Subject-verb Agreement
English Language: KS3, topic 3.4.1
Subject-verb Agreement
When we use a verb in a sentence it has to follow the accepted patterns of agreeing with the subject’s form.
1st, 2nd and 3rd person
- The 1st person includes the ‘I’ and ‘we’ forms of a verb.
- The 2nd person includes the ‘you’ (singular and plural) forms of a verb.
- The 3rd person includes the ‘he’, 'she', 'it' and ‘they’ forms of a verb.
Subject-verb agreement example
- Look how the present tense verb endings change depending on the person it relates to.
Subject-verb agreement
- The pattern of the endings for each person NEVER changes.
- You can‘t write in a sentence, ‘they loves the book’
- You need to write ‘they love the book’ to make sure the subject and the verb ending agree.
Substituting the subject
- The pronouns used are usually substituted with the actual noun.
- E.g. ‘John loves the book’
- 'John' has been substituted for the pronoun 'he'.
- E.g. ‘John and Mary love the book.’
- 'John and Mary' has been substituted for the pronoun 'they'.
Test yourself on Subject-verb Agreement
Which of these sentences has the correct subject-verb agreement?
Which of these sentences has the correct subject-verb agreement?
Which of these sentences has the correct subject-verb agreement?
Which of these sentences has the correct subject-verb agreement?
Which sentences have the correct subject-verb agreement?