What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

S2-SA1-0121

Grade Level:

Class 2

NLP, Law, History, Social Sciences, Literature, Journalism, Communication

Definition

What is it?

Subject-Verb Agreement means that the subject (the person or thing doing the action) and the verb (the action word) in a sentence must match each other. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Think about a cricket team. If 'Virat Kohli' (one player) 'bats well', the verb 'bats' is singular. If 'The players' (many players) 'bat well', the verb 'bat' is plural. The number of players (subject) matches the action (verb).

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's make sure the subject and verb agree in this sentence: 'My friend (play/plays) kabaddi.'
---Step 1: Identify the subject. The subject is 'My friend'.
---Step 2: Determine if the subject is singular or plural. 'My friend' is singular (only one friend).
---Step 3: Look at the verb options: 'play' and 'plays'.
---Step 4: For a singular subject, we usually add 's' or 'es' to the verb in the present tense. So, 'plays' is the singular form.
---Step 5: Choose the verb form that matches the singular subject.
---Answer: My friend plays kabaddi.

Why It Matters

Clear communication is key! Correct subject-verb agreement helps you write and speak clearly, whether you're explaining a science project, writing a news report, or telling a story. It's crucial for journalists, lawyers, and even social scientists to present information accurately and professionally.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: My friends likes pizza. | CORRECTION: My friends like pizza. (Plural subject 'friends' needs plural verb 'like')

MISTAKE: The dog run fast. | CORRECTION: The dog runs fast. (Singular subject 'dog' needs singular verb 'runs')

MISTAKE: Each of the students have a book. | CORRECTION: Each of the students has a book. (When 'each' is the subject, it's singular, so it needs a singular verb 'has')

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: Choose the correct verb: The children (is/are) playing in the park. | ANSWER: are

QUESTION: Fill in the blank: My brother (go/goes) to school by bus every day. | ANSWER: goes

QUESTION: Correct the sentence: The team of players want to win the match. | ANSWER: The team of players wants to win the match. ('Team' is a singular collective noun here)

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which sentence shows correct subject-verb agreement?

Many students likes to read comics.

The birds sings beautifully in the morning.

My mother bake delicious cakes.

She eats an apple every day.

The Correct Answer Is:

Option D is correct because 'She' is singular and 'eats' is the singular verb form. Options A, B, and C have a mismatch between the subject and the verb.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

Imagine you are writing an important email to your teacher or a message to a customer support executive about a problem with your mobile data. Using correct subject-verb agreement ensures your message is clear and understood instantly, just like how news anchors on TV always speak with correct grammar to convey information clearly.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

SUBJECT: The person or thing doing the action | VERB: The action word | SINGULAR: Referring to one person or thing | PLURAL: Referring to more than one person or thing | AGREEMENT: Matching or harmony between parts

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Great job understanding Subject-Verb Agreement! Next, you can explore 'Tenses of Verbs' to learn how verbs change based on when an action happens. This will further strengthen your sentence-building skills and make your writing even more precise.