In which you get to learn about subject-verb agreement so I know what I'm teaching tomorrow....
Alright, last class we gave you a little quiz. That quiz, which did not count as part of your grade, was on choosing the right form of a verb so the sentence made sense, so that it "sounded right." Now, most of you did pretty well on this quiz, but not all of you. This is important stuff to know and it's something that's going to help your writing improve, so I told Mr. A I wanted to go over it with you one more time. You've been getting your Chato papers back and I know some of you lost points on silly grammar mistakes; you're getting a chance to redeem yourselves at the end of class, so we're going to come up with some ways to check yourself as you're writing.
I want to rewind a little bit first, just make sure we're all on the same page. I'm going to ask a question and I don't want anyone shouting it out. Think to yourselves. (If anyone doesn't know this by now, I'm going to be worried and I'm going to sit M next to you because I know he knows what's up. I should be able to call on any of you.) There are three things that are needed to form at complete sentence. What are they?
1. Subject
2. Verb
3. Complete thought
Good. Now, it's not just any subject or any verb. I can't just throw two words together, hope they make sense and call that a complete thought. I can't say, "The girls walks to school." or "The alligator chomp off my hand." No. What's wrong with those sentences? Do they sound how they're supposed to sound? You're right -- they don't "sound right." But just "sounding right" isn't always going to tell us the right answer.
Look at this sentence: "The girls walks to school." Raise your hand if you think this is okay. Alright -- R, why do you think this sentence is okay? So because there's more than one girl -- (what's the word for that? when there's more than one of a subject? begins with a 'p'? plural. good.) -- so "girls" is plural, so the verb has to be plural too? I think I see where you're confused here; is it the 's' on "walks"? Alright everyone, listen up -- what's confusing R is something I know others are confused about too. The plural form of verbs don't have an 's' usually.
So D, with that in mind, tell me one way you could fix this sentence. "The girls walk to school." Good. What did D change here? He changed the verb to the singular form, which does not have an 's'. R, can you tell me another way to fix this sentence? Need help? Here's a hint: D changed the verb. If you keep the same verb, keep it at "walks", what else could you change to make the sentence make sense? "The girl walks to school." Good!
So right now, you need to take out your journals. Journals out? Open to a clean page? I want you to write at the top of the page: "Subject-Verb Agreement". What we've just been talking about is subject-verb agreement. So say I have a singular subject, like "the car"; is the verb that comes after the subject going to be singular or plural? Singular!
So in your journals, write down this formula:
SINGULAR SUBJECT + SINGULAR VERB = check.
And if I have a plural subject, like "the houses", will my verb be singular? No! It will be plural. So write this down in your journals too:
PLURAL SUBJECT + PLURAL VERB = check.
So we know that singular verbs always go with singular subjects, plural verbs always go with plural subjects, but how do we determine what the verb is? Here's another rule I want you to write down in your journals: The SUBJECT determines the VERB. So that means which one is the most important? The subject, right. You wouldn't really want to change around the subject to fit the verb. If I wrote: "X sleep in class." and I wanted to fix it by changing the subject, that'd be like saying there's suddenly two X's just because I wanted to use the plural form of "sleep". That's crazy. I change the verb. So, "X sleeps in class." You agree X? Good.
So a good test here, to make sure you're using the right form of the verb, is something I like to call the "Dog Test". I know this sounds like something someone on the Jersey Shore would say, but this is something we can use to help with subjects and verbs. Pop quiz time: Who knows what a dog is? Everyone? Good. Otherwise I would have had to jump out the window. When I say the word "dog", how many dogs are there? One. Everyone knows when you say "dog" there's only one dog, so we know that "dog" is always a singular subject. Do you feel confident that you know the form of verbs that would follow after dog?
Alright, let's see. I'm going to write a list of verbs on the board. I want you to copy them all down in your journals. After you've copied them down, I want you to put them to the "dog test" -- I want you to think to yourself: "The dog ______" and fill in the blank with that verb. If it sounds right, I want you to circle it. If it doesn't sound right, leave it alone and move to the next verb. So for the first verb, I would think to myself: "The dog grows. Okay, does that sound right? Yes, it does. So I circle the word 'grows'." Everyone understand? Good. You have one minute. Go.
Look up at me when you're done. Okay, so which ones did you circle? So you circled blah blah and blah? Good job. So if "dog" is a singular subject, what does this make all these verbs you've circled? Singular verbs. What do they have on the ends? 'S'. So don't get confused -- singular verbs have s's, plural verbs don't.
