Activities to Teach Students to Correct Errors With Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule of grammar, yet it can be challenging for students to grasp. As a teacher, it is important to develop activities that help students understand the importance of subject-verb agreement and how to correct errors. Here are some activity ideas to help students to learn subject-verb agreement in a fun and engaging way.
1. Fill-in-the-blank exercise:
Give students a worksheet with sentences that have subject-verb agreement errors. Ask students to fill in the blanks with the correct verb tense based on the subject of the sentence. This activity will help students identify the subject, and remember the rule that verbs must agree with the singular or plural subject of the sentence.
Example:
Incorrect: The students at the library every day.
Corrected: The students go to the library every day.
2. Sentence scramble:
Cut up a sentence into several pieces and have students put the sentence back together correctly, ensuring that the subject and verb match in number.
Example:
Incorrect: Are at the movies tonight.
Corrected: We are going to the movies tonight.
3. Error Correction Relay Race:
Divide the class into several teams. Each team needs a whiteboard or a piece of paper and a pen. Provide a sentence with a subject-verb agreement error on the board. The first person on each team writes the sentence on their whiteboard, identifies the error, and corrects it. Then they pass the whiteboard to their teammate who does the same thing. The first team to finish correctly wins the race.
Example:
Incorrect: The book on the shelf are mine.
Correction: The book on the shelf is mine.
4. Subject-Verb Agreement Match-Up:
Create two sets of cards; one with a subject and another with a verb. Students match the subject to the correct verb. This activity can be done in pairs or small groups. It will help students to recognize the subject-verb agreement and how to apply it.
Example:
Subjects: Cats, dogs, birds, fish
Verbs: Run, swim, fly, jump
Match: Cats run, dogs swim, birds fly, fish jump
5. Team Sentence Surgery:
Provide groups of students with sentences with subject-verb agreement errors. Each group can discuss the sentence, identify the errors and correct them. As a class, compare the different ways the groups have corrected the sentences.
Example:
Incorrect: Her friends is planning a surprise party for her.
Corrected: Her friends are planning a surprise party for her.
Teaching students about subject-verb agreement can be challenging, but with these activities, it can be a fun and interactive experience. By using a variety of activities, students can develop an understanding of the concept and how to apply it to their writing.