Subject-verb agreement is an essential grammatical rule that has to be followed when writing. It ensures that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number and tense. It may seem simple, but many writers and speakers still struggle with it. Therefore, practicing subject-verb agreement exercises is crucial to learning how to use them correctly. In this article, we will provide you with several subject-verb agreement exercises with an answer key.
Exercise 1: Choose the correct verb form
Directions: Circle the verb that correctly matches the subject.
1. The dog (is, are) barking loudly.
Answer: is
2. My friends (is, are) planning to visit me.
Answer: are
3. The books on the table (belongs, belong) to my sister.
Answer: belong
4. The students in my class (is, are) studying for the exam.
Answer: are
5. The cake and cookies (looks, look) delicious.
Answer: look
Exercise 2: Indefinite subjects
Directions: Choose the correct verb form for the indefinite subject.
1. Either John or his brothers (is, are) taking the car.
Answer: is
2. Neither the teacher nor the students (understand, understands) the lesson.
Answer: understand
3. Each of the students (has, have) their own book.
Answer: has
4. One of the apples (was, were) rotten.
Answer: was
5. Some of the food (has, have) already been eaten.
Answer: have
Exercise 3: Collective nouns
Directions: Choose the correct verb form for collective nouns.
1. The team (has, have) been practicing for weeks.
Answer: has
2. The committee (discusses, discuss) various issues.
Answer: discusses
3. The family (enjoys, enjoy) spending time together.
Answer: enjoys
4. The crowd (cheers, cheer) for their favorite team.
Answer: cheers
5. The herd of cows (is, are) grazing in the field.
Answer: is
Exercise 4: Verb tenses
Directions: Choose the correct verb form based on the tense of the sentence.
1. Tom (plays, played) the guitar every day.
Answer: plays
2. Sarah (was, is) eating breakfast when the phone rang.
Answer: was
3. Yesterday, I (go, went) to the store to buy some milk.
Answer: went
4. Jack (has, had) never been to Europe before.
Answer: had
5. The farmers (have, had) been planting the crops since morning.
Answer: have
Conclusion
Subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of correct grammar. It is essential to ensure that the subject and verb agree in both number and tense to avoid confusion and ambiguity. The exercises provided above are great for practicing this rule and solidifying your skills. Remember to always check your work and read your sentences aloud to double-check that they sound correct. With practice, subject-verb agreement will become second nature, and your writing will become more polished.