Subject Verb Agreement with Singular and Plural Nouns as Subjects

Summary

This educational video from Tiny Teaching Tube explains the fundamentals of subject-verb agreement, focusing on singular and plural nouns. It clearly outlines rules for matching verbs with singular and plural subjects, including irregular plural forms. The video uses engaging examples, such as 'the cat stretches' versus 'the cats stretch,' and provides interactive practice with mini-quizzes to reinforce learning. Viewers are guided through both regular and tricky irregular nouns, helping them understand when to add '-s' or use the base form of verbs. The lesson is concise, practical, and designed to make mastering grammar rules both easy and fun.

Takeaways

• 😀 Subject-verb agreement means the subject and verb in a sentence must match in number.
• 😀 Singular subjects require singular verbs, usually formed by adding -s, -es, or -ies.
• 😀 Plural subjects require plural verbs, using the base form without any additions.
• 😀 Examples of singular subject-verb agreement: 'The cat stretches,' 'The cat cries,' 'The cat drinks.'
• 😀 Examples of plural subject-verb agreement: 'The cats stretch,' 'The cats cry,' 'The cats drink.'
• 😀 Irregular plural nouns follow the same agreement rules: singular verbs for singular nouns, base form for plural nouns.
• 😀 Example of singular irregular plural: 'The child reads books.'
• 😀 Example of plural irregular plural: 'The children read books.'
• 😀 Practice exercises help reinforce learning, such as choosing between 'study' and 'studies' based on the subject.
• 😀 Mini quizzes encourage self-checking, e.g., 'The cat play/plays with a ball' → 'plays'.
• 😀 Identifying whether the subject is singular or plural is the first step to correctly applying verb agreement.

Q & A

What is subject-verb agreement?

Subject-verb agreement means that the subject and verb in a sentence must match in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.

How do you form the verb for a singular noun subject?

For a singular noun subject, you usually add -s, -es, or -ies to the base form of the verb. For example: 'The cat stretches.' 'The child reads books.'

How do you form the verb for a plural noun subject?

For a plural noun subject, the verb stays in its base form and you do not add -s, -es, or -ies. For example: 'The cats stretch.' 'The children read books.'

Can you give an example of subject-verb agreement with a singular subject?

Yes. Example: 'The teacher teaches the lesson.' The subject 'teacher' is singular, so the verb 'teaches' adds -es.

Can you give an example of subject-verb agreement with a plural subject?

Yes. Example: 'The students study hard for exams.' The subject 'students' is plural, so the verb 'study' stays in its base form.

How do irregular plural nouns affect subject-verb agreement?

Irregular plural nouns follow the same rule: singular subjects take -s, -es, or -ies on the verb, while plural subjects use the base form. Example: 'The child reads books' (singular), 'The children read books' (plural).

What is the correct verb form: 'The person speak or speaks quietly'?

The correct verb form is 'speaks' because 'person' is singular.

What is the correct verb form: 'The people wait or waits for the ride'?

The correct verb form is 'wait' because 'people' is plural.

Why do we not add -s, -es, or -ies to verbs with plural subjects?

We do not add these endings because verbs must match the plural subject in number, and the base form of the verb is used for plural subjects to maintain correct agreement.

How can practicing quizzes help with understanding subject-verb agreement?

Quizzes reinforce the rules by requiring you to actively identify whether a subject is singular or plural and choose the correct verb form, which improves accuracy and understanding over time.

What is the general rule to remember for singular and plural noun subjects?

Singular noun subjects → add -s, -es, or -ies to the verb. Plural noun subjects → use the base form of the verb.

Give a mini-quiz example from the video for singular and plural verbs.

Examples: 'The cat plays with a ball.' (singular), 'The dogs bark loudly.' (plural), 'The men eat their vegetables.' (plural).