Standard 5: Language

Students will apply knowledge of grammar and rhetorical style to reading and writing.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

• Students will continue to recognize that a singular noun must have a singular verb (e.g. dog barks). 

• Students will continue to recognize that a plural noun must have a plural verb (e.g. basketballs roll). 

• Students will continue to recognize that subject and verb agreement means that the nouns and verbs match. 

• Teachers explain that a singular noun must have a singular verb (e.g., dog barks).

• Teachers explain that a plural noun must have a plural verb (e.g., basketballs roll).

• Teachers model how to recognize subject and verb agreement.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to recognize subject and verb agreement.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback as they recognize subject verb agreement.

Supporting Resources 

Teacher Insights 

• Schoolhouse Rock Mr. Morton (video)

• Khan Academy - Subject and Verb Agreement (video)

• Shmoop - Subject and Verb Agreement (video)

•  LearnZillion - Subject and Verb Agreement (video)

• The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is doing or being something.

• Every verb in a sentence must have a subject.

• The simple subject is the who or what that is doing the verb without any description.

• The simple subject of a sentence will never be part of a prepositional phrase.

• The complete subject is who or what is doing the verb plus all of the modifiers [descriptive words] that go with it.

• Subjects and verbs must agree with one another in number (singular or plural).

• Singular nouns must agree with singular verbs, most of which end in “s”.

• Ex: The boy runs.

• Conversely, plural nouns require verbs that usually do not end in “s”.

• Ex: The boys run.

Due to recursive nature of the standards, it is essential that teachers are aware of how all objectives within and between strands work together for optimal instruction.