Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of English grammar that every writer should master. This grammatical concept dictates that the subject (the person, place, thing, or idea) of a sentence should agree with the verb (the action or state of being) in terms of number and person. Getting subject-verb agreement right can be tricky, but with enough practice, anyone can become a pro. In this article, we will share some subject-verb agreement exercises with answers to boost your skills.
Exercise 1: Identify the subject and verb in the following sentences and write whether they agree in number or not.
1. The group of students (is/are) ready for their presentation. Answer: are
2. Neither the teacher nor the students (knows/know) the answer. Answer: know
3. Every cat and dog (needs/need) a good home. Answer: needs
4. The book on the table (belongs/belong) to me. Answer: belongs
5. The number of votes (determines/determine) the winner. Answer: determines
Exercise 2: Choose the correct verb form that agrees with the subject in number and person.
1. Each of the students (has/have) to submit their thesis by Friday. Answer: has
2. My brother, along with his friends, (has/have) been invited to the party. Answer: has
3. The news from the United States (is/are) shocking. Answer: is
4. The committee (is/are) divided on the issue. Answer: is
5. One of the dogs (barks/bark) all night long. Answer: barks
Exercise 3: Rewrite the following sentences to correct the subject-verb disagreement.
1. The team of scientists was working on the project. Answer: The team of scientists were working on the project.
2. The number of people attending the conference are increasing. Answer: The number of people attending the conference is increasing.
3. Neither the flowers nor the vase seems out of place. Answer: Neither the flowers nor the vase seem out of place.
4. The information on the website are up to date. Answer: The information on the website is up to date.
5. The collection of stamps is diverse. Answer: The collection of stamps are diverse.
By practicing these subject-verb agreement exercises with answers, you will be able to improve your writing skills and avoid common mistakes. Remember, subject-verb agreement is crucial for clear communication, so take the time to master it. Keep practicing, and you will soon be able to write error-free sentences with ease.