Chapter 4pg 59

What is Subject-Verb Agreement?

• When the subject is a singular noun, the verb takes an –s [or –es] in the present tense– The baby sleeps. – The baby cries.

• When the subject is a plural noun the verb does NOT take an –s [or –es] in the present tense. – The babies sleep.– The babies cry.

When the subject is singular, the verb takes an –s (or –es)

General rule:Either

The subjectOR

The VerbNeeds an -s (or –es)

Personal Pronouns

Singular• I sleep.• You sleep. • He sleeps• She sleeps• It sleeps.

Plural• We sleep.• You sleep. • They sleep.

Practice pg 60

1. The dog (bark, barks). 2. It (wake, wakes) up the neighborhood.3. The neighbors (become, becomes)

annoyed. 4. They deserve(s) a quiet Sunday morning.

5. I (throws, throw) an old slipper at the dog.

barks.wakes up the neighborhood.

become

deserve a quiet Sunday morning.

throw an old slipper at the dog.

1. He (doesn’t, don’t) study in the library anymore.

2. We (was, were) hoping to find him there.

3. The library (doesn’t, don’t) close until 11 o’clock.

4. (Was, Were) you late tonight?

5. Irina (doesn’t, don’t) care if you stay until closing.

Practice, pg 61

Making Subjects and Verbs Agree – Exercise 2 pg 62-63

1. Many companies today (tests, test) their workers for drugs.

2. To many people it (seems, seem) an invasion of privacy.

3. Employers (worries, worry) that bus and train drivers are using drugs on the job.

4. They (doesn’t, don’t) want the lives of their passengers at risk.

Subject____________

Subject__

Subject____________

Subject_____

Making Subjects and Verbs Agree – Exercise 2 pg 62-63

5. Even operators of rides in amusement parks (undergoes, undergo) tests.

6. Professional athletes on a team (has, have) special problems because of unwelcome publicity.

7. Some factories (installs, install) hidden video cameras for surveillance.

8. The General Motors Company (hires, hire) undercover agents as workers.

Subject___________

Subject_________

Subject_________

Subject____________________________

Making Subjects and Verbs Agree – Exercise 2 pg 62-63

9. In Kansas City, drug-sniffing dogs (was, were) used in a newspaper office.

10. (Has, Have) you ever taken a drug test?

Subject_____

Subject____

Subject: the “who” or “what the sentence is about

Performs the action of the sentence

Subjects are not found in prepositionalphrases.

Subjects can be found after the verbin sentences that begin with there

or here.

Exercise 4, pg 64Cross out prepositional phrases,

appositive phrases, and the words “here” and “There”

Find the SubjectThen choose the Verb

1. Here (is,are) a plan about time management.

1. Here (is, are) a plan about time management.

Exercise 4, pg 64Cross out prepositional phrases,

appositive phrases, and the words “here” and “There”

Find the SubjectThen choose the Verb

Hidden Subject

2. Too much busywork in your day(prevents, prevent) efficiency

Exercise 4, pg 64Cross out prepositional phrases,

appositive phrases, and the words “here” and “There”

Find the SubjectThen choose the Verb

2. Too much busywork in your day(prevents, prevent) efficiency

Exercise 4, pg 64Cross out prepositional phrases,

appositive phrases, and the words “here” and “There”

Find the SubjectThen choose the Verb

Hidden Subject

3. A period of time without interruption(is,are) crucial.

Exercise 4, pg 64Cross out prepositional phrases,

appositive phrases, and the words “here” and “There”

Find the SubjectThen choose the Verb

3. A period of time without interruption(is, are) crucial.

Exercise 4, pg 64Cross out prepositional phrases,

appositive phrases, and the words “here” and “There”

Find the SubjectThen choose the Verb

4. People usually (does, do) too many things at once.

Exercise 4, pg 64Cross out prepositional phrases,

appositive phrases, and the words “here” and “There”

Find the SubjectThen choose the Verb

4. People usually (does, do) too many things at once.

Exercise 4, pg 64Cross out prepositional phrases,

appositive phrases, and the words “here” and “There”

Find the SubjectThen choose the Verb

Exercise 4, pg 64

5. Why (is, are) frequent breaks important?

6. Constant clutter on people’s desks (causes, cause) frustration.

7. Why (does, do) perfectionists have so much difficulty?

5. Why are frequent breaks important?

6. Constant clutter on people’s desks causes frustration.

7. Why do perfectionists have so much difficulty?

Subject_______

Subject______

Subject______________

Exercise 4, pg 64

8. The habit of procrastination (is, are) another area of time management.

9. There (is, are) several other distracting activities, from watching television to playing video games.

10. Children in a family (needs, need) to help with chores.

8. The habit of procrastination is another area of time management.

10. Children in a family need to help with chores

9. There are several other distracting activities, from watching television to playing video games.

Subject______

Subject _________

Subject_________

Collective: A group of people or things.Is considered singular when acting as a unit

unless the meaning is clearly plural

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb (pg 66)

1. The construction crew (is, are)being blamed for the accident.

(again, acting as a unit)

1. The construction crew (is, are)being blamed for the accident.

(again, acting as a unit)

Subject_____

Find the SubjectThen choose the Verb

(pg 66)

2. In this case, the union (accuses, accuse) the crew.

(again, acting as a unit)

2. In this case, the union (accuses, accuse) the crew.

Subject_____

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb (pg 66)

3. A few days after the accident, the same group (files, file) charges.

(acting as a unit).

