Verb Subject Agreement Exercises

As a copy editor, it is important to have a keen eye for grammatical errors, especially in terms of verb subject agreement. This type of error can easily slip past even the most diligent writer, but it can have a negative impact on the clarity and professionalism of the content.

Verb subject agreement refers to the agreement that must occur between the verb and the subject of a sentence. For instance, when the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular, and when the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.

To help improve your mastery of this grammatical rule, here are some useful exercises:

1. Identify the subject and verb agreement in each sentence.

Example: The cat sleeps on the mat.

In this sentence, the subject is the cat and the verb is sleeps.

2. Rewrite the sentence using a singular subject and a plural subject.

Example: The cat sleeps on the mat. (singular)

The cats sleep on the mats. (plural)

3. Rewrite the sentence using a singular verb and a plural verb.

Example: The cat sleeps on the mat. (singular)

The cats sleep on the mats. (plural)

4. Identify errors in verb subject agreement in a given paragraph and correct them.

Example:

Original Paragraph:

The students in the class was discussing the book that they had read last week. One of the girls were particularly vocal in expressing their opinion about the ending of the story. Even though the teacher were busy taking attendance, she was still listening to the conversation.

Corrected Paragraph:

The students in the class were discussing the book that they had read last week. One of the girls was particularly vocal in expressing her opinion about the ending of the story. Even though the teacher was busy taking attendance, she was still listening to the conversation.

By practicing these exercises, you can improve your understanding of verb subject agreement and avoid errors in your writing. As a copy editor, it is important to have a solid grasp of this rule to ensure that the content you edit is accurate and conveys the intended message.