Subject-verb agreement is a crucial component of effective communication. It refers to the grammatical rule that states that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. In other words, if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. This is a common area of confusion for many writers, especially non-native English speakers. To help improve your subject-verb agreement skills, here are some exercises and examples to practice with.

Exercise 1: Identify the Correct Verb

In this exercise, you will be presented with a sentence and two possible verbs. You must choose the verb that agrees with the subject in the sentence.

Example:

The cat (is/are) sleeping on the couch.

Answer: The cat is sleeping on the couch.

Exercise 2: Make the Subject and Verb Agree

In this exercise, you will be given a sentence with an incorrect subject-verb agreement. You must rewrite the sentence to make the subject and verb agree.

Example:

The dogs barks in the park.

Answer: The dogs bark in the park.

Exercise 3: Identify Singular and Plural Subjects

In this exercise, you will be presented with a sentence and asked to identify whether the subject is singular or plural, and then choose the appropriate verb.

Example:

The boy (runs/run) fast.

Answer: The boy runs fast.

Exercise 4: Identify Subject-Verb Agreement in Paragraphs

In this exercise, you will be presented with a paragraph and must identify the instances of correct and incorrect subject-verb agreement.

Example:

Maria and her friends goes to the park every Saturday. They likes to play basketball and have picnics. The park is a great place to relax and enjoy nature.

Solution: Maria and her friends go to the park every Saturday. They like to play basketball and have picnics. The park is a great place to relax and enjoy nature.

Mastering subject-verb agreement is important in order to communicate effectively in written and spoken English. These exercises will help improve your skills and make you more confident in your writing and speaking abilities. Practice regularly and keep these rules in mind, and you`ll be well on your way to using proper subject-verb agreement in all of your communications.