3. A few days after the accident, the same group (files, file) charges.

(acting as a unit).

_____Subject

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb (pg 66)

4. The crew’s legal team (is, are)uncertain about their strategy.

(acting as individuals)

4. The crew’s legal team (is, are)uncertain about their strategy.

(acting as individuals)

Subject_____

Refer to an unspecified being, object or place (or beings, objects, places)

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb Exercise 9, pg 69

1. Nobody (know, knows) how manydrugs are contained in plants

that grow in the rainforest.

1. Nobody (know, knows) how manydrugs are contained in plants

that grow in the rainforest.

Subject_____

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb Exercise 9, pg 69

2. Some (argues, argue) that wonderfuldrugs could be derived from many plants.

2. Some (argues, argue) that wonderfuldrugs could be derived from many plants.

Subject_____

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb Exercise 9, pg 69

3. Most of the pharmaceutical experts(remains, remain) skeptical.

3. Most of the pharmaceutical experts(remains, remain) skeptical.

Subject_____

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb (pg 65)

4. All of the research (is, are) expensiveand often (proves, prove) fruitless.

4. All of the research (is, are) expensiveand often (proves, prove) fruitless.

Subject___

The verb is usually plural when the subjectsare connect by the word and.

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb Exercise 10, pg 70

1. Macaroni and cheese (is, are) my son’s favorite supper.

Find the SubjectThen choose the

VerbExercise 10, pg 70

1. Macaroni and cheese (is, are) my son’s favorite supper.

Subject functions as a unit. ___

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb Exercise 10, pg 70

2. This meal and others like it (has, have) too much fat.

2. This meal and others like it (has, have) too much fat.

Subject___

Subject___

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb Exercise 10, pg 70

3. My mother and father, on the other hand, often (enjoys, enjoy) a fruit salad for

their main meal.

3. My mother and father, on the other hand, often (enjoys, enjoy) a fruit salad for

their main meal.

Subject___

Subject___

When the subjects are connected with or, norEither, neither, nor, not only/but also

If both subjects are singular, verb singularIf both subjects are plural, verb is plural

If one is singular and one is plural, the verb agrees with the one closest.

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb Exercise 10, pg 70

4. For many of us, our shopping habitsor cooking routine (needs, need)

to be changed.

4. For many of us, our shopping habits or cooking routine (needs, need) to be changed.

Subject___

___Subject

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb Exercise 10, pg 70

5. Either a salad or a cooked vegetablewith a sprinkling of cheese (is, are) a

better choice than macaroni and cheese.

5. Either a salad or a cooked vegetablewith a sprinkling of cheese (is, are) a

better choice than macaroni and cheese.

Subject___

Subject___

Find the SubjectThen choose the

Verb, Exercise 10 – pg 70

6. Adults and children (does, do) need to watch their diets.

6. Adults and children (does, do) need to watch their diets.

Subject___

Subject___

Singular nouns that end in an –s (like economics, measles, diabetes, Kansas)

OR nouns that are always plural (clothes, scissors, pants)

Making Subjects and Verbs Agree – Test 1 pg 72-73

Everybody (has, have) heard of injuries suffered by young athletes.

1. Many of these injuries (happens, happen) to football quarterbacks.

2. One of the most serious injuries (is, are) a concussion.

3. Many young people (thinks, think) nothing of a minor blow to the head.

Subject____________

Subject_______

Subject_____

Subject_____

Making Subjects and Verbs Agree – Exercise 2 pg 62-63

4. Now scientists (understands, understand) these injuries much better than before.

5. On impact, the arteries of the brain (is, are) constricted.

6. Some athletes unfortunately (suffers, suffer) a second concussion before healing from the first one.

7. Several minor concussions often (leads, lead) to permanent brain damage or even death.

Subject___________

Subject_________

Subject_________

Subject_____________

Making Subjects and Verbs Agree – Exercise 2 pg 62-63

8. Medical doctors all over the country (wants, want) stricter guidelines for athletes and concussions.

9. An athlete with one or more concussions (requires, require) a sufficient amount of rest.

10. Today, nobody in contact sports (takes, take) a head injury lightly.

Subject________

Subject_______

Subject_______

Tell Your Story, Write theirs

1) Find a Partner2) Tell him/her a story3) Take notes (separate papers)

and listen carefully while they tell their own story

4) Write their story in 1st person. 5) Introduce your partner6) Share their story.