Practice Set on Subject Verb Agreement: Improving Your Writing Skills

As a writer, one of the essential skills you need to master is the subject-verb agreement. This grammatical rule states that the subject and verb in a sentence should agree in number. In simpler terms, if the subject is singular, the verb should be singular too; if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural. Getting this rule right can enhance the clarity and coherence of your writing, making it easier for your readers to understand your message.

To help you improve your subject-verb agreement skills, we`ve compiled some practice sets that will challenge your understanding of this rule. Let`s get started!

Practice Set 1: Singular and Plural Subjects

Instructions: Identify the correct verb that agrees with the subject in each sentence.

۱. The cat (is/are) sleeping on the couch.

۲. The books (was/were) scattered all over the floor.

۳. The teacher (teaches/teach) English to her students.

۴. The team (plays/play) football every Saturday.

۵. The group of birds (migrate/migrates) to warmer climates in the winter.

Answers: 1. is, 2. were, 3. teaches, 4. plays, 5. migrates

Practice Set 2: Indefinite Pronouns

Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct verb that agrees with the indefinite pronoun.

۱. Someone (has/have) left their jacket on the chair.

۲. Each of the boys (enjoy/enjoys) playing video games.

۳. None of the students (were/was) able to solve the math problem.

۴. Everybody (knows/know) that exercising is good for your health.

۵. Either the blue or the red pen (is/are) okay for me to use.

Answers: 1. has, 2. enjoys, 3. was, 4. knows, 5. is

Practice Set 3: Compound Subjects

Instructions: Select the correct verb that matches the compound subject.

۱. The lion and the tiger (roar/roars) when they are hungry.

۲. Pizza and tacos (are/is) my favorite foods.

۳. Swimming and running (are/is) great ways to stay fit.

۴. The sun and the moon (rise/rises) every day.

۵. The dog and the cat (are/is) playing together in the yard.

Answers: 1. roar, 2. are, 3. are, 4. rise, 5. are

These practice sets can help you hone your subject-verb agreement skills, but the best way to improve is to read and write more. Pay attention to how sentences are constructed and try to identify the subject and verb in each one. With practice and dedication, you can become proficient in this fundamental rule of grammar and improve the quality of your writing.