Exercise Apply a verb which in agreement with the subject: The chair ______(break). Get it repaired. Either Anju or Reema ______(break) the vase. Dal and chappati ______(is) his favourite dinner. Sanah and her sister ______(play) in the park.
Exercise Apply a verb which in agreement with the subject:
1. The chair ______(break). Get it repaired.
In this sentence, the subject is “The chair,” which is singular. Therefore, we’ll use the singular form of the verb “to break” in the past tense:
- The chair broke. Get it repaired.
Verbs need to agree with their subjects in number and sometimes in tense. Here, “broke” is the correct past tense form for the singular subject “chair.”
2. Either Anju or Reema ______(break) the vase.
When using “either/or,” the verb should agree with the nearest noun. In this case, “Reema” is the closest noun, and each individual (Anju or Reema) is singular. So we use:
- Either Anju or Reema has broken the vase.
The singular form “has broken” maintains agreement with the singular subject “Reema.”
3. Dal and chappati ______(is) his favourite dinner.
This sentence contains a compound subject connected by “and,” which is generally considered plural:
- Dal and chappati are his favourite dinner.
The correct form “are” is used because the subject “Dal and chappati” is plural.
4. Sanah and her sister ______(play) in the park.
Again, this sentence comprises a compound subject, “Sanah and her sister,” which indicates plurality:
- Sanah and her sister play in the park.
The verb “play” is correctly in the plural form to match the compound subject.
Key Points to Remember:
- Singular Subjects: Use singular verbs (e.g., breaks, is, has).
- Plural Subjects: Use plural verbs (e.g., break, are, have).
- Either/Or, Neither/Nor: The verb agrees with the nearer subject.
- Compound Subjects: Generally treated as plural unless the parts form a singular idea or the conjunction is “or/nor” and the nearest subject dictates verb form.
Synonyms for Practice:
- Break: fracture, shatter, crack
- Is: exist, remain, occur
- Play: engage, participate, perform
Understanding these rules helps form grammatically correct sentences within context, ensuring clarity and precision in communication. Remember, verb-subject agreement is foundational in mastering language usage. Practice applying these principles with different examples to enhance comprehension and dexterity in constructing varied sentences. Keep practicing, and you’ll become more confident in identifying and correcting subject-verb agreement issues!
This exercise refines your grammatical skills by focusing on the agreement, an essential aspect of proficient language use. Keep engaging with similar exercises to deepen understanding and application. Well done!