When it comes to writing, one of the most important aspects is agreement in number. This refers to ensuring that the subject and verb in a sentence match in terms of singular or plural form. If there is a disagreement, it can cause confusion for readers and make the sentence grammatically incorrect.
To improve your writing skills and avoid common errors, here are some agreement in number exercises that you can practice:
1. Identify the subject and verb in each sentence and determine if they match in number.
– The dog barks loudly. (Correct)
– The dogs bark loudly. (Correct)
– The dog barks loudly and jumps over the fence. (Correct)
– The dogs barks loudly and jump over the fence. (Incorrect – “barks” should be “bark” to match “dogs” in plural form)
– Every student in the class has their own computer. (Incorrect – “has” should be “have” to match “students” in plural form)
2. Rewrite the sentences to correct any disagreement in number.
– The butterfly on the flowers are beautiful. (Incorrect – “butterfly” is singular so “are” should be “is”)
– The butterfly on the flowers is beautiful. (Correct)
– Each of the students have their own project to work on. (Incorrect – “each” means singular so “have” should be “has”)
– Each of the students has their own project to work on. (Correct)
– The group of friends go to the movies every weekend. (Incorrect – “group” is singular so “go” should be “goes”)
– The group of friends goes to the movies every weekend. (Correct)
3. Practice writing sentences and ensuring that the subject and verb match in number.
– My family (enjoys/enjoy) spending time together on weekends.
– The birds (build/builds) their nests in trees.
– The movie (ends/end) with a dramatic scene.
– The children (plays/play) games in the park.
– Every year, the company (produces/produce) a report detailing their progress.
By practicing these exercises, you can improve your writing skills and ensure that your sentences are grammatically correct. Agreement in number might seem like a small detail, but it can make a big difference in how your writing is received and understood by your readers.