When is subject-verb agreement taught?

It is introduced formally in third grade and then revisited every year, because the sentences get harder. By sixth and seventh grade students are expected to handle collective nouns, indefinite pronouns and subjects separated from their verb.

Is "the team is" or "the team are" correct?

In American English a collective noun acting as one unit takes a singular verb: the team is practicing. British English often prefers the plural. These worksheets follow American usage, which is what US school tests mark against.

Why does my child get the easy ones right and the test ones wrong?

Almost always because a phrase sits between the subject and the verb. Practicing the "cross out the prepositional phrase" step is usually worth more than more drill on simple sentences — the prepositions worksheet has questions built specifically for that.

Subject-Verb Agreement Worksheets

Subject-verb agreement is simple until something gets in the way. "The dog barks" is easy; "The box of markers is on the table" is where marks are lost, because the noun nearest the verb is not the subject.

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6th Grade Subject-Verb Agreement Practice

Subject-Verb Agreement

Circle the correct answer.

1.
Each of the students blank a locker.
hashave
2.
Everybody blank ready to start.
isare
3.
The player with the most points blank the trophy.
winswin
4.
Here blank the keys you lost.
areis
5.
The box of markers blank on the table.
isare
6.
The news blank on at six.
isare
7.
Mathematics blank my favorite subject.
isare

Write the correct word on each line.

8.
Nobody in the older grades blank (know) about the assembly.

Follow the directions for each sentence.

9.
One of my friends lives in another state. (underline the subject the verb has to match)

Rewrite each sentence following the directions in brackets.

10.
The trains arrive on time. (make the subject singular and fix the verb)

Each sentence has at least one mistake. Write the sentence correctly.

11.
The students in my class is very quiet.
12.
There is four people ahead of us.
13.
The list of chores were long.
14.
She don't want to go.
15.
Each of the dogs need a bath.

Subject-Verb Agreement: the rules these questions test

Find the subject before you choose the verb: Cross out every prepositional phrase first. The subject is never inside one, so "The stack of old newspapers ___ recycled" reduces to "The stack ___ recycled" — was.
Each, every, everybody and nobody are singular: However many people they refer to, these words take a singular verb: Each of the students has a locker. Nobody knows the answer.
With either/or and neither/nor, the nearer subject wins: Either the coach or the players are going to speak. Neither the students nor the teacher has seen the email. Swap the two subjects and the verb changes with them.
There and here are not the subject: In "There are three cookies left," the subject is cookies and it comes after the verb. Read the sentence backwards to hear it.
Some -s words are singular: Mathematics, news, physics and measurements of time or money name one thing: Mathematics is my favorite subject. Two hours is a long time to wait.

Questions parents and teachers ask

When is subject-verb agreement taught?: It is introduced formally in third grade and then revisited every year, because the sentences get harder. By sixth and seventh grade students are expected to handle collective nouns, indefinite pronouns and subjects separated from their verb.
Is "the team is" or "the team are" correct?: In American English a collective noun acting as one unit takes a singular verb: the team is practicing. British English often prefers the plural. These worksheets follow American usage, which is what US school tests mark against.
Why does my child get the easy ones right and the test ones wrong?: Almost always because a phrase sits between the subject and the verb. Practicing the "cross out the prepositional phrase" step is usually worth more than more drill on simple sentences — the prepositions worksheet has questions built specifically for that.