Subject English Language

Topic: Grammar: Subject and Verb Agreement

Specific Objectives: Students will

Content:
There is an S-form for the singular verb and the base form for the plural verb
S-form (Singular form) sings plays, helps, carries, brushes
Plural form sing, play, help, carry, brush
 Singular subject takes singular verb plural subject takes plural
verb(exceptions you and I). .
 A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. This is a key rule
for understanding subjects. The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps
most, subject-verb mistakes.
 The words some, all ,most and any are singular when they refer to a
quantity or collection taken as one.On the other hand they are plural
when they refer to a number or collection taken as several objects.
 A compound subject joined by and takes a plural verb. When they refer
to as one unit they take a singular verb
 The indefinite pronouns each, nobody, none, ,anybody, every,
everybody, someone, no one and nobody are followed by singular verbs
 Subjects joined together by either…or and neither ..nor: when the subject
closest to the verb is singular then the verb must be singular. If the
subject closest to the verb is plural then the verb must be plural
 The noun before who, whom, which and that determines the verb form.
 The word / phrases along with, together with, as well as, in addition to,
with, besides are not considered as part of the subject of the sentence so
they do not determine the verb form
 With words that indicate portions—a lot, a majority, some, all, etc.—
Rule 1 given earlier is reversed, and we are guided by the noun after of.
 If the noun after of is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a
plural verb.
 In sentences beginning with here or there, the true subject follows the
verb.
 Use a singular verb with distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc.,
when considered as a unit.
Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
 Some collective nouns, such as family, couple, staff, audience, etc., may
take either a singular or a plural verb, depending on their use in the
sentence.
Examples:
The staff is in a meeting.
Staff is acting as a unit.
The couple disagree about disciplining their child.
The couple refers to two people who are acting as individuals.
 The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are
contrary to fact:
Example: If Joe were here, you'd be sorry.
 Some nouns are plural in form but singular in meaning. These include
measles, mumps, molasses, civics, mathematics, ethics, physics,
athletics, economics etc. they require singular verbs.
Other nouns are used only in the plural form and must have plural verbs.
These include ashes, clothes, eaves, goods, pliers, proceeds, scisors,
trousers, shears, glasses, scales, tweezers, tongs, suspenders etc.

Procedure:
Engagement:
 Write lesson topic and objectives on the chalkboard. Group students. Without looking
in the dictionary let each group tell what they think they will be doing in class.
Explanation:
 Allow students to talk about what they will be doing. Explanation if necessary from
the teacher.
 Look at the first rule. Point out to the class that when the subject of a sentence is a
third person singular noun/ pronoun the verb must be singular in number (the s-form)
and plural for plural nouns/ pronouns in the third person (the base form)
 Explanation of the S-form and the base form and the exceptions to the rule.
Exploration:
 Students give examples of the each eg. He sings with the choir. Jenny attends school
regularly. A bunch of flowers is sold for $50.
 Point out the error that sometimes occur when the subject comes before a phrase
beginning with of
Extension:
 Introduce two other rules to the students ie. Compound subjects and rules that deals
with the indefinite pronouns.
 Provide sentences that both use correct subject-verb agreement or incorrect
agreement, and have students label each sentence as correct or incorrect (group work)
Evaluation 1:
 Select a newspaper article about a recent, well-known event. Copy a passage from the
article, but leave spaces where most of the verbs would go. In class, discuss the event
so that your students have an adequate understanding of what the article is about. Pass
out the copies of the passage, and ask your students to fill in the blanks with the
appropriate verbs.
 Write the infinitive forms of the verbs on the board so your students have a word bank
from which to work. Discuss the passage sentence-by-sentence afterwards with the
class.
Assignment 1) Select another newspaper article and leave out the verbs. Let students fill in
the blanks with appropriate verbs. Verbs will not be provided for students
2) Find out and bring to the class at least 5 more rules of subject and verb
agreement.

Evaluation 2: