Subject-Verb Agreement — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
The school bus arrive at eight o'clock every day.
Corrected: The school bus arrives at eight o'clock every day.
"The school bus" is singular because there is only one bus. Singular subjects need a verb ending in -s, so "arrives" is correct instead of "arrive."
2. Fix the sentence:
The ants in the kitchen was crawling on the counter.
Corrected: The ants in the kitchen were crawling on the counter.
"The ants" is plural because it means many ants. Plural subjects use "were" instead of "was," so the sentence needs "were crawling."
3. Fix the sentence:
My grandmother make the best apple pie in our family.
Corrected: My grandmother makes the best apple pie in our family.
"My grandmother" is one person, so she is a singular subject. Singular subjects take a verb with -s, making "makes" correct instead of "make."
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The goldfish swims around the bowl all day long.
"The goldfish" here refers to one fish, making it singular. Singular subjects need verbs with -s, so "swims" matches correctly.
2. My neighbors have a garden with tomatoes and peppers.
"My neighbors" is plural because it means more than one neighbor. Plural subjects use "have" instead of "has."
3. The wind was hard during the storm last night.
"The wind" is singular because there is only one wind. Singular subjects use "was" in the past tense, while plural subjects would use "were."
4. The girls on the team practice every Saturday morning.
"The girls" is plural, so the verb stays in its base form without -s. "Practice" is correct because plural subjects do not add -s to the verb.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. The word "has" is used with singular subjects like "she" or "the dog."
True False
"Has" is the singular form of "have." You say "she has" or "the dog has" because those are singular subjects, while plural subjects like "they" use "have."
2. The sentence "My friends has a new game" is correct.
True False
"My friends" is plural, so it needs "have" instead of "has." The correct sentence is "My friends have a new game" because "has" only works with singular subjects.
3. The word "is" should be used with the subject "the chairs."
True False
"The chairs" is plural because it means more than one chair. Plural subjects use "are" instead of "is," so you would say "the chairs are" not "the chairs is."