Download AteneodeZamboanga University “Mothers”

AteneodeZamboanga University
Grade School
PAASCU Level III Accredited
ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC WORK IN ENGLISH
GRADE FOUR
I.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
a. identify sentences that follow subject-verb agreement; and,
b. use verbs in sentences observing the rules on subject-verb agreement.
II.
TIME FRAME
October 19, 21 and 22, 2013
III.
LESSON
Subject-Verb Agreement (Rules 1 – 4)
REFERENCES
Alejo, M. R. and Vitug, M. C. (2000). Experiencing English 4. Quezon City: Ateneo de
Manila University Press.
Del Rosario, M. T. and Dominguez, V. (2010). English Language Power 4 Second Edition.
Quezon City: SIBS Publishing House.
Sigue, M. and May, C. (2010). Skyways to Effective Communication in English 4.
Valenzuela City: JO-ES Publishing House, Inc.
IV.
LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Read the essay below.
“Mothers”
by William Greenbaum
If there is something one cannot do without, it is a mother. Father loves her,
daughter imitates her, son ignores her, salesmen thrive on her, motorists hurry around
her, and teachers phone her.
She can be sweeter than sugar, more sour than a lemon, all smiles, and crying
her heart out – all within any given two-minute period.
She likes sewing, detective stories, having her birthday remembered, church, a
new dress, the cleaning woman, father’s praise, a little lipstick, flowers and plants,
dinner, and on Sunday, policemen, one while day in bed, crossword puzzles, sunny
days, tea, and the newspaper boy.
She dislikes doing the dishes, father’s boss, having her birthday forgotten, the
motorist behind her, summer cleaning, Junior’s report card, rainy days, the neighbor’s
dog, stairs, and man who is supposed to cut the grass.
She can be found standing by, bending over, reaching for, kneeling under, and
stretching around, but rarely sitting on.
She has the beauty of a summer day, the patience of a saint, the appetite of a
small bird, the memory of a large elephant.
She knows the lowest prices, everybody’s birthday, what you should be doing,
and all your secret thoughts.
She is always straightening up after, reminding you to, and taking care of, but
never asking for.
Yes, a mother is one thing that nobody can do without, and when you have
disturbed her, tried her patience, and worn her out, and it seems that the end of the
world is about to descend upon you, then you can win her back with your little words,
“Mom, I love you.”
1. Questions
a. How is a mother described in the essay?
(A mother is one thing that nobody can do without.)
b. What are the joys of a mother?
(The joys of a mother are the following: Father loves her, her daughter imitates
her, the woman next door confides in her.)
c. What are her pains?
(The pains of a mother are the following: when her son ignores her, motorists
hurry around, teachers phone her.)
d. How do you describe your own mother?
2. Read the following sentences. Notice the underlined words.
a. Father loves her.
b. Teachers phone her.

The simple subject of the first sentence is the noun Father. It is singular
because it names only one person. The simple subject Teachers in the second
sentence is plural. It names more than one person. Notice the verbs in the example
sentences above. How are they used with the subjects?

