Subject-verb agreement is an essential grammatical concept taught to students in Class 5. It is a fundamental concept that forms the basis of clear and effective communication. In English language, subject-verb agreement refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. In other words, the verb must always agree with the subject in terms of person and number.
Here are some rules that Class 5 students must keep in mind while using subject-verb agreement:
1. Singular subjects take a singular verb, while plural subjects take a plural verb.
For example:
Singular subject: The cat chases the mouse.
Plural subject: The cats chase the mice.
2. The verb must agree with the subject in terms of person. This means that if the subject is in the first person (I, we) then the verb must also be in the first person. Similarly, if the subject is in the second person (you) then the verb must also be in the second person. And, if the subject is in the third person (he, she, it, they) then the verb must be in the third person.
For example:
First person: I am going to the store.
Second person: You are going to the store.
Third person: He is going to the store.
3. In case of compound subjects, if they are joined by ‘and’, the verb must be plural. But, if the subjects joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ are singular, the verb should be singular too. Conversely, if the subjects joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ are plural, the verb should be plural too.
For example:
Compound subject with ‘and’: The dog and the cat chase the mouse.
Compound subject with ‘or’: Either the dog or the cat chases the mouse.
4. Collective nouns such as team, family, committee, etc. are treated as singular nouns and take a singular verb.
For example:
The committee discusses the issue.
5. When using a verb phrase, the main verb must agree with the subject in person and number.
For example:
Singular subject: She is watching the movie.
Plural subject: They are watching the movie.
These are just some of the basic rules that Class 5 students need to learn while using subject-verb agreement. The correct use of subject-verb agreement not only enhances the readability of the text, but also ensures that the intended meaning is conveyed clearly. With practice and understanding, students can master the rules of this important grammatical concept.