Subject-verb agreement is a crucial grammar rule that students in class 8 must master. It refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence, which means that the verb must agree with the number of the subject.
For instance, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well.
To help students enhance their knowledge of subject-verb agreement, teachers use class 8 worksheets that contain exercises and examples to reinforce this grammar rule.
The following are some of the essential concepts that students must know when working on subject-verb agreement worksheets.
1. Singular and Plural Nouns
The first step in mastering subject-verb agreement is to identify whether the noun in the sentence is singular or plural. For instance, the word cat is singular, while the word cats is plural. It is important to note that the subject could be a noun, pronoun, or even a gerund.
2. The Verb Must Agree with the Subject
The verb in a sentence must agree with the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.
For instance, “The cat jumps over the fence.” In this sentence, the subject is cat, which is singular, and the verb is jumps, which is also singular.
On the other hand, “The cats jump over the fence.” In this sentence, the subject is cats, which is plural, and the verb is jump, which is also plural.
3. Compound Subjects
When a sentence has two or more subjects, it is known as a compound subject. In such cases, the verb must agree with the subject closest to it.
For instance, “Tom and Jerry run fast.” In this sentence, the subject is Tom and Jerry, which is a compound subject. However, since both Tom and Jerry are plural, the verb run must also be plural.
4. Collective Nouns
Collective nouns refer to a group of people or things. Examples of collective nouns are team, family, group, etc. When these nouns are used as the subject of a sentence, they can take either a singular or plural verb, depending on the intended meaning.
For instance, “The team is happy with the result.” In this sentence, the collective noun team takes a singular verb as the focus is on the team as a single entity.
On the other hand, “The team are celebrating their victory.” In this sentence, the collective noun team takes a plural verb as the focus is on the individual players in the team.
Conclusion
Mastering subject-verb agreement is crucial as it impacts the clarity and meaning of a sentence. With the help of class 8 worksheets, students can enhance their understanding of this grammar rule and apply it effectively in their writing.