Subject Verb Agreement Grade 3

As a copy editor responsible for creating content that is both grammatically correct and optimized for search engines, one of the most common errors I come across is subject-verb agreement. This is especially true when working with writers who are at a grade 3 level.

Subject-verb agreement refers to the matching of the subject (the noun or pronoun that performs the action) with the correct form of the verb (the word that indicates the action). When they don`t match, it can cause confusion and make the sentence difficult to understand.

Here are some tips to help grade 3 students master subject-verb agreement:

1. Identify the subject of the sentence: The subject is the noun or pronoun in the sentence that performs the action. For example, in the sentence „The cat is sleeping,” the subject is „cat.”

2. Match the subject and verb: The verb should match the subject in terms of number and person. For example, if the subject is singular (e.g. „cat”), the verb should also be singular (e.g. „sleeps”). If the subject is plural (e.g. „cats”), the verb should also be plural (e.g. „sleep”).

3. Be aware of irregular verbs: Some verbs don`t follow the usual pattern of adding „-s” or „-es” to the end of the verb to indicate the third person singular. For example, the verb „to be” is irregular and doesn`t follow this pattern. The third person singular form of „to be” is „is,” not „bees.”

4. Use contractions correctly: Contractions are shortened forms of words that use an apostrophe (e.g. „can`t” instead of „cannot”). When using contractions, it`s important to make sure the apostrophe is in the right place. For example, „it`s” is a contraction of „it is,” while „its” without an apostrophe is a possessive pronoun.

By following these tips, grade 3 students can improve their subject-verb agreement and create more effective and error-free writing. As a copy editor, I always remind my clients that good grammar is essential not only for clear communication but also for improving their search engine rankings, which can lead to increased visibility and traffic to their website.