Subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of English grammar that every student should focus on. It refers to the proper matching of a subject and a verb in a sentence. A subject refers to the noun or pronoun that performs the action of the verb. The verb, on the other hand, is the action word that describes what the subject is doing.

As a grade 9 student, it is essential to master subject-verb agreement as it forms the building blocks for your understanding of more complex grammatical rules. Here are some essential tips that will help you improve your subject-verb agreement skills:

1. Know the Basic Rule

The basic rule of subject-verb agreement is that a singular subject should match with a singular verb, while a plural subject should match with a plural verb. For instance, “The boy plays in the park” is correct, whereas “The boy play in the park” is incorrect.

2. Beware of Intervening Phrases

Intervening phrases, such as prepositional phrases, can sometimes cause confusion when it comes to subject-verb agreement. For example, “The group of students is studying” is correct instead of “The group of students are studying.”

3. Check Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow the regular -s and -es endings in the present tense. It is important to learn the correct form of irregular verbs to avoid making mistakes in subject-verb agreement. For instance, “She sings beautifully” is correct whereas “She sing beautifully” is incorrect.

4. Watch out for Collective Nouns

Collective nouns refer to a group of people or things. They can be singular or plural depending on the context. For example, “The team is practicing” is correct, while “The team are practicing” is incorrect.

5. Be Careful with Compound Subjects

A compound subject refers to two or more subjects that share the same verb. When the subjects are joined by “and,” the verb should be plural. For instance, “John and Mary are going to the party” is correct. However, when the subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb should match with the subject that is closest to it. For example, “Neither the boy nor the girl is going to the party.”

In conclusion, learning subject-verb agreement is essential for effective communication in writing and speaking. It is fundamental to ensure that your sentences are grammatically correct and clear to understand for your audience. By following the above tips, you can improve your subject-verb agreement skills and become a better writer and communicator.