Subject verb agreement is one of the basic rules of grammar that every writer and editor has to know. It refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. When the subject and the verb are in agreement, the sentence is grammatically correct. If they don`t agree, the sentence may become confusing or misleading.
A fun and effective way to teach or review subject verb agreement is through a group activity. Here are some ideas for subject verb agreement group activities that can be done in the classroom or in a virtual setting.
1. Subject Verb Pairs
In this activity, the group will be divided into pairs. Each pair will be given a set of subject-verb pairs that don`t agree in number or tense. For example, “The cat chase the mouse” or “She have a lot of books”. The pairs will then have to work together to correctly match the subject and verb by making the necessary changes. The first pair to correctly match all their subject-verb pairs wins.
2. Sentence Sort
For this activity, the group will be given a set of sentences that have subject-verb disagreement. They will then have to work together to sort the sentences into two categories: correct and incorrect. The group that correctly sorts all the sentences in the shortest amount of time wins.
3. Mad Libs
Mad Libs is a classic game where players fill in the blanks of a story with words that fit specific categories (e.g. noun, verb, adjective). In this version of the game, the group will be given a story with missing verbs. They will have to work together to come up with the correct verbs to fill in the story. The fun and creative aspect of Mad Libs makes this activity engaging and memorable.
4. Verb Hunt
In this activity, the group will be given a passage of text with subject-verb disagreement. They will then have to work together to identify all the incorrect verbs and suggest corrections. This activity encourages active reading and collaboration.
5. Sentence Relay
For this activity, the group will be divided into two teams. Each team will be given a set of sentences with subject-verb disagreement. The first player of each team will run to a whiteboard, correct the sentence, and run back to tag the next player in line. The team that correctly corrects all their sentences first wins.
In conclusion, subject verb agreement is an important aspect of grammar that can be taught in a fun and interactive way through group activities. These activities encourage collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. By incorporating them into language lessons, teachers and editors can ensure that their students and writers have a strong foundation in grammar that will benefit them for years to come.