Subject - Verb agreement

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Subject - Verb agreement

• Pages 170-171

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Subject Verb Agreement

• Having singular and plural subjects and verbs
  that match is called subject-verb agreement.
• You know that some subjects are singular and some
  are plural. When you are writing with
  present-tense verbs, always use the verb form
  that agrees with, or matches, the subject in
  number. Remember to use the plural form of the
  verb to agree with a compound subject using and.
  The simple subject and the simple predicate must
  agree.
• Examples
• A humpback whale likes shallow waters
• The whale and its calf swim together.
• The people on the boat watch the whales

verb
subject
compound subject
verb
subject
verb
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Clues

• Another way to remember subject verb agreement is
  if the simple subject is singular, the verb will
  end with s or es. If the simple subject is
  plural, the verb will not end with s or es. So
  one of the words (simple subject or simple
  predicate) will end with s or es but not both
  words.

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• Directions for 1-10, page 170 Identify the
  simple subject and simple predicate (remember
  they will not be in a prepositional phrase).
  Tell whether the simple subject is singular or
  plural. If the subject and verb do not agree,
  tell the correct verb form.

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• 1. The tourist boat pass near a humpback whale.

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• 2. A humpback whale dives in the Pacific Ocean.

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• 3. Its white flippers looks like wings.

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• 4. The male humpback sings his song over and
  over.

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• 5. The sound carries a long way through the water.

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• 6. The visitor and her daughter hears the sound.

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• 7. A whales slow heartbeat save oxygen during a
  dive.

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• 8. Many whales breathes through a blowhole.

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• 9. The blowhole opens wide for air.

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• 10. Powerful muscles close the blowhole.

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• Directions for 11-20, page 171 Identify the
  simple subject and simple predicate (remember
  they will not be in a prepositional phrase). If
  the subject and verb do not agree, tell the
  correct verb form.

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• 11. A female humpback whale weighs more than 40
  tons.

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• 12. A humpback defend itself in various ways.

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• 13. That whale lash at an enemy with its tail.

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• 14. One whale spurts clouds of bubbles.

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• 15. This tourist rush for her camera.

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• 16. Baby humpbacks come up to the surface for air.

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• 17. That mother humpback hurry to her calf.

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• 18. These whales produces milk for their babies.

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• 19. Some baby whales gains more than 100 pounds a
  day.

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• 20. A whales ribs and backbone is similar to
  those of other mammals.