Grammar - Subject verb agreement

https://sites.google.com/view/hsc-minimum-standard/reading/subject-verb-agreement

Grammar

Home > Reading > Subject-verb agreement

Definition

Subject-verb agreement is the understanding that “the form of the verb must agree with the number of its subject,
which will be a noun or noun group, for example 'They were not home' (as opposed to 'They was not home'). Confusion
can arise when deciding whether the subject is singular or plural, for example 'This group of students is very clever', or
when there are two subjects, for example 'Ice cream and strawberries are delicious' (not 'is delicious'). (NSW English K-
10 Glossary)

On this page

Teaching and learning activities

PLAN2 Areas of focus

Relevance to reading test marking

Connections with ACSF Level 3 descriptors

Connections with National Literacy Learning Progression

Teaching and learning activities

The resources below provide targeted teaching strategies to support student improvement in this skill.

Each downloadable lesson activity includes:

 learning intentions

 a list of required resources

 a step-by-step lesson sequence

 printable classroom materials

Select the download all icon to download all available activities or select each activity separately.
Understanding subject-verb agreementNotes on subject-verb agreement with activities to reinforce subject-verb
agreement
Subject-verb agreement cloze passage Cloze passage where students fill in the missing verbs for correct subject-verb
agreement
Subject-verb agreement noughts and crosses Noughts and crosses activity using subject-verb agreement
Download all (ZIP)Download the resource pack containing all activities.
PLAN2 Areas of focus

An Areas of focus template has been created in PLAN2 to support targeted teaching of Text structure in your learning
area.

Search for the DoE template titled ‘DoE HSCMinStd Writing: Text structure’ in the Areas of focus template library
tab within the Plan menu, and customise it for your students’ needs.

For more information about using PLAN2 Areas of focus templates with this resource, visit the Using this resource with
PLAN2 page.

Relevance to reading test marking

The feedback for a Level 3 performance in the HSC minimum standard online reading test states:

Individuals performing at this level typically “recognise the distinguishing features of common types of
texts” and “locate, integrate and interpret information in detailed written material, charts, diagrams and tables”.

In the reading test, students apply their understanding of subject-verb agreement to identify sentences that use correct
or incorrect subject-verb agreement and how to replace words to make sentences correct.

Connections with ACSF Level 3 descriptors

The relevant Level 3 ACSF descriptors for reading are shown here to demonstrate how subject-verb agreement is
assessed in the HSC minimum standard online test. The performance features identified show what a student is able to
do in order to achieve at this level and are provided to support teachers to understand what is required to achieve a
Level 3 in this skill.

Reading Indicator .03: Audience, purpose and meaning-making

Focus area: Prediction and prior knowledge

Level 3 performance features:

 draws on prior knowledge of familiar topics and text structures to read ahead

Reading Indicator .03: Audience, purpose and meaning-making

Focus area: Critical reading and text analysis

Level 3 performance features:

 recognises that words and grammatical choices may carry particular shades of meaning in different contexts

 recognises that authors select structure, tone and language to achieve specific purposes
Reading Indicator .04: Reading strategies

Focus area: Comprehension strategies

Level 3 performance features:

 self monitors reading for sense and accuracy and selects from a range of strategies to aid comprehension when
meaning is lost, e.g. self corrects or reads aloud

Connections with National Literacy Learning Progression

The progressions describe a typical developmental sequence of literacy and numeracy learning. The literacy progression
sub-elements, levels and indicators relevant to subject-verb agreement are provided here to assist teachers to identify
students’ capabilities and needs to support targeted teaching.

Element: Reading and viewing

Sub-elements: Understanding texts (UnT)

UnT7 — Comprehension

 monitors the development of ideas using language and visual features (e.g. topic sentences, key verbs, graphs)

UnT7 — Processes

 identifies language and text features that signal purpose in a predictable text (e.g. diagrams, dialogue)

UnT8 — Processes

 uses knowledge of cohesive devices to track meaning throughout a text (e.g. connectives such as however, on
the other hand) (see Grammar)

 uses knowledge of the features and conventions of the type of text to build meaning (e.g. recognises that the
beginning of a persuasive text may introduce the topic and the line of argument)

UnT9 — Processes

 uses processes such as predicting, confirming predictions, monitoring, and connecting relevant elements of the
text to build or repair meaning