Guided Practice
Learn
In this guided practice lesson, you will apply what you learned about subject-verb agreement and pronoun usage. Work through each problem step by step, checking your understanding as you go.
Key Reminders
- Subject-Verb Agreement: Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs.
- Pronoun Agreement: Pronouns must match their antecedents in number and gender.
- Read Carefully: Always identify the subject before choosing the verb form.
Examples
Example 1: Subject-Verb Agreement
Sentence: The group of students (is/are) going on a field trip.
Think: What is the subject? "Group" is singular, even though "students" is plural.
Answer: The group of students is going on a field trip.
Example 2: Pronoun Usage
Sentence: Each of the girls brought (her/their) own lunch.
Think: "Each" is singular, so we need a singular pronoun.
Answer: Each of the girls brought her own lunch.
Practice Quiz
Answer each question, then click to reveal the correct answer.
1. The team of players (practice/practices) every day after school.
Show Answer
practices - "Team" is a singular collective noun, so it takes a singular verb.
2. Neither the cat nor the dogs (like/likes) the new food.
Show Answer
like - When using "neither...nor," the verb agrees with the closer subject ("dogs" is plural).
3. Everyone in the class finished (his or her/their) homework on time.
Show Answer
his or her - "Everyone" is singular, so it traditionally takes singular pronouns. (Note: "their" is increasingly accepted in modern usage.)
4. The books on the shelf (need/needs) to be organized.
Show Answer
need - "Books" is the subject (plural), not "shelf."
5. Sarah and her brother (walk/walks) to school together.
Show Answer
walk - "Sarah and her brother" is a compound subject (plural), so it takes a plural verb.
6. The box of crayons (is/are) on the table.
Show Answer
is - "Box" is the subject (singular), not "crayons."
7. Either the teacher or the students (has/have) the answer key.
Show Answer
have - With "either...or," the verb agrees with the closer subject ("students" is plural).
8. Each of the cookies (was/were) decorated with frosting.
Show Answer
was - "Each" is singular, so it takes a singular verb.
9. The news about the storms (worry/worries) the farmers.
Show Answer
worries - "News" is a singular noun (even though it ends in -s).
10. Somebody left (his or her/their) umbrella in the classroom.
Show Answer
his or her - "Somebody" is singular and takes singular pronouns in formal writing.
Check Your Understanding
Review your answers above. If you got 8 or more correct, you're ready to move on! If not, review the examples and try again.
Next Steps
- Review any questions you missed
- Practice identifying subjects in complex sentences
- Move on to Lesson 4: Punctuation Rules