Download Subject/Verb Agreement

Subject/Verb Agreement
Mrs. Wellman-High Horse
The Rules
Singular subject needs singular verb
 Mandy jumps for joy at the game.
Plural subjects needs plural verbs
 Mandy and Jim jump for joy at the game.
What’s the missing verb?
The bird:
 A) sings
 B) sing
What’s the missing verb?
The birds:
 A) sings
 B) sing
What’s the missing verb?
Palm trees _____ little shade.
 A) give
 B) gives
What’s the missing verb?
The palm tree _____ little shade.
 A) give
 B) gives
Don’t be fooled…
By words that come between the subject
and verb
What’s the missing verb?
The runners on our track team _____ a
trophy every year.
 A) win
 B) wins
Answer: win
 WHY?
What’s the missing verb?
The lions, waiting in front of their trainer,
_____ his commands.
 A) obeys
 B) obey
Answer: obey
 WHY?
What’s the missing verb?
The jacket that I bought with two pairs of
pants ____ a bargain
 A) was
 B) were
Answer: was
 WHY?
And vs. Or & Nor
Subject is two or more nouns (pronouns)
connected by and = PLURAL VERB
 Molly and her friends are at the fair.
Subject is two or more singular nouns
connected by or / nor = SINGULAR VERB
 The book or the pen is in the drawer.
And vs. Or & Nor (con’t)
 Subject contains both singular and plural noun
(pronoun) connected by or / nor = VERB
AGREES WITH NOUN NEARER TO VERB
 The boy or his friends run every day.
 His friends or the boy runs every day.
What’s the missing verb?
Ice cream and yogurt ______ equally
delicious.
 is
 are
Answer: are
 Why?
What’s the missing verb?
 Sam and Toby, my dogs, ______ tug-of-war
with each other.
 play
 plays
 Answer: play
 Why?
What’s the missing verb?
 The lawyer or his secretary ______ the phone.
 answer
 answers
 Answer: answers
 Why?
What’s the missing verb?
 Neither the teacher nor the students ____ to
work hard today.
 wants
 want
 Answer: want
 Why?
Your turn
Write 2 sentences connecting the nouns
with both and and or
When using “or / nor,” be mindful if your
subjects are:
 both singular
 singular and plural
There is / There are
In sentences beginning with “there is” or
“there are,” the subject follows the verb.
There are many questions. (plural)
There is a question. (singular)
Indefinite Pronouns
Can you name some?
 Singular
Anybody
Anyone
Each
Either
Everybody
Everyone
No one / One
Nobody
Somebody
Someone
Something
 Plural
Both
Many
Others
Several
Indefinite Pronouns
Can you name some that are singular or plural?
 All
 Any
 Most
 Some
 None
 Singular or plural depends on what
the indefinite pronoun refers to
 All of the people clap their hands.
 All of the newspaper is soaked.
What’s the missing verb?
 No one _____ until the teacher gives
permission.
 leaves
 leave
 Answer: leaves
 Why?
What’s the missing verb?
 Everybody at the games ______ a gift
certificate.
 receive
 receives
 Answer: receives
 Why?
What’s the missing verb?
Something ______ outside the house.
were lurking
was lurking
Answer: was lurking
Why?
What’s the missing verb?
 Each of the students ______ to bring $10 by
Friday.
 need
 needs
 Answer: needs
 Why?
What’s the missing verb?
 Several of the students ______ to bring $10
by Friday.
 need
 needs
 Answer: need
 Why?
What’s the missing verb?
 None of the money ______ missing from the
safe.
 are
 is
 Answer: is
 Why?
What’s the missing verb?
 None of the cookies ______ missing from the
jar.
 are
 is
 Answer: are
 Why?
Pronoun-Antecedent
What is an antecedent?
 A pronoun usually refers to another noun or
pronoun, which is called the antecedent
Antecedent
Pronoun
 EX: Melissa drove the car all the way to her
grandma’s house.
Pronoun-Antecedent
 Pronoun needs to agree in number, gender,
and person with its antecedent
 EX1: He won the award for his book of poems.
 EX2: The students have their book bags.
Number
Singular pronoun = singular antecedents
 EX: Julie will go to the store with her mom.
 You write one.
 Identify the pronoun and antecedent
Plural pronoun = plural antecedents
 EX: The children will go with their mom.
 You write one.
 Identify the pronoun and antecedent
Gender
 Sara took _____ dogs for a long walk.
 What’s the pronoun that agrees with the antecedent?
 Brad was out of breath when ____ rushed into the
room.
 What’s the pronoun that agrees with the antecedent?
 The school closed _____ doors for winter break.
 What’s the pronoun that agrees with the antecedent?
Person
 First, Second, and Third Person
 Identify the pronoun that agrees with its antecedent
 First Person EX:
 We adopted ____ cat from the animal shelter.
 Second Person EX:
 Did you paint this landscape _______?
 Third Person EX:
 They built ____ own home in the Black Hills.
What’s the missing pronoun?
Sally and Tommy need to make _____ beds.
 What rule?
 Number & Person
What’s the missing pronoun?
Sally needs to finish _____ laundry before
she can join us.
 What rule?
 Number & Gender
Curveball: Indefinite Pronouns
What’s the missing pronoun?
Each will go to the store with _____ mom.
 one’s
 his/her
 Number rule - singular
Indefinite Pronouns
What’s the missing pronoun?
Many of the players have to work on _____
ball-handling skills.
 their
 Number rule - plural
Indefinite Pronouns
What’s the missing pronoun?
Nobody knew the answer to the question on
_____ exam.
 one’s
 his/her
 Number rule - singular
Indefinite Pronouns
What’s the missing pronoun?
All of the them are in _____ seats.
 their
 Number & Person - plural
Indefinite Pronouns
What’s the missing pronoun?
Each of the schools will start _____
Christmas break on Wednesday.
 its
 Gender - neutral
Your Turn…
Write 3 sentences, one for each
indefinite pronoun:
 Singular
 Plural
 Singular or plural