Subject-verb agreement is an essential grammar rule that every student should master by the 8th grade. It refers to the correct pairing of the subject and verb in a sentence. The subject is the one carrying out the action, while the verb is the action being carried out. For instance, in the sentence „The cat eats fish,“ the subject is „the cat,“ and the verb is „eats.“
To ensure that students have a good understanding of subject-verb agreement, teachers often organize quizzes to test their knowledge. Here`s a quick guide to help students prepare for an 8th-grade subject-verb agreement quiz.
Identify the Subject and Verb
The first step in getting subject-verb agreement right is identifying the subject and verb in a sentence. To do this, find the action word in the sentence and ask yourself who or what is performing the action. Once you have identified the subject and verb, ensure that the verb agrees with the subject in terms of number. In other words, if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural.
For example, consider the sentence, „The boys play football.“ The subject is „the boys,“ and the verb is „play.“ In this case, „boys“ is a plural subject, so the verb „play“ is correctly matched in terms of number.
Watch for Tricky Subjects
Some subjects may deceive students into choosing the wrong verb form, such as collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, and phrases that come between the subject and verb. For instance, a collective noun may appear singular, but it refers to a group of individuals, so it should take a plural verb. Similarly, indefinite pronouns like „each,“ „every,“ and „any“ are always singular, even when they refer to several people or things.
Here`s an example of a tricky sentence: „The team of players is practicing.“ The subject „team“ may deceive some students into choosing the singular verb form „is.“ However, „team“ refers to a group of players, so the verb form should be „are.“
Practice, Practice, Practice
The more students practice subject-verb agreement, the easier it will become. Encourage them to read widely and identify the subject and verb in various sentences. They can also use online quizzes to test their knowledge.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of English grammar that every 8th-grade student should strive to master. By identifying the subject and verb in a sentence and ensuring they agree in terms of number, students stand a better chance of passing their subject-verb agreement quizzes with flying colors.