Lesson 4

Lesson 4 Subject/Verb Agreement - Singular Nouns and Pronouns He, She, It

Tennessee Blueprint - 5th Grade
Assessed - Identify the correct spelling of plurals and possessives.

Assessed - Identify the correct use within context of the following :

·1 nouns (i.e., singular/plural; possessives; predicate nouns, nouns as objects);

·2 pronouns (i.e., agreement, subject, object);

·3 verbs (i.e., action/linking, regular/irregular, agreement, tenses);

·4 adjectives (e.g., common/proper, comparative forms, predicate adjectives);

·5 adverbs (e.g., comparative forms, negatives).

Assessed - Identify sentences with correct subject-verb agreement (person/number).

Developing - Use appropriate language structure in oral and written communication (e.g., subject-verb agreement in simple and compound sentences, correct word order, and correct placement of more detailed words and phrases).

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In Lesson 4 you will learn to correctly make subjects and verbs agree when the subjects are singular.

Brain Pop http://www.brainpop.com/english/grammar/subjectverbagreement/

Subjects and verbs must work together. They must agree. A verb that ends in a single -s, -es, or -ies is used with a singular noun or with the pronoun subject - he, she, or it.

NOTE: Here are the rules for writing singular verbs.

Add s for most verbs.
An es is added to verbs that end with ss, ch, sh, x, or z so that they can be used with singular nouns or with the pronouns he, she or it.
     Examples:
     guess » guesses
     crunch » crunches
     brush » brushes
     fix » fixes
     buzz » buzzes
When a verb ends with a consonant and y, the y is changed to i and es is added so that the verb can be used with a singular noun or with the pronouns he, she or it.
Examples:
     fly » flies
     cry » cries
     study » studies
     copy » copies

Do not change the –y when the base form ends in a vowel +y. Add –s
     play » plays
     enjoy » enjoys

Examples:

raccoon	jumps	The raccoon jumps into the sycamore tree.
hound	searches	The hound in the middle of the pack searches for the mountain lion.
river	winds	The peaceful river winds through the valley.
trail	twists	The rough trail over the mountain twists all the way to Tahlequah.
Mama	fixes	Mama fixes breakfast each morning.
he	bellows	Old Dan sees a raccoon. He bellows at the top of his lungs.
she	shares	Little Anne is kind. She shares her dinner with her brother.
it	glows	Billy adds wood to the fire. It glows all through the night.

Special Rules

Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.

Little Ann or Old Dan catches the raccoon each time they hunt.
Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a singular verb.

Neither Little Ann nor Old Dan bellows at the mountain lion.
The pronouns each, everyone (meaning everybody), everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, many a, and somebody are singular. Do not be misled by what follows of.

Each of the dogs hunts well.

Use a singular verb with sums of money or periods of time.

Forty dollars buys two coon hounds.
Two years totals a long time for Billy to save his money.

A few subjects look plural but are really singular or vice versa.

The news of the coon hunt spreads through the town.
Mumps makes one's cheeks hurt and causes swelling and fever.

When the Subject is a Title

Even when a title is plural (like The Dragonslayers, How to Eat Fried Worms, or Holes), it
functions like a singular subject, and it needs an -s ending on its verb.

     Where the Red Fern Grows tells about a boy and his two coon hounds.

Practice Part A  -  Circle the correct verb that agrees with each singular noun subject.

Billy (fix, fixes) breakfast before heading home.

The boy pup (play, plays) with the girl pup.

Each of the names (sound, sounds) perfect to Billy's ears.

Ten dollars (pay, pays) for gifts for Billy's family.

The news that Billy is safe (make, makes) Ma cry with relief.

Part B  -  Circle the correct verb that agrees with each singular noun subject.

Billy names the boy pup Old Dan. He (like, likes) the sound of the name.

Billy tells his sisters about the soda pop. It (taste, tastes) sweet and bubbly.

The fire escape was a pipe that ran up the side of the building. It (appear, appears) funny-looking.

Little Ann was the smartest of the two hounds. She (guide, guides) Old Dan out of trouble.

Papa easily forgives Billy for running off. He (know, knows) he would have done the same thing at Billy's age.

Part C - Multiple Choice

Which of the following is written correctly?
1. Billy want to go to school.
2. Grandpa loves to tease Billy.
3. Daisy give milk each day.
4. Papa please Mama with a hug.

Which of the following sentences does not contain a mistake?
1. She eat the candy one piece at a time.
2. News spread quickly through the mountains.
3. Where the Red Fern Grows challenge the reader to except coon hunting.
4. Wilson Rawls narratives a wonderful story!
Choose the answer that is written correctly.
1. One of the dogs bellows through the night.
2. The woman with all the dogs talk to Billy at the store.
3. The boy on the playground fight Billy.
4. Everybody play games in the schoolyard.
Which of the following sentences does not contain a mistake?
1. The family love to eat dinner at 6:00 PM.
2. Everybody sees Billy in his overalls.
3. An old K. C. Baking Powder can fill to the top with coins.
4. Mathematics help Billy count his money.
Choose the answer that is written correctly.
1. Each day brings a new joy to Billy.
2. Either Little Ann or Old Dan play games through the woods going home.
3. Ten dollars burn a whole in Billy's pocket.
4. It sound like the mountain lion would cry all night long.