Subject-Verb Agreement: Identifying Verbs Correctly

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10 Questions

When writing or speaking, you need to make sure that the ______ and verbs agree in number, gender, and tense.

subjects

A ______ typically refers to the doer of the action or the entity the action is performed upon.

subject

Locate the ______ in the sentence, which indicates the action or state of being performed by the subject.

verb

Ensuring proper ______ is crucial for effective communication.

subject-verb agreement

Misalignment between the ______ and the verb can lead to confusion, ambiguity, and misunderstandings.

subject

Incorrect ______ can affect comprehension and negatively impact the credibility of the message conveyed.

subject-verb agreement

A singular ______ should correspond to a singular verb, while a plural subject requires a plural verb.

subject

The verb must match the ______ of the subject to maintain coherency within the sentence's meaning.

tense

Improper: The teacher ______ excited about the lesson plan.

was

To identify whether subject-verb agreement is correct in a given sentence, you need to ______ the subject, identify the verb, and compare the subjects and verbs.

identify

Study Notes

Identifying Verbs: Focusing on Subject-Verb Agreement

Overview

When writing or speaking, you need to make sure that the subjects and verbs agree in number, gender, and tense. This means that a singular subject should correspond to a singular verb, while a plural subject requires a plural verb. Additionally, the verb must match the tense of the subject to maintain coherency within the sentence's meaning. This concept is known as subject-verb agreement.

Importance of Subject-Verb Agreement

Ensuring proper subject-verb agreement is crucial for effective communication. Misalignment between the subject and the verb can lead to confusion, ambiguity, and misunderstandings. Incorrect subject-verb agreement can affect comprehension and negatively impact the credibility of the message conveyed.

Techniques for Identifying Subjects and Verbs

To identify whether subject-verb agreement is correct in a given sentence, follow these steps:

  1. Identify the subject: Determine the subject of the sentence. A subject typically refers to the doer of the action or the entity the action is performed upon.
  2. Identify the verb: Locate the verb in the sentence, which indicates the action or state of being performed by the subject.
  3. Compare the subjects and verbs: Ensure that the subjects and verbs agree in number, gender, and tense. If they do not, adjust them accordingly.

Here's an example:

  • Improper: The teacher was excited about the lesson plan.
  • Correct: The teachers were excited about the lesson plans.

In the above example, the improper usage fails to recognize the plural nature of the subject and uses a singular verb instead. Correcting it ensures that the subject and verb agree in number.

Learn about subject-verb agreement and how to ensure that subjects and verbs agree in number, gender, and tense. Understanding this concept is crucial for effective communication by preventing confusion and misunderstandings. Practice identifying subjects and verbs to maintain coherence in your writing.

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