Subject / Verb Agreement

What is Subject/Verb Agreement? In English, the subject of your sentences and the verb of your sentences must work together in certain ways to make the sentence technically correct. There are a few ways of checking your subjects and verbs to ensure they “agree.”

Rules Subjects and verbs must agree in number If you use a singular subject, use the singular form of the verb. If you use a plural subject, use the plural form of the verb. Rules 2.Subjects and verbs must agree in person First, second, third person

“Harry have to find the find the stone in order to defeat Quirrel.” What is the subject? What is the verb? Why is this wrong?

First and Second person singular verbs are the same, but the third person changes. First person: I Second person: You Third person: he, she, or a proper noun like Harry

If the subject is singular in each sentence, why does the verb change? 1 - “I love to play Quidditch,” said Harry. 2 - You love to play Quidditch, Harry. 3 - Harry Potter loves to play Quidditch.

Singular & Third person subjects, you use the “s” or “es” version. Plural or 1st/2nd person subject, you use the base form [love rather than loves] The only exception is if your third person subject is plural, like “They” instead of “he,” in which case you use the base form of the verb. example: “They love to play Quidditch”

Due to her habit of procrastination, Jenny fail to turn her essays in on time.

Audre Lorde’s poetry reflect a deep commitment to racial equality.

In groups, rewrite this paragraph. Mark all S/V changes you make In groups, rewrite this paragraph. Mark all S/V changes you make. Turn into me. In “Bien Pretty,” Cisneros describe the experience of lovemaking with a native speaker of Spanish. She use the occasional Spanish word in this story, but mostly rely on English to describe her perspective. The uses of italicization help to drive home her point about the difference in the two lovemaking scenario, as she references Spanish as “that” language. She write, “That sweep of palm leaves and fringed shawls. That startled fluttering…” (212). This excerpt indicate that she has both a nostalgic reaction to her partner’s language use and an emotional one. She also try to incorporate references to famous people, both Spanish and English speak, to give the reader context.