Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammar concept that students learn in grade 4. It refers to the rule that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural). Correct subject-verb agreement helps make your writing clear, concise, and easy to understand. Here are some subject-verb agreement examples for grade 4.
Singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects take plural verbs. For example:
– My cat walks. (singular subject „cat“ takes singular verb „walks“)
– The birds fly. (plural subject „birds“ takes plural verb „fly“)
Compound subjects that are joined by „and“ take plural verbs. For example:
– John and Jane play soccer. (compound subject „John and Jane“ takes plural verb „play“)
– The cat and the dog chase each other. (compound subject „the cat and the dog“ takes plural verb „chase“)
For compound subjects that are joined by „or“ or „nor,“ use a verb that agrees with the subject closest to it. For example:
– Neither the dog nor the cat likes the rain. (singular verb „likes“ agrees with singular subject „cat“)
– Either the birds or the squirrel is eating from the bird feeder. (singular verb „is eating“ agrees with singular subject „squirrel“)
Sometimes, the subject of the sentence is separated from the verb by a phrase or clause. In these cases, it`s important to identify the subject correctly. For example:
– The boy, his sister, and their friends are going to the park. (plural subject „boy, sister, and friends“ takes plural verb „are going“)
– Running through the park every morning, the woman gets her exercise. (singular verb „gets“ agrees with singular subject „woman“)
When using collective nouns, determine whether the group is acting as a single unit or individual members. For example:
– The team is playing well. (collective noun „team“ is acting as a single unit and takes singular verb „is playing“)
– The team are arguing amongst themselves. (collective noun „team“ is acting as individual members and takes plural verb „are arguing“)
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an important grammar rule that students should master in grade 4. By understanding these subject-verb agreement examples, students can become more confident in their writing and communicate their ideas more effectively.