Subject-verb agreement is one of the most fundamental elements of the English language. Essential in both spoken and written language, the principle of subject-verb agreement states that the subject and verb in a sentence should agree in number. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural.

For example, consider the following sentence: “The dog chases the cat.” In this sentence, the subject “dog” is singular, and so the verb “chases” is also singular. If the sentence were written as “The dogs chase the cat,” the verb “chase” would be plural to match the plural subject “dogs.”

While subject-verb agreement may seem simple in theory, it can be challenging to execute correctly in practice. This is why it is helpful to practice exercises specifically designed to reinforce this principle. Below are some subject-verb agreement practice exercises, along with their answers, that you can use to improve your grammar skills.

Exercise 1:

Choose the appropriate verb for each sentence based on whether the subject is singular or plural.

1. The team ___________________ (is/are) excited for the game.

2. The cat and the dog ___________________ (plays/play) in the yard.

3. The students ___________________ (needs/need) more time to complete the test.

4. The book on the shelf ___________________ (belongs/belong) to my sister.

5. The shoes under the bed ___________________ (needs/need) to be put away.

Answers:

1. is

2. play

3. need

4. belongs

5. need

Exercise 2:

Choose the correct verb form in parentheses to complete the sentence.

1. Each of the students (has, have) a different opinion about the movie.

2. The majority of the class (was, were) absent yesterday.

3. Neither the teacher nor the students (knows, know) the correct answer.

4. One of the dogs (barks, bark) loudly when visitors arrive.

5. The box of chocolates (was, were) left on the kitchen counter.

Answers:

1. has

2. was

3. knows

4. barks

5. was

Exercise 3:

Rewrite the following sentences so that the subject and verb agree in number.

1. The flowers in the garden needs watered.

2. The choir sing beautifully together.

3. Neither Joe nor his friends enjoy horror movies.

4. The pencils on the desk needs sharpened.

5. The book on the shelf belongs to my sisters.

Answers:

1. The flowers in the garden need to be watered.

2. The choir sings beautifully together.

3. Neither Joe nor his friends enjoys horror movies.

4. The pencils on the desk need to be sharpened.

5. The book on the shelf belongs to my sister.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an vital element of effective communication in English. While it may take some practice to get it right consistently, the exercises provided above can help improve your understanding of this principle. By mastering subject-verb agreement, you can elevate the quality of your writing and improve your communication skills overall.