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Subject Verb Agreement

A complete sentence must have both a subject and a verb. For example, in the

sentence, The girl takes the bus to school, girl is the subject and takes is the verb.

Subjects are nouns; therefore, they can be counted. There can be one girl, or there can

be many girls. The example sentence above is about one girl. This means that the

subject is singular; it is about a single noun. If the sentence were about many girls

taking the bus, the subject girls would be plural.

If the subject noun of a sentence is singular, the verb must take a singular form.

If the subject noun of a sentence is plural, the verb must take a plural form.

When the subject and verb of a sentence match in number, this is called Subject Verb

Agreement.

Rule of “S”

This rule pertains to subject nouns that can be replaced by third person pronouns

(he/she/it), (example: girl, toy, baby, window, door, dog, father). Notice that the nouns in

the example all have an “s” at the end when you put them in their plural forms,

(example: girls, toys, babies, windows, doors, dogs, fathers). When such a noun is in its

singular form (without the “s”), the verb takes an “s” at the end.

Example: The girl takes the bus to school.

When the same noun is in its plural from, (with an “5”), the verb does not take an “s” at

the end.

Example: The girls take the bus to school.

There is an “s” at the end of either the subject or the verb. This is the Rule of “S.”

Another way to think about this is, when the subject is singular, the verb takes an “s’ at

the end—’s” is for singular.

Many teachers feel that it is not wise to depend on the Rule of “S” because it does not

work for all subjects and verbs. The best way to develop confidence in subject verb

agreement is through...

Subject Verb Agreement