Unit 1: Complete and Incomplete Sentences
Unit 2: Types of Sentences
Unit 3: Simple and Complete Subjects and Predicates
Unit 4: Common Nouns
Unit 5: Common and Proper Nouns
Unit 6: Plural Nouns
Unit 7: More Plural Nouns
Unit 8: Singular Possessive Nouns
Unit 9: Plural Possessive Nouns
Unit 10: Subject and Object Pronouns
Unit 11: Complete Sentences and End Punctuation Review
Unit 12: Common and Proper Nouns Review
Unit 13: Singular and Plural Nouns Review
Unit 14: Possessive Nouns Review
Unit 15: Subject and Object Pronouns Review
Unit 16: Action Verbs
Unit 17: Linking Verbs
Unit 18: Helping Verbs
Unit 19: Past, Present, and Future Tense Verbs
Unit 20: Perfect Tense Verbs
Unit 21: Irregular Verbs
Unit 22: Progressive Verbs
Unit 23: Transitive Verbs
Unit 24: Intransitive Verbs
Unit 25: Subject and Verb Agreement
Unit 26: Action Verbs Review
Unit 27: Linking and Helping Verbs Review
Unit 28: Verb Tenses Review
Unit 29: Verb Forms Review
Unit 30: Subject and Verb Agreement Review
Unit 31: Adjectives
Unit 32: Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Unit 33: Irregular Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Unit 34: Adverbs
Unit 35: More Adverbs
Unit 36: Adverbs without -ly
Unit 37: Synonyms
Unit 38: Antonyms
Unit 39: Homophones
Unit 40: Adjectives Review
Unit 41: Comparative and Superlative Adjectives Review
Unit 42: Adverbs Review
Unit 43: Synonyms and Antonyms Review
Unit 44: Homophones Review
Unit 45: Conjunctions
Unit 46: Compound Subjects
Unit 47: Compound Predicates
Unit 48: Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases
Unit 49: Dependent Clauses
Unit 50: Independent Clauses
Unit 51: Commas
Unit 52: Compound Sentences
Unit 53: Complex Sentences
Unit 54: Compound-Complex Sentences
Unit 55: Conjunctions Review
Unit 56: Compound Subjects and Compound Predicates Review
Unit 57: Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases Review
Unit 58: Dependent and Independent Clauses Review
Unit 59: Compound, Complex, and Compound-Complex Sentences Review
Unit 60: Appositives
Unit 61: More Uses for Commas
Unit 62: Quotation Marks
Unit 63: Contractions
Unit 64: Abbreviations
Unit 65: Semicolons
Unit 66: Colons
Unit 67: Word Usage: Sit or Set
Unit 68: Word Usage: Lie or Lay
Unit 69: Word Usage: Your or You’re
Unit 70: Appositives Review
Unit 71: Commas and Quotations Review
Unit 72: Contractions and Abbreviations Review
Unit 73: Colons and Semicolons Review
Unit 74: Word Usage Review
Unit 75: Interjections
Unit 76: Articles
Unit 77: Prefixes
Unit 78: Suffixes
Unit 79: More Prefixes
Unit 80: More Suffixes
Unit 81: Greek Root Words
Unit 82: Latin Root Words
Unit 83: Spelling Patterns and Exceptions
Unit 84: More Spelling Patterns and Exceptions
Unit 85: Negatives
Unit 86: Interjections and Articles Review
Unit 88: Suffixes Review
Unit 89: Greek and Latin Root Words Review
Unit 91: Negatives Review
Unit 92: Review of the Eight Parts of Speech
Unit 93: Applying Punctuation Knowledge
Unit 94: Applying Punctuation and Word Usage Knowledge
Unit 96: Adjectives, Adverbs, and Verb Tenses Review
Unit 97: Sentence Structure Review: Simple and Compound Sentences
Unit 98: Dependent Clauses and Sentence Structure
Unit 25: Subject and Verb Agreement
Understanding the Basics
A verb must agree with its subject in number. This means a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.
Basic Rule:
SingularSubject (one person/thing) → Add -s or -es to the verb (in present tense).
Example: The dog barks. He runs.
Plural Subject (more than one) → Do not add -s to the verb.
Example: The dogs bark. They run.
SingularSubject (one person/thing) → Add -s or -es to the verb (in present tense).
