Subject Verb Agreement Basic Definition and Prepositions Subject

Subject Verb Agreement Basic Definition and Prepositions

Subject Verb Agreement • A verb must agree with its subject in number – Singular subjects take singular verbs

Subject Verb Agreement • The candle burns slowly S V The car comes to a sudden stop

Subject Verb Agreement • Plural subjects take plural verbs – The candles burn slowly S V – The prisoners walk in the exercise yard

Subject Verb Agreement • How can you tell if the verb is singular or plural? – Replace the subject with he or they. – You should be able to hear if it is correct or not

Subject Verb Agreement • He walk (Does this sound correct? ) – He is singular and it does not fit the verb. • They walk (Does this sound correct? ) – They is plural and it does fit the verb.

Prepositional phrases between subject and verb • Students often commit agreement errors because they mistake words in prepositional phrases for the subjects of verbs • The many lights on the Christmas tree makes it look very festive. [Lights, not tree, is the subject. ] • The many lights on the Christmas tree make it look very festive.

Prepositional Phrases Aboard Behind From Throughout About Below In To Above Beneath Into Toward Across Beside Like Under After Between Near Underneath Against Beyond Of Until Along But (except) Off Unto Amid By On Up Among Down Over Upon Around During Past With At Except Since Within Before For Through Without

Prepositional Phrases • When there is a prepositional phrase, one should cross out the phrase in order to see the subject and verb agreement. • 1. Many dogwood trees on my street are in bloom.

Prepositional Phrases • 2. Her paper on rare American stamps needs editing. • 3. Your opinion of the candidates gives the pollster important information. • 4. The scientists at Cape Canaveral work many extra hours during a launch • 5. Some students in the class volunteer for outside assignments.