Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammatical rule that students must learn and master at an early age. This rule governs the relationship between the subject of a sentence and its verb, ensuring that they agree in number and person. For instance, a singular subject requires a singular verb, while a plural subject requires a plural verb.

For grade 6 students, subject-verb agreement exercises provide an excellent opportunity to practice this crucial rule correctly. In this article, we will explore some of the best exercises to help them master subject-verb agreement.

Exercise 1: Identifying the Subject

The first step toward mastering subject-verb agreement is to identify the subject of a sentence. In this exercise, students will be provided with a list of sentences, and they must identify the subject of each sentence correctly.

Example:

1. The dog barks at the mailman.

Subject: The dog

2. The children play in the park.

Subject: The children

Exercise 2: Choosing the Correct Verb

Once students can identify the subject of a sentence, the next step is to choose the correct verb that agrees in number and person with the subject. In this exercise, students will be provided with a list of subjects, and they must choose the correct verb that agrees with each subject.

Example:

1. John and Peter (play/plays) soccer every day.

Correct answer: play

2. The cat (sleep/sleeps) on the couch all day.

Correct answer: sleeps

Exercise 3: Subject-Verb Agreement in Questions

Questions also follow the subject-verb agreement rule. In this exercise, students will be provided with a set of questions, and they must choose the correct verb that agrees with the subject in the question.

Example:

1. (Do/Does) your parents like ice cream?

Correct answer: Do

2. (Is/Are) there any apples in the basket?

Correct answer: Are

Exercise 4: Identifying the Correct Subject

Finally, it is crucial to choose the correct subject in a sentence that can be tricky sometimes. In this exercise, students will be provided with a sentence, and they must choose the correct subject that agrees with the verb in the sentence.

Example:

1. The group of students (was/were) excited to go on a field trip.

Correct answer: was

2. The pack of wolves (howl/howls) at the full moon.

Correct answer: howls

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammatical rule that students must learn to communicate effectively in English. Through these exercises, students can practice and master this rule in a fun and engaging way. As a professional, I recommend that educators continue to provide students with engaging exercises to help them understand and practice this essential grammar rule.