🎓SAT English
GRAMMAR 1
SAT Subject-Verb Agreement for ESL Students
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SAT Subject-Verb Agreement helps ESL students learn how the subject and the verb match as either singular and plural in SAT English questions.
Why Learn Subject-Verb Agreement
For English language learners, the agreement of subject and verb helps:
- Clarity: be clear on the correct English
- Correctness: academic and professional work requires correct grammar.
- Understanding: it is important to know the correct sentence roles of both nouns and verbs
Grammar Rules: Subject-Verb Agreement
the verb in a sentence agrees with its subject in terms of number (singular or plural)
- Subject = the dog
- Verb = barks
- Both single (dog-barks)
- Subject = the dogs
- Verb = bark
- Both plural (dogs-bark)
- Subject = he
- Verb = bakes
- Both single (he-bakes)
- Subject = we
- Verb = bake
- Both plural (we-bake)
Exercise 1 Identify the Subject
the dog, the book, the house, the student, the man
- Wearing the blue shirt, the man was seen in the restaurant.
- Barking loudly at the gate, _________ didn’t like the visitor.
- With the green door, _________ also had a unique chimney.
- Reading in the library, ___________ focused intensely.
- Placed on the table, __________ stood out with its bright colors.
Exercise 2 Identify the Subject
students, committee, one or two men, group of singers, boy and girl
- Knocking at every door, the _________ sang Christmas carols.
- Walking hand in hand, the _________ seemed so happy.
- Studying late, the _________ prepared for the exam.
- After three hours, the __________ made a decision.
- In work, ___________ are needed for the task.
How to know if the subject and verb agree
Exercise 3 Verb - Single or Plural?
- The man was seen in the restaurant.
- The dogs like the visitor.
- The houses have unique chimneys.
- The students study in the library, focusing intensely.
- The book has bright colors.
Exercise 4 Verb - Single or Plural?
there is one sentence that is not correct English
- The group of singers are singing Christmas carols.
- The boy and girl is so happy.
- The students are prepared for the exam.
- The committee is ready to make a decision.
- One or two men are needed for the task.
Advanced Examples of Subject Verb Agreement
- The team is practicing for the championship.
- The team are arguing over who should lead the next project.
These are called collective nouns and the rule is: Singular or plural depends on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individuals
- My student and I agree on the mark. (plural)
- My student or me, go to the room first. (single)
These are called compound subject and agreement and the rule is:
- When we use nouns together they become plural
- Unless, we use ‘or’, where compound nouns are used with the singular agreement
Exercises 5 to 7
Subject and Verb, Single or Plural?
Is the subject (S) single or plural, and is the verb (V) single or plural?
More Help for Subject-Verb Agreement
- Explanations, grammar rules and examples for Subject-Verb Agreement: Digital SAT Grammar for Beginners: Subject-Verb and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Simply Explained
- Tips, strategies and practice for Subject-Verb Agreement: Subject Verb Agreement Practice: Key Strategies to Advance your Digital SAT Grammar
- Types of questions for Subject-Verb Agreement: Digital SAT Subject Verb Agreement Examples: Types of Questions
SAT questions
Do you wish to try Khan Academy SAT practice questions now? Subject-Verb Agreement | Lesson
Useful Resources & Links
- https://www.opendurian.com/news/toeic-subject-verb-agreement/?srsltid=AfmBOooNFOhzuTLn8VwGKuOcD2vShB8gj_UzItEN0_cLuTZmUsgz7eU1
- https://memmoread.website/subject-verb-agreement-in-5-minitues/
- https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/subject_verb_agreement.html
- https://webapps.towson.edu/ows/modulesvagr.htm