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 kittens is sleeping inside the soft blue basket.
Corrected: The kittens are sleeping inside the soft blue basket.
Kittens is plural, so the correct linking verb is 'are', not 'is'.
2. Fix the sentence:
My grandfather have a collection of old coins from many countries.
Corrected: My grandfather has a collection of old coins from many countries.
Grandfather is singular and third person, so the correct form is 'has', not 'have'.
3. Fix the sentence:
The students was excited about the field trip to the museum.
Corrected: The students were excited about the field trip to the museum.
Students is plural, so the past-tense linking verb must be 'were', not 'was'.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. My sister is a talented painter who shows her work at school.
Sister is singular and third person, so the linking verb is 'is'.
2. The books on the top shelf are very old and dusty.
Books is plural, so the correct linking verb is 'are'.
3. Yesterday, the weather was cold and rainy for our outdoor game.
Weather is singular, so the past-tense linking verb is 'was'.
4. Every member of our team has a special role during the project.
Member is singular and third person, so the verb is 'has', not 'have'.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Explain when to use 'has' versus 'have' in a sentence. Give one example of each.
Sample answer: Use 'has' with a singular third-person subject like he, she, or it: 'She has a new bike.' Use 'have' with plural subjects or with I/you: 'The boys have new bikes' or 'I have a new bike.'
Has is the third-person singular form of have, while have is used for plural and first/second person subjects.
2. Why is 'was' used with singular subjects and 'were' used with plural subjects? Give one example.
Sample answer: Was is the past-tense form for singular third-person subjects: 'The cat was hungry.' Were is used for plural subjects: 'The cats were hungry.' Verbs must agree with the subject in number.
English verbs agree with subjects in number, so singular subjects pair with was and plural subjects pair with were.