Alright, good. So now it's time for the challenge. This is a three part challenge, so listen up.
In just a minute, I'm going to pass out index cards faced down on each of your desks. Why do you think I'm passing the faced down? Right -- I want you to keep them faced down. These index cards contain your first challenge. Has anyone seen the movie Inglorious Basterds? You remember that scene in the bar where they had cards on their foreheads and they had to ask questions to figure out what was written on them? We're going to play a game like that right now. Each one of you is going to have a card on your forehead that you're going to have to ask the people around you questions to figure out what's on it.
If you'll notice, there are signs in each of the four corners on the room. A, would you mind reading them for me? (Singular Subject, Plural Subject, Singular Verb, Plural Verb). Based on these signs, what types of things do you think are on your index cards? Yes -- subjects and verbs.
The rules: you need to find out if your card is a subject or a verb. You need to find out if it is singular or plural. You need to end up in the right corner. You are not allowed to ask more than one question per person. Can I get someone up here to demonstrate with me? No, not you M, you always volunteer. Someone who hasn't recently -- N! So this is what I should be seeing around the room: "Okay, so N, is my index card a subject? Yes? Great! Ummm.... T, I know I'm a subject, but am I plural? No? Okay so... that means I'm.... a SINGULAR SUBJECT." And off I go to the singular subject corner of the room. Now once you're here, the game isn't up -- you need to make sure that the other people around you are in the right corner. If they're not, help them out! This is a group effort and we won't be able to continue on to the scavenger hunt.. I mean, next challenge, until everyone is in the right section.
Okay, so everyone rise up from your seats! On your feet! Now, remove the wax paper from the back of your index cards and place your cards on your foreheads. Make sure you can see! Everyone know what they're asking? Two questions: 1.) Am I a subject or a verb? 2.) Am I singular or plural? Here's the catch, normally we give you a certain amount of time to complete these type of tasks. This time, we're timing how long it takes you. Ms. H, are you ready with the stopwatch? You guys are the first class to do this, so you're going to have to set the bar high. You're going to get a total time for all three of the challenges, so don't slack -- the winning class, whoever gets the fastest time, is going to get a prize that is TBD. Everyone ready? On your marks, get set, go!
Okay, great! Everyone is in the right place. Now it is time for the second phase of your challenge: the scavenger hunt! Yes, you still need to keep the index cards on your foreheads! There are fourteen sentences hidden around the room and it is up to you to find them all. Here are the rules: they are all in plain sight. You do not have to move anything, open anything, to find these sentences. However, here is my only hint: look up. look down. look over. look under. But no moving or opening anything. When you find these sentences, tape them to the back board. The timer will stop when everyone is back in their right corner. Okay? Ms. H, stopwatch at the ready? On your marks, get set, go!
Part three: You can take your index cards off your foreheads now. Match up index cards with correct sentences. If you're a singular subject, what type of verb are you looking for? Singular. If you're a plural subject, what type of verb are you looking for? Plural. There is only one right subject for each sentence, the one that best fits the sentence to make it a complete thought. There is also only one right verb for each sentence as well. You're going to stick the subject and verb underneath the sentence you think it goes with. Make sure you're checking other people's answers, because if someone puts one in the wrong place, they're all going to get mixed up! Once you think they're all right, the timer will stop once everyone is back in their seats. For each wrong answer, you'll get one second added to your time. Ready?? GO!
I want to rewind a little bit first, just make sure we're all on the same page. I'm going to ask a question and I don't want anyone shouting it out. Think to yourselves. (If anyone doesn't know this by now, I'm going to be worried and I'm going to sit M next to you because I know he knows what's up. I should be able to call on any of you.) There are three things that are needed to form at complete sentence. What are they?
1. Subject
2. Verb
3. Complete thought
Good. Now, it's not just any subject or any verb. I can't just throw two words together, hope they make sense and call that a complete thought. I can't say, "The girls walks to school." or "The alligator chomp off my hand." No. What's wrong with those sentences? Do they sound how they're supposed to sound? You're right -- they don't "sound right." But just "sounding right" isn't always going to tell us the right answer.
Look at this sentence: "The girls walks to school." Raise your hand if you think this is okay. Alright -- R, why do you think this sentence is okay? So because there's more than one girl -- (what's the word for that? when there's more than one of a subject? begins with a 'p'? plural. good.) -- so "girls" is plural, so the verb has to be plural too? I think I see where you're confused here; is it the 's' on "walks"? Alright everyone, listen up -- what's confusing R is something I know others are confused about too. The plural form of verbs don't have an 's' usually.
