ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the grammatical concept of subject-verb agreement, which centers around the idea that singular subjects have singular verbs and plural subjects need plural verbs. It begins by describing what subject-verb agreement is, illustrating how it looks in practice, and discussing irregular verbs that can make subject-verb agreement especially challenging. After that, the chapter describes the importance of subject-verb agreement to effective writing, using examples from published texts to illustrate its impact and significance. Next, the chapter presents a classroom snapshot section, which features a third-grade teacher’s work helping her students understand this concept. The chapter then provides key recommendations for teaching students about subject-verb agreement. It concludes with final thoughts on this topic and a series of steps teachers can use to support students who need extra assistance understanding subject-verb agreement.
