Page 32 - Grammar_Programme

Subject-Verb Agreement

As you have seen, verbs change their form according to the subject. For example,
for REGULAR verbs in the present tense you have learned that you add an ‘s’ for
the third person singular.

Here is the present tense of the verb ‘to sit’:

Person Singular Plural

First person I sit we sit
Second Person you sit you sit
Third Person he sits/ she sits/ it sits they sit

So, when we link a person with a verb, we must make sure to

use the correct form of the verb (subject-verb agreement).

NOTE: As you know, the verb ‘to be’ does not follow this rule. It is IRREGULAR.
The present tense of the verb ‘to have’ is also irregular:

Person Singular Plural
First person I have we have
Second Person you have you have

Third Person he has / she has/ it has they have

Look at these examples of subject-verb agreement:-

I talk to my teacher. Phil have been swimming?
You talk to your teacher. No – that’s not right, it
Ben talks to his teacher. should be ‘Phil has been

We talk to our teacher. swimming’.
Jim and Ben talk to their teacher.
Always check you have the
Am I singing? correct form of the verb

Are you singing? to match the subject.
Is it singing?
Are we singing?
Are they singing?

I was singing. I have been singing.
You were singing. You have been singing.
She was singing. The man has been singing.
We were singing. We have been singing.
They were singing. They have been singing.

28
© SSER Ltd