Example: The dog barks. He runs.
Plural Subject (more than one) → Do not add -s to the verb.
Example: The dogs bark. They run.
Irregular Verbs: The verb be changes forms: am, is, are, was, were. Have becomes has (singular) and have (plural). Do becomes does (singular) and do (plural) [1, 2].
Advanced Rules: Intervening Phrases and Compound Subjects
Intervening Phrases: Do not be confused by words that come between the subject and the verb. Prepositional phrases (starting with of, in, on, with) do not change the subject [3, 4].
Example: The box of chocolates is heavy. (The subject is box, not chocolates).
CompoundSubjects:
- Subjects joined by and usually take a plural verb: Ben and Libby are going.
- Subjects joined by or, either…or, or neither…nor take the verb that agrees with the subject closer to it: Neither the teacher nor the students are here.
Exercise 1: Basic Agreement (Multiple Choice)
Circle the correct verb to complete each sentence.
1. Jack and Donna (was / were) surprised they won the race.
2. Tigers (is / are) beautiful animals.
3. July (is / are) our hottest month in this city.
4. Destiny (love / loves) to sew.
5. Rafts and inner tubes (is /are) available to rent.
6. Neither of the two ovens (is / are) working.
7. There (is / are) no good reason to sit back.
8. The principal (decide / decides) what happens next.
Exercise 2: Intervening Phrases
Cross out the phrase between the subject and verb. Then circle the correct verb.
1. The box of chocolate candies (is / are) for my aunt.
2. The book about dogs (tell / tells) how to build a dog house.
3. The bag of diamonds (is / are) the clue to the mystery.
4. Certain states, including Oregon, (welcome / welcomes) tourists.
5. The bowl of flowers (make / makes) a beautiful centerpiece.
6. The foreman, as well as the other workers, (is / are) leaving early.
7. The advice of three physical therapists (was / were) in the report.
8. The results in the green notebook (shows / show) the problem.
Exercise 3: Indefinite Pronouns
Remember: words like each,everyone, nobody are singular. Words like both, few, many are plural. Choose the correct verb [7, 8].
- Everyone in the choir (practice / practices) after school.
- Someone (must / musts) really love me.
- Neither of us (are / is) going to the party this weekend.
- Nobody (likes / like) a cheater.
- Each of you (have / has) taken this exam.
- Everybody in the class (pass / passes) in the homework on time.
- Neither of you (were / was) at the assembly this morning.
- Both of the apples (was / were) ripe.
Exercise 4: Compound Subjects
Choose the correct verb form for these compound subjects [9, 10].
1. Lilly and Noah (has / have) decided to take their lambs to the fair.
2. (Do / Does) Chris and Abby plan to stay overnight?
3. Neither my sisters nor my brother (is / are) interested in raising sheep.
4. Either one sheep or two small goats (fit / fits) in this stall.
5. Zeb or Andrea (groom/ grooms) the lamb before the event.
6. Seven white sheep and one black sheep (is / are) entering the arena.
7. A mechanic and an engineer (is / are) both coming.
8. Neither Pablo nor Luisa (has / have) a motor scooter.
Exercise 5: Correcting Errors
Find the error in each sentence and rewrite the sentence correctly.
- Meghan and Leena was making cookies in the kitchen.
_______________________________________________________ - Cesar have a lot of homework tonight.
_______________________________________________________ - You and I am going to practice, right?
_______________________________________________________ - The band play downtown every weekend.
_______________________________________________________ - One of the boys were late for the game.
_______________________________________________________ - Many a chair, table, and sofa were destroyed.
_______________________________________________________ - Twelve Angry Men remain popular among movie fans.
_______________________________________________________ - Politics are always widely publicized.
_______________________________________________________
Exercise 6: Gap Fill
Fill in the blank with the correct present tense form of the verb in parentheses [12, 13].
- My uncle ____________ (paint) his gate every year.
- One of the banjo’s strings ____________ (be) broken.
- None of the musical instruments ____________ (belong) to the school.
- Neither the drummers nor the pianist ____________ (play) in this piece.
- Both Alison and Mercedes ____________ (have) practiced the solo part.
- Few of the choirmembers ____________ (play) a musical instrument.
- The audience ____________ (stand) and ____________ (sing) the anthem.
- Every band member and choir member ____________ (is) onstage.
