Editing Workshop: Fixing Nouns and Verbs
Learn
Good writers always check their work! In this lesson, you will learn how to find and fix common mistakes with nouns and verbs.
Common Mistakes to Look For
- Missing noun: The sentence does not tell WHO or WHAT.
- Missing verb: The sentence does not tell WHAT HAPPENS.
- Noun and verb do not match: "The dogs runs" should be "The dogs run."
- Wrong word used: Using a noun when you need a verb, or a verb when you need a noun.
Subject-Verb Agreement
The noun (subject) and verb must match! Here is the rule:
- One person or thing (singular): Add -s to most verbs. "The cat runs."
- More than one (plural): No -s on the verb. "The cats run."
Examples of Subject-Verb Agreement
| Singular (One) | Plural (More than One) |
|---|---|
| The bird sings. | The birds sing. |
| My friend plays. | My friends play. |
| The flower blooms. | The flowers bloom. |
Examples
Practice finding and fixing mistakes together!
Example 1: Missing Verb
"The happy puppy in the yard."
What is wrong? This sentence has no verb! What does the puppy DO?
See Fixed Sentence
"The happy puppy plays in the yard."
Example 2: Wrong Verb Form
"The children runs to school."
What is wrong? "Children" is plural (more than one), so we need "run" not "runs."
See Fixed Sentence
"The children run to school."
Example 3: Missing Noun
"Jumps over the fence."
What is wrong? We do not know WHO or WHAT jumps!
See Fixed Sentence
"The horse jumps over the fence."
Practice
Find and fix the mistake in each sentence. Write the corrected sentence on paper first!
1. The dog bark loudly at the mailman.
Check Answer
Fixed: The dog barks loudly at the mailman. (One dog = add -s to verb)
2. My sisters plays soccer every Saturday.
Check Answer
Fixed: My sisters play soccer every Saturday. (More than one sister = no -s on verb)
3. The big red ball on the grass.
Check Answer
Fixed: The big red ball sits/rolls/bounces on the grass. (Add a verb!)
4. Swims in the lake every summer.
Check Answer
Fixed: My family swims in the lake every summer. (Add a noun/subject!)
5. The bees buzzes around the flowers.
Check Answer
Fixed: The bees buzz around the flowers. (More than one bee = no -s on verb)
6. The teacher read a story to the class.
Check Answer
Fixed: The teacher reads a story to the class. (One teacher = add -s to verb)
7. The kittens sleeps in a basket.
Check Answer
Fixed: The kittens sleep in a basket. (More than one kitten = no -s on verb)
8. A beautiful rainbow in the sky after the rain.
Check Answer
Fixed: A beautiful rainbow appears/shines/glows in the sky after the rain. (Add a verb!)
9. The leaves falls from the trees in autumn.
Check Answer
Fixed: The leaves fall from the trees in autumn. (More than one leaf = no -s on verb)
10. Bakes delicious cookies for the party.
Check Answer
Fixed: Grandma/Mom/The baker bakes delicious cookies for the party. (Add a noun/subject!)
11. The frog jump from lily pad to lily pad.
Check Answer
Fixed: The frog jumps from lily pad to lily pad. (One frog = add -s to verb)
12. My baby brother cry when he is hungry.
Check Answer
Fixed: My baby brother cries when he is hungry. (One brother = add -s to verb; cry becomes cries)
Check Your Understanding
Answer these questions about what you learned.
1. What are the two most common mistakes with nouns and verbs?
Show Answer
1) Missing a noun or verb in the sentence. 2) The noun and verb do not match (subject-verb agreement).
2. If you have ONE cat, do you say "The cat run" or "The cat runs"?
Show Answer
"The cat runs" - with one subject, add -s to the verb.
3. If you have THREE cats, do you say "The cats run" or "The cats runs"?
Show Answer
"The cats run" - with more than one subject (plural), do NOT add -s to the verb.
Next Steps
- When you write, always read your work again to check for mistakes.
- Look for: missing nouns, missing verbs, and subject-verb agreement.
- When you are ready, take the Unit Checkpoint to test everything you learned!