Subject Verb Agreement Purdue Owl Exercises

Before delving into subject-verb agreement Purdue Owl exercises, it’s essential to understand what subject-verb agreement is and why it’s important. Subject-verb agreement refers to the matching of the subject and the verb in a sentence. Basically, it means that the verb agrees with the number of the subject (singular or plural).

Correct subject-verb agreement is crucial in writing because it helps maintain clarity and meaning in a sentence. Incorrect subject-verb agreement can lead to confusion and miscommunication, which can be detrimental in professional settings.

Now that we understand the importance of subject-verb agreement, let’s take a look at some exercises provided by Purdue Owl to help improve your skills.

Exercise 1: Identifying subjects and verbs

The first step towards mastering subject-verb agreement is to identify the subject and the verb in a sentence. In this exercise, you’ll be given a list of sentences, and you’ll need to identify the subject and the verb in each sentence.

Example:

The cat ran quickly.

Subject: The cat

Verb: ran

Exercise 2: Matching singular subjects with singular verbs

In this exercise, you’ll be given a list of sentences with singular subjects, and you’ll need to match them with the correct singular verb.

Example:

The dog _____.

a. barks

b. bark

c. barked

Correct answer: a. barks

Exercise 3: Matching plural subjects with plural verbs

Similarly, in this exercise, you’ll be given a list of sentences with plural subjects, and you’ll need to match them with the correct plural verb.

Example:

The dogs _____.

a. barks

b. bark

c. barked

Correct answer: b. bark

Exercise 4: Identifying subject-verb agreement errors

This exercise is designed to help you identify subject-verb agreement errors in sentences. You’ll be given a list of sentences, and you’ll need to identify the errors and correct them.

Example:

The book on the shelf was missing.

Error: The subject book is singular, but the verb was is plural.

Correction: The book on the shelf was missing.

Exercise 5: Applying subject-verb agreement rules

In this exercise, you’ll be given a list of sentences with errors in subject-verb agreement, and you’ll need to apply the rules to correct the errors.

Example:

The team are playing well.

Error: The subject team is singular, but the verb are is plural.

Correction: The team is playing well.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a vital aspect of writing, and it’s important to have a good understanding of it. The exercises provided by Purdue Owl can be an excellent way to improve your subject-verb agreement skills. By practicing these exercises regularly, you’ll be able to identify and correct errors quickly and effectively, which will improve your overall writing skills.