likes is displays

25. Practice Problems Continued Both of Fred’s brothers (celebrates, celebrate) their birthdays in July. Several of those colors (appeals, appeal) to me. Most of the appetizers on the restaurant menu (tastes, taste) delicious. celebrate appeal taste

26. Prepositions • The simple subject of a sentence is NEVER part of a prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition, ends with the next nounor pronoun, and includes all of the words inbetween. • For Example: • The cars in my driveway belong to my dad’s boss.

27. Common Prepositions • About among for by • According to inside past to • Around since until upon • Before toward under like • Across between within without • During onto except despite • There is a better list on page 152 of your Language Network book.

28. Guided Practice Problems The launch of a space shuttle (attracts, attract) the interest of people throughout the world. The thermos bottle in the picnic basket (is, are) filled with apple juice. The chimes in the tower (plays, play) every hour. The cucumbers in my garden (grows, grow) very quickly. attracts is play grow