Subject and verb agree
You learn to make the verb agree with its subject.
How to do the test
- Find the subject of the verb in brackets.
- Count it: is it one, or more than one? One person or thing takes -s on the verb.
- More than one does not.
A worked example
Type the correct present tense form of the verb in brackets. My dog ___ (bark) at night.
- Find the subject: my dog.
- One dog, so the verb takes -s.
- The correct form is barks.
More examples
Type the correct present tense form of the verb in brackets. The boys ___ (run) very fast.
- Find the subject: the boys.
- More than one boy, so the verb has no -s.
- The correct form is run.
Type the correct present tense form of the verb in brackets. The bird ___ (sing) a song.
- Find the subject: the bird.
- One bird, so the verb takes -s.
- The correct form is sings.
Try it yourself
Type the correct present tense form of the verb in brackets.
Our teacher ___ (read) us a story.
Type the correct present tense form of the verb in brackets.
Every morning Dad ___ (make) tea.
Watch out
You look at the word just before the gap instead of at the subject.
Find the subject of the verb. In the dogs in the park bark, the subject is dogs, not park.
Tips
- I goes with am, you and we go with are, and he, she and it go with is.
Why it works
A verb has to fit its subject. One person or thing takes -s on the verb in the present tense, and more than one does not. Finding the subject first and counting it gives you the answer.