1. Chapter 10 Subject/Verb Agreement
6th Grade ELA

2. Subject: the person or thing that performs the action of the sentence.
Verb: the word that expresses the action.
Use a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural subject.
SINGULARY
PLURAL
Marty speaks quickly.
My friends speak quickly.
I am late for school.
We are late for school.
She wants three cats.
They want three cats.

3. Verb Phrase: the first helping verb must agree with the subject.
Examples:
S HV
Our car has been making strange noises.
S HV
We are leaving soon.
S HV
My parents do not know any mechanics.

4. ***STEP BY STEP*** To decide whether a verb agrees with its subject:
Find the verb or verb phrase.
My grandparents’ neighbor collects coins.
2. Ask who? Or what? Before the verb to find the subject.
Who collects? neighbor
3. Use a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural
subject.

5. Exercise 1 page 202: (You finish # 6-10)
Video-sharing Websites ( have, has ) become popular recently.
People ( are, is ) using them to post their own videos.
Many users ( watch, watches ) other people’s videos.
One popular site now ( air, airs ) 100 million videos a day.
Many new videos ( are, is ) added each day.
(You finish # 6-10)

6. Phrases between subject and verb
Often there are prepositional phrases between the subject and verb.
The plants (in the garden) need water.
The subject of the sentence is NEVER in a prepositional phrase!!!!
(incorrect) The road to the mountains are bumpy.
(correct) The road to the mountains is bumpy.
(incorrect) The classes at the school begins at noon.
(correct) The classes at the school begin at noon.

7. Exercise 1 page 205
The stages in a butterfly’s life cycle look different.
The four stages of the cycle are egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
The eggs of a butterfly are round or oval.
A butterfly in the early stages is called a caterpillar.
The colors of a monarch butterfly are orange and black.

8. Compound Subjects: Neither the coach nor the players have the trophy.
Consists of two or more subjects and share the same verb and are joined by a conjunction.
--Subjects joined by “and” usually take a plural verb.
EX: Snowboarding and parasailing are exciting sports.
--Compound subjects that name only one thing or person takes a singular verb..
EX: Peanut butter and jelly is the best sandwich.
--Singular subjects joined by “or” or “nor” take a singular verb.
EX: Skates or helmets make a great gift.
Either Mary or Jane has the book.
--When a singular and a plural subject are joined by “or” or “nor”, the verb
EX: Neither the players nor the coach has the trophy.
Neither the coach nor the players have the trophy.

9. Exercise 1 Page
Solar panels and sand ( contains, contain ) silicon.
Electricity and batteries ( works, work ) together.
Highway signs and calculators ( use, uses ) solar panels.
Businesses or even a home now ( benefits, benefit ) from easy-to-install solar panels.
Either super-efficient light bulbs or solar panels ( is, are ) ways to make buildings environmentally friendly.
Wind and waves ( are, is ) both forms of energy.
Light and sound ( travel, travels ) as waves.

10. Other Agreement Problems:
Many questions and sentences that start with “here” or “there”, the subject actually follows the verb.
(Remember that “here” and “there” are never the subject of the sentence.)
When is the play? (Singular)
Were the stamps on the envelopes? (Plural)
There is the letter from the school. (Singular)
There are many boxes in the garage. (Plural)

11. Indefinite Pronouns: Singular Each of the girls has new sunglass.
Everyone is surprised.
Plural
Many know the author’s name.
Few are still here.
Singular
Most of the fruit is ripe.
(Most needs a singular verb because “fruit” is singular)
Plural
Most of the apples are crisp.
(Most needs a plural verb because “apples” is plural.

12. Exercise page
There ( are, is ) many different kinds of bowling balls.
Where ( are, is ) bowling balls sold?
No one ( like, likes ) a ball that is too heavy.
There ( is, are ) many different ways to throw a bowling ball.
Some of the beginners ( develops, develop ) their own style.
Here ( is, are ) an article about the sport’s history.
( Does, Do ) anybody know the date tenpin bowling started?
Each of the champions ( bowl, bowls ) every day.
Only one of my cousins ( watch, watches ) bowling on TV.
Neither of the bowling shoes ( is, are ) comfortable.