Subject-verb agreement is one of the trickiest topics for students in their early years of education. It’s essential to understand the rules of subject-verb agreement to ensure that your writing is clear and grammatically correct. In this article, we will discuss subject-verb agreement questions for class 7.
1. What is subject-verb agreement?
Subject-verb agreement refers to the relationship between the subject and the verb in a sentence. The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action in the sentence. The verb is the action word that describes what the subject is doing. The agreement between the subject and verb is determined by their number, which can be singular or plural.
2. What are the basic rules for subject-verb agreement?
The basic rule for subject-verb agreement is that a singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.
a. Singular subjects that end in ‘s’ or ‘ss’ take a singular verb.
Example: Mathematics is my favorite subject.
b. Collective nouns take a singular verb when referring to the group as a whole. They take a plural verb when referring to the individual members of the group.
Example: The team is playing well. (referring to the group as a whole)
The team are wearing their new jerseys. (referring to the individual members of the team)
c. Indefinite pronouns like ‘everyone’ and ‘someone’ take a singular verb.
Example: Everyone has their own way of doing things.
3. What are some common mistakes to avoid in subject-verb agreement?
a. The use of ‘there’ as a subject.
Example: There is many books on the shelf. (incorrect)
There are many books on the shelf. (correct)
b. The use of a singular verb with plural subjects.
Example: The cat and the dog is sleeping. (incorrect)
The cat and the dog are sleeping. (correct)
c. The use of a plural verb with singular subjects.
Example: The news is always good. (correct)
The news are always good. (incorrect)
d. The use of collective nouns with a singular verb when referring to the individual members of the group.
Example: The jury was divided. (correct)
The jury were arguing amongst themselves. (incorrect)
4. How can I improve my subject-verb agreement skills?
a. Practice, practice, practice – the more you practice subject-verb agreement, the more confident you will become in identifying and correcting errors.
b. Read widely – reading a variety of texts will expose you to different sentence structures and help you develop a better understanding of subject-verb agreement.
c. Use online resources – there are many online resources available that can help you practice and improve your subject-verb agreement skills.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of writing, and understanding its rules is crucial for effective communication. By practicing and improving your skills, you can master subject-verb agreement and produce clear and grammatically correct writing.