Concord · 5 min read
Basic subject-verb agreement
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Hello my wonderful students!
Today, we are going to learn about something very important in English called Concord.
Specifically, we'll focus on Subject-Verb Agreement. Don't worry, it's simpler than it sounds!
Understanding Concord
Concord is simply the agreement between different parts of a sentence. Think of it like a husband and wife agreeing on something – they must be in harmony.
In English, the most common type of concord is when the subject of a sentence agrees with its verb.
This means if your subject is singular, your verb must be singular. If your subject is plural, your verb must also be plural.
Singular Subjects and Verbs
A singular subject is one person, one animal, one place, or one thing. For example: Chidi, a dog, Lagos, a book.
When your subject is singular, the verb usually ends with 's' or 'es' in the present tense.
Chidi goes to the market every Saturday.
The danfo stops at the bus stop.
Aisha likes jollof rice.
The child plays with a ball.
Plural Subjects and Verbs
A plural subject means more than one person, animal, place, or thing. For example: Chidi and Tunde, dogs, cities, books.
When your subject is plural, the verb does NOT usually end with 's' or 'es' in the present tense.
Chidi and Tunde go to the market every Saturday.
The danfos stop at the bus stop.
Aisha and her friends like jollof rice.
Key points
- •Subject-verb agreement means the subject and verb in a sentence must match in number (singular/plural).
- •Singular subjects take singular verbs (often ending in 's' or 'es' in present tense).
- •Plural subjects take plural verbs (usually no 's' or 'es' in present tense).
- •This rule ensures sentences are grammatically correct and clear.