Use the correct subject or verb

Key Notes:

📝 Use the Correct Subject or Verb

What is a Subject?

The subject of a sentence tells who or what the sentence is about.

It can be a person, animal, thing, or idea.

Example:

• 🐶 The dog runs fast. (Subject = The dog)
• 👧 Sara likes apples. (Subject = Sara)

What is a Verb?

The verb tells what the subject does or what happens.

It shows action or state of being.

Example:

• The dog runs fast. (Verb = runs)
• Sara is happy. (Verb = is)

Subject-Verb Agreement Rules ✅

Rule 1: Singular Subject → Singular Verb

If the subject is one person, animal, or thing, use a singular verb.

Examples:

• 🐱 The cat jumps high.
• 👨 The teacher teaches well.

Rule 2: Plural Subject → Plural Verb

If the subject is more than one, use a plural verb.

Examples:

• 🐱🐱 The cats jump high.
• 👩👨 The teachers teach well.

Rule 3: Compound Subjects

If two subjects are joined by and, use a plural verb.

Examples:

• 🐶 + 🐱 The dog and the cat play together.

If joined by or / nor, the verb agrees with the closest subject.

Example:

• Either the cat or the dogs are hungry.
• Neither the dogs nor the cat is hungry.

Rule 4: Indefinite Pronouns

Some words like everyone, someone, anybody take singular verbs.

Examples:

• Everyone is happy.
• Somebody was at the door.

Rule 5: Collective Nouns

Words like team, family, class may be singular or plural depending on meaning:

Example:

• The team is winning. (considered as one unit)
• The team are arguing among themselves. (considered as individuals)

Common Mistakes ❌

• ❌ The dog run fast. → ✅ The dog runs fast.
• ❌ The girls is playing. → ✅ The girls are playing.
• ❌ Everyone have a book. → ✅ Everyone has a book.

Quick Tips & Tricks 💡

• If subject = he, she, it → add -s or -es to verb in present tense.
• Plural subjects do not add -s in present tense.
• Watch for tricky words like each, everyone, nobody → always singular verb.
• Remember: ✅ Subject and verb must “agree” in number.

Fun Emoji Examples 🎉

• 👧👦 Rita and Raj are friends.
• 🐢 The turtle moves slowly.
• 🎈 Everyone at the party is dancing.
• 🐶🐱 Either the dog or the cats are hungry.