It is important that verbs and subjects agree and if you want to get a band 7 you need to apply this rule to your speaking and writing. Follow the rule and finish the online activity below before practicing with a recorder.
The General Rule
The chart below shows the relationship of noun and verb in the present tense (3rd person).
- If the noun is singular, the verb must have an ‘s’.
- If the noun is plural, the verb does not have an ‘s’.
Nouns Activity
Select the Correct Verb
- For example: The majority were in favour of reaching an agreement.
When group nouns such as audience/committee/family/government/ are used as subjects, a plural or singular verb may be used, however a singular verb is used most often.
- For example: The family was very happy with the new house or The family were very happy with the new house (the first sentence is more likely to be used by a native speaker).
Speaking Practice
- What language do the majority of people from your country speak?
- What does your family think about you going to study or live in a foreign country?
- What forms of public transport are most popular in your hometown?
- Does the government do enough to promote healthy living in your country?
For our next key grammar lesson we will move on to Verb Substitution.