Here are some rules on subject-verb agreement.
Rule #1. A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural
verb.
Examples:
1. The band plays well. (singular)
2. The bands play well. (plural)
Directions: Underline the correct form of the verb.
A. Miss Roman (love, loves) her pupils.
B. They (teach, teaches) the students every day.
C. A butterfly (sip, sips) the nectar of flowers.
D. The children ( laugh, laughs) at the monkey’s tricks.
E. The boy (play, plays) basketball in the park by himself.
Rule #2. The number of a subject is not affected by phrases between the subject and
the verb.
Examples:
1. The cry of the captives was ignored.
2. The cries of the captive were ignored.
3. Mr. Smith, together with the students, goes to the museum.
4. The students, together with Mr. Smith, go to the museum.
Directions: Underline the correct form of the verb.
A. The miracle of the ages (is, are) God’s love for man.
B. The owls of the forest (hoot, hoots) eerily in the night.
C. The streets of the city (is, are) mostly one-way to ease the traffic.
D. The male graduates, together with the female graduates, (was, were) welldressed for the graduation ball.
E. Grandmother, together with her grandchildren, (sing, sings) very well.
Rule #3. If a sentence asks a question or begins with there or here, you must be careful
to locate the subject and make the verb agree with it. (There and here are
never subjects.)
Examples:
1. Who are those visitors in the lobby?
2. There were five possible choices.
3. Here are the flowers you ordered.
Directions: Underline the correct form of the verb in the parentheses to
complete the following sentences.
A. There (is, are) a rainbow in the sky.
B. Who (was, were) the winner in the contest?
C. Here (is, are) the chocolates that I bought for you.
D. There (was, were) vegetables in our vegetable bin this morning.
E. Here (is, are) the notebook that you asked from her.
Rule #4. Doesn’t, isn’t, and wasn’t are singular and must be used with singular subjects.
Don’t, aren’t, and weren’t are plural and must be used with plural subjects.
Examples:
1. Scott isn’t fully prepared.
2. These bushes don’t grow in the winter.
3. He doesn’t attend meetings.
4. They weren’t here yesterday.
Directions: Underline the correct form of the verb.
A. The girls (don’t, doesn’t) want to join the volleyball team.
B. He (isn’t, aren’t) coming.
C. They (isn’t, aren’t) going to the party on Sunday.
D. The students (wasn’t, weren’t) happy with what their teacher announced.
E. Father (don’t, doesn’t) want to attend the PTA meeting.
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Grade School
PAASCU Level III Accredited
ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC WORK IN ENGLISH
GRADE FOUR
DAY 1
Name: ____________________________________________
Score:____________
Grade and Section: __________________________________
H.P.S:
10 pts.
Rule #1. A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural subject takes a plural verb.
Examples
1. The band plays well. (singular)
2. The bands play well. (plural)
A. Directions: Put a ( / ) mark in the box if the sentence observes the rule on subject-verb
agreement and an ( X ) if it does not.
1. We walk through the woods.
2. The trees looks wonderful.
3. Birds sing from the trees.
4. A frog hops across my path.
5. Spiders spins cobwebs on the branches.
B. Directions: Circle the verb that correctly completes each sentence.
1. Tracy (see, sees) a butterfly.
2. She (clap, claps) happily.
3. It (fleet, fleets) toward a flower.
4. Different artists (paint, paints) the wall.
5. A butterfly (sip, sips) the nectar of flowers.
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Grade School
PAASCU Level III Accredited
ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC WORK IN ENGLISH
GRADE FOUR
DAY 2
Name: ____________________________________________
Score:____________
Grade and Section: __________________________________
H.P.S:
10 pts.
Rule #2. The number of a subject is not affected by phrases between the subject and
the verb.
Examples:
1. The cry of the captives was ignored.
2. The cries of the captive were ignored.
3. Mr. Smith, together with the students, goes to the museum.
4. The students, together with Mr. Smith, go to the museum.
Directions: Read the paragraph below. Underline the correct form of the verbs to complete
the paragraph.
Bayanihan at Work
Mang Pedro, together with Aling Conching, (need, needs) to transfer their old house to
an empty lot near the town plaza. The new lot of Mang Pedro and Aling Conching (is, are)
bigger than the old one. It is also just acoss the school which their three children with their
playmates (attend, attends).
On the day they are to transfer, many neighbors in the community (come, comes) to
help. The friends of Aling Conching (carry, carries) the things inside the house. The coworkers of Mang Pedro (help, helps) carry the house. Even the children in the neighborhood
(do, does) their part. Though, the people in that place (find, finds) that they are making very
little progress.
So, their neighbors, together with their friends, (lend, lends) a hand and keep the
bayanihan spirit alive. In return, Mang Pedro and Aling Conching (treat, treats) everybody.
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Grade School
PAASCU Level III Accredited
ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC WORK IN ENGLISH
GRADE FOUR
DAY 3
Name: ____________________________________________
Score:____________
Grade and Section: __________________________________
H.P.S:
10 pts.
Rule #3. If a sentence asks a question or begins with there or here, you must be careful to locate the
subject and make the verb agree with it. (There and here are never subjects.)
Examples:
4. Who are those visitors in the lobby?
5. There were five possible choices.
6. Here are the flowers you ordered.
A. Directions: Complete the following sentences with the appropriate form of the verbs.
1. Who ______(be verb) the current leaders of the small satellite countries?
2. There ______(be verb) many battles fought in the Civil War.
3. There _____(be verb) dogwood trees in full bloom.
4. What _____(be verb) your greatest achievement?
5. Here _____(be verb) the marker I borrowed.
B. Directions: Construct your own sentence observing the third rule on subject-verb
agreement by completing the following:
1. Here are _____________________________________________________
2. There is _____________________________________________________
3. There were____________________________________________________
4. Who was _____________________________________________________
5. What are _____________________________________________________
Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Grade School
PAASCU Level III Accredited
ALTERNATIVE ACADEMIC WORK IN ENGLISH
GRADE FOUR
DAY 3
Name: ____________________________________________
Score:____________
Grade and Section: __________________________________
H.P.S:
10 pts.
Rule #4. Doesn’t, isn’t, and wasn’t are singular and must be used with singular
subjects. Don’t, aren’t, and weren’t are plural and must be used with plural
subjects.
Examples:
1. Scott isn’t fully prepared.
2. These bushes don’t grow in the winter.
3. He doesn’t attend meetings.
4. They weren’t here yesterday.
A. Directions: Underline the correct form of the verbs in the following sentences.
1. Billy (don’t, doesn’t) know anything about dueling.
2. The players (wasn’t, weren’t) able to eat until after the game.
3. God’s plans (isn’t, aren’t) thwarted by evil men.
4. He (don’t, doesn’t) agree with us.
5. My brothers (wasn’t, weren’t) informed about the party.
B Directions: Use the verbs in parentheses in meaningful sentences. (5X1)
(isn’t)
1. _________________________________________________________
(aren’t)
2. _________________________________________________________
(doesn’t) 3. _________________________________________________________
(don’t)
4. _________________________________________________________
(wasn’t)
5. _________________________________________________________