Belajar TOEFL dari Dasar: Subject and Verb Agreement PART 1 (Day 1)

Introduction

This tutorial is designed to help you understand Subject and Verb Agreement, a crucial aspect of English grammar essential for excelling in tests like TOEFL, TOEIC, and IELTS. Mastering this topic will not only improve your grammar skills but also enhance your performance in various English language assessments.

Step 1: Understanding Subject and Verb Agreement

Subject and Verb Agreement refers to the grammatical rule that subjects and verbs must agree in number (singular or plural).

Key Points:

• Singular subjects take singular verbs.
  • Example: "The cat runs fast."
• Plural subjects take plural verbs.
  • Example: "The cats run fast."

Practical Tips:

• Identify whether your subject is singular or plural.
• Look for the main verb in your sentence to ensure it matches the subject.

Step 2: Recognizing Common Pitfalls

Certain situations can complicate subject and verb agreement. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

Key Points:

• Compound Subjects: When subjects are joined by "and," they are usually plural.

  • Example: "My brother and sister are going."

• Indefinite Pronouns: Some pronouns are always singular (e.g., everyone, someone).

  • Example: "Everyone is invited."

• Collective Nouns: Nouns that refer to a group can be singular or plural depending on context.

  • Example: "The team is winning" (singular) vs. "The team are arguing among themselves" (plural).

Practical Tips:

• Pay attention to conjunctions that join subjects.
• Consider the meaning of collective nouns to decide on the correct verb form.

Step 3: Practice with Examples

To solidify your understanding, practice with the following examples. Determine if the verb is correctly matched with its subject.

1. The list of items (is/are) on the table.
2. Neither the dogs nor the cat (is/are) in the yard.
3. Each of the students (has/have) completed their assignments.

Exercise:

• Check your answers:
  1. is
  2. is
  3. has

Step 4: Resources for Further Learning

To deepen your understanding of subject and verb agreement, consider the following resources:

• Online grammar quizzes and exercises.
• Grammar textbooks focusing on English language structure.
• Video tutorials like "Subject and Verb Agreement Part 1" for visual learning.

Conclusion

Understanding Subject and Verb Agreement is critical for effective communication and test performance. Focus on identifying singular and plural subjects, recognizing common pitfalls, and practicing with real examples. Next, explore additional resources or consider joining a language course to further enhance your skills. Keep practicing, and you'll see improvement in no time!