So D, with that in mind, tell me one way you could fix this sentence. "The girls walk to school." Good. What did D change here? He changed the verb to the singular form, which does not have an 's'. R, can you tell me another way to fix this sentence? Need help? Here's a hint: D changed the verb. If you keep the same verb, keep it at "walks", what else could you change to make the sentence make sense? "The girl walks to school." Good!
So right now, you need to take out your journals. Journals out? Open to a clean page? I want you to write at the top of the page: "Subject-Verb Agreement". What we've just been talking about is subject-verb agreement. So say I have a singular subject, like "the car"; is the verb that comes after the subject going to be singular or plural? Singular!
So in your journals, write down this formula:
SINGULAR SUBJECT + SINGULAR VERB = check.
And if I have a plural subject, like "the houses", will my verb be singular? No! It will be plural. So write this down in your journals too:
PLURAL SUBJECT + PLURAL VERB = check.
So we know that singular verbs always go with singular subjects, plural verbs always go with plural subjects, but how do we determine what the verb is? Here's another rule I want you to write down in your journals: The SUBJECT determines the VERB. So that means which one is the most important? The subject, right. You wouldn't really want to change around the subject to fit the verb. If I wrote: "X sleep in class." and I wanted to fix it by changing the subject, that'd be like saying there's suddenly two X's just because I wanted to use the plural form of "sleep". That's crazy. I change the verb. So, "X sleeps in class." You agree X? Good.
So a good test here, to make sure you're using the right form of the verb, is something I like to call the "Dog Test". I know this sounds like something someone on the Jersey Shore would say, but this is something we can use to help with subjects and verbs. Pop quiz time: Who knows what a dog is? Everyone? Good. Otherwise I would have had to jump out the window. When I say the word "dog", how many dogs are there? One. Everyone knows when you say "dog" there's only one dog, so we know that "dog" is always a singular subject. Do you feel confident that you know the form of verbs that would follow after dog?
Alright, let's see. I'm going to write a list of verbs on the board. I want you to copy them all down in your journals. After you've copied them down, I want you to put them to the "dog test" -- I want you to think to yourself: "The dog ______" and fill in the blank with that verb. If it sounds right, I want you to circle it. If it doesn't sound right, leave it alone and move to the next verb. So for the first verb, I would think to myself: "The dog grows. Okay, does that sound right? Yes, it does. So I circle the word 'grows'." Everyone understand? Good. You have one minute. Go.
Look up at me when you're done. Okay, so which ones did you circle? So you circled blah blah and blah? Good job. So if "dog" is a singular subject, what does this make all these verbs you've circled? Singular verbs. What do they have on the ends? 'S'. So don't get confused -- singular verbs have s's, plural verbs don't.
Alright, good. So now it's time for the challenge. This is a three part challenge, so listen up.
In just a minute, I'm going to pass out index cards faced down on each of your desks. Why do you think I'm passing the faced down? Right -- I want you to keep them faced down. These index cards contain your first challenge. Has anyone seen the movie Inglorious Basterds? You remember that scene in the bar where they had cards on their foreheads and they had to ask questions to figure out what was written on them? We're going to play a game like that right now. Each one of you is going to have a card on your forehead that you're going to have to ask the people around you questions to figure out what's on it.
If you'll notice, there are signs in each of the four corners on the room. A, would you mind reading them for me? (Singular Subject, Plural Subject, Singular Verb, Plural Verb). Based on these signs, what types of things do you think are on your index cards? Yes -- subjects and verbs.
The rules: you need to find out if your card is a subject or a verb. You need to find out if it is singular or plural. You need to end up in the right corner. You are not allowed to ask more than one question per person. Can I get someone up here to demonstrate with me? No, not you M, you always volunteer. Someone who hasn't recently -- N! So this is what I should be seeing around the room: "Okay, so N, is my index card a subject? Yes? Great! Ummm.... T, I know I'm a subject, but am I plural? No? Okay so... that means I'm.... a SINGULAR SUBJECT." And off I go to the singular subject corner of the room. Now once you're here, the game isn't up -- you need to make sure that the other people around you are in the right corner. If they're not, help them out! This is a group effort and we won't be able to continue on to the scavenger hunt.. I mean, next challenge, until everