Making Sure Subjects and Verbs Work Together

1. What Are Subjects and Verbs?

• The subject of a sentence tells us who or what it is about.
• The verb shows the action or what state something is in.

2. The Rule of Agreement:

• Subjects and verbs need to agree in number. This means:
  • If the subject is one, use a singular verb.
  • If the subject is more than one, use a plural verb.

3. Singular vs. Plural:

• Singular: "The cat (one subject) runs (one verb) fast."
• Plural: "The cats (more than one subject) run (more than one verb) fast."

4. Important Rules:

• If the subject is one, use a singular verb:
  • Example: "He loves chocolate."
• If the subject is more than one, use a plural verb:
  • Example: "They love chocolate."

5. Special Cases:

• When subjects are connected by "and," use a plural verb:
  • Example: "Tom and Jerry are friends."
• When subjects are connected by "or" or "nor," the verb should match the closest subject:
  • Example: "Either the cat or the dogs are outside."

6. Practice Examples:

• Correct: "The teacher teaches."
• Incorrect: "The teachers teaches."
• Correct: "The dogs bark."
• Incorrect: "The dog barks."

By keeping these tips in mind, your subjects and verbs will always agree, making your sentences clear and easy to understand!