Subject and verb agreement

Refers to the grammatical ruler that the subject of a sentence must match the verb in number and person.

When you use a verb, you have to say who or what is doing the action. This 'who or what' is the subject of the verb. The subject and the verb match each other. You say that the subject and the verb agree when they match each other.

Use a singular verb if the subject is a singular noun. For example, the subjects 'my dad' or 'our school', or any of the pronouns he, she or it, require a singular verb. Most singular verbs end in s.

For example:

He always drinks milk when he's Hot.
She eats bananas for breakfast.
Mom walks to work every day.
My sister dances like a professional dancer.
The baby falls when she tries to walk.
Our cat climbs the trees in our garden.

This form of the verb is called the third person singular. You use it when the subject of the verb is not you or the person you are speaking to, but some other person a third person or a thing.

Here are some more third person singular verbs that end in s.

Plays sings shines rides smiles

Draws paints blows thinks stops

Reads rains travels talks starts

The third person singular form of some verbs is made by adding es at the end. Some examples are verbs that end in sh, ch, ss, x, zz and o.

Brushes watches kisses fixes

Rushes reaches misses mixes

Polishes teachers passes does

Crashes catches presses buzzes

Washes touches dresses goes

Here are some sentences with verbs in their third person singular form.

She always brushes her teeth at bedtime.
Dad polishes his shoes until they shine.
My brother watches television after school.
Kim catches the ball with one hand.
Dad mixes flour and water when he makes bread.
The bee buzzes around the flowers.
My friend Sanjay goes to the same school as I do.

How do you make the third person singular form of most verbs that end in y? Usually, you change the y to an i and then add es.

Carry - carries hurry - hurries

Cry - cries fly - flies

Study - studies worry - worries

Copy - copies marry - marries

Bully - bullies

A cat carries its kitten with its mouth.
Mr. Chen hurries to work every morning.
The baby cries a lot at night.
This plane flies to the island every day.
Alice tries hard at school.
She copies all the questions in her note book.

Some verbs that end in y have a vowel before the y. Just add an s at the end of These words to make the third person singular form.

Buy - buys say - says pray - prays

Pay - pays annoy - annoys stay - stays

Mom buys bread at the supermarket.
Mr. Carter pays all his bills with a Credit card.
My friend says he has a salt-water aquarium.
She annoys me with her silly jokes.
Anna stays with her aunt on weekends.

If the subject of a verb is a plural noun, such as "Mom and Dad" or "our teachers", use a plural verb. Do not add s, es or ies to plural verbs. Plural verbs are also used with the pronouns I, we, you and they.