Subject Verb Agreement for Elementary Students

As an elementary student, learning the basics of grammar can be overwhelming. One of the most important rules of grammar is subject-verb agreement.

Subject-verb agreement refers to the matching of the subject and verb in a sentence. Simply put, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.

For example:

– The cat sleeps. (singular subject, singular verb)

– The cats sleep. (plural subject, plural verb)

To determine if a subject is singular or plural, you can count it. If there is only one, it`s singular. If there are more than one, it`s plural.

Here are some common mistakes elementary students make with subject-verb agreement:

1. Forgetting to match the subject and verb.

Incorrect: The cat sleeps.

Correct: The cat sleeps.

2. Using the wrong form of the verb.

Incorrect: She have a dog.

Correct: She has a dog.

3. Confusing collective nouns.

Incorrect: The team are playing.

Correct: The team is playing.

4. Ignoring the subject between the verb and preposition.

Incorrect: The book on the table are mine.

Correct: The book on the table is mine.

5. Failing to recognize compound subjects.

Incorrect: Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite sandwich.

Correct: Peanut butter and jelly are my favorite sandwich.

By paying attention to subject-verb agreement, elementary students can improve their writing skills and make their sentences more clear and concise. Practice makes perfect, so try writing short sentences and identifying the subjects and verbs until it becomes second nature.

Remember, subject-verb agreement is the backbone of proper grammar. It`s a fundamental rule that will carry students through their academic and professional lives.