Exercise1a: Basic Noun-Verb Agreement
Select the word in each question that is correct for the sentence.
Question 1
We (wants/want) to go to the store with Mom because, on her own, she never chooses Super Sugary Raspberry Freaks.
Incorrect.
"Want" is correct. The pronoun "we" is plural. To agree with a plural noun or pronoun, a regular, present-tense verb usually ends in 's' or 'es'.
"We want to go to the store with Mom because, on her own, she never chooses Super, Sugary, Raspberry Freaks."
Correct.
"Want" is correct. The pronoun "we" is plural. To agree with a plural noun or pronoun, a regular, present-tense verb usually ends in 's' or 'es'.
"We want to go to the store with Mom because, on her own, she never chooses Super, Sugary, Raspberry Freaks."
Question 2
Do you know that those people with the purple clothes, purple hair, and purple car (is/are) our new neighbors?
Incorrect.
"Are" is correct. The noun "people" is plural, so the verb form of this irregular verb needs to be plural as well.
"Do you know that those people with the purple clothes, purple hair, and purple car are our new neighbors?"
Correct.
"Are" is correct. The noun "people" is plural, so the verb form of this irregular verb needs to be plural as well.
"Do you know that those people with the purple clothes, purple hair, and purple car are our new neighbors?"
Question 3
"Did you go to the new gourmet deli to buy this marvelously green pepperoni?" Zoe asked. She didn't realize that I (was /were) behind schedule cleaning out my refrigerator.
Correct.
"Was" is correct. The pronoun "I" is singular, so you need the irregular form of the verb that agrees with a singular noun or pronoun.
"'Did you go to the new gourmet deli to buy this marvelously green pepperoni?,'" Zoe asked. She didn't realize that I was behind schedule cleaning out my refrigerator."
Incorrect.
"Was" is correct. The pronoun "I" is singular, so you need the irregular form of the verb that agrees with a singular noun or pronoun.
"'Did you go to the new gourmet deli to buy this marvelously green pepperoni?,'" Zoe asked. She didn't realize that I was behind schedule cleaning out my refrigerator."
Question 4
Dogs (like /likes) their food. Cats do, too, but they often are too uppity to show it.
Correct.
"Like" is correct. "Dogs" is plural. To agree with a plural noun, a regular, present-tense verb usually has no special ending letters.
"Dogs like their food. Cats do, too, but they often are too uppity to show it."
Incorrect.
"Like" is correct. "Dogs" is plural. To agree with a plural noun, a regular, present-tense verb usually has no special ending letters.
"Dogs like their food. Cats do, too, but they often are too uppity to show it."
Question 5
Each time I microwave a stuffed pepper for lunch, members of the office staff (exclaim/ exclaims) "Can we have some, too?"
Correct.
"Exclaim" is correct. "Members" is plural and, to agree with a plural noun, a regular, present-tense verb usually ends in 's' or 'es.' Words that come between (interrupt) the noun and its verb (in this case, "of the office staff") are not words that the verb has to agree with.
"Each time I microwave a stuffed pepper for lunch, members of the office staff exclaim, 'Can we have some, too?'"
Incorrect.
"Exclaim" is correct. "Members" is plural and, to agree with a plural noun, a regular, present-tense verb usually ends in 's' or 'es.' Words that come between (interrupt) the noun and its verb (in this case, "of the office staff") are not words that the verb has to agree with.
"Each time I microwave a stuffed pepper for lunch, members of the office staff exclaim, 'Can we have some, too?'"