Lesson 5  Subject/Verb Agreement - Plural Nouns and Pronouns I, We, You, They

Tennessee Blueprint - 5th Grade
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 plural.

Subjects and verbs must work together. They must agree. A verb that does not end in a single s, es, or ies is used with a plural noun or with the pronoun subject - I, we, you, or they.

Examples:

hounds train Hounds of all varieties train their noses to follow specific scents.
traps catch Traps by the river catch raccoons quickly.
nails make Nails in a hollow log make a good raccoon trap.
I think I think Billy will catch a raccoon soon.
we figure We figure he will catch a raccoon in another day.
you bet You bet your boots the trap will work.
they trap They trap raccoons down in the valley.

Special Rules

Billy or the coon hounds run all the way to the river.

  • When either/or or neither/nor connect a singular and plural subject, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.

Neither Billy nor the hounds know which way the raccoon ran.

Billy and Old Dan find Little Ann by the sycamore tree.

Practice 
Part A  -  Circle the correct verb that agrees with each plural noun subject.
  1. Grandpa and Billy (build, builds) a special trap.
  2. I (see, sees) Grandpa was serious and I get interested.
  3. Coons (jump, jumps) at the opportunity to steal a shiny piece of metal.
  4. They (carry, carries) the trap to the river.
  5. Neither Grandpa or the coons (give, gives) up on the plan. 
Part B  -  Circle the correct verb that agrees with each singular or plural subject. 
  1. He (carry, carries) out our knives, forks, and spoons.
  2. Anything that was bright and shinny, he (take, takes) to his den.
  3. Mama and Papa (catch, catches) me cutting out the circles of tin with the good scissors.
  4. My mother's old churn (topple, topples) over and spills the butter.
  5. Everything (go, goes) in the trash pile.
  6. Papa's words (perk, perks) me up just like air does a deflated inner tube.
  7. Morning after morning I (feel, feels) the same old disappointment.
  8. The family (sit, sits) down to breakfast.
  9. Weeks (go, goes) by.
  10. Mama (yell, yells) something to him about a snake.
  11. Neither Little Ann nor Old Dan (see, sees) the raccoon.
  12. Each (freeze, freezes) in his tracks.
Part C - Multiple Choice

  1. Which of the following is written correctly?

    1. He turn the boy pup loose.

    2. I dart in and grab him by the hind leg.

    3. With a pup under each arm Billy run for the house.

    4. Mama and Papa yells something to him.
       

  2. Which of the following sentences does not contain a mistake?

    1. She shout, "Where did it bite you?"

    2. My sisters jumps up and hug me.

    3. Mama looks at me, smile, and turns to the girls.

    4. Their answers surprise Mama.
       

  3. Choose the answer that is written correctly.

    1. You seems fine to me.

    2. The girls bury their faces in Mama's dress.

    3. Papa whack him again and it was all over.

    4. Everybody smile when they realize Billy is not hurt.
       

  4. Which of the following sentences does not contain a mistake?

    1. Birch trees leans out over the river.

    2. His stout legs help with leverage.

    3. Coon hunting teach Billy to be patient.

    4. My grandfather's store sit on top of the mountain.
       

  5. Choose the answer that is written correctly.

    1. Grandpa kid Billy.

    2. Either Little Ann or Old Dan fall in the river.

    3. Two years seems like a long time for a 12 year old.

    4. They hears the wind in the top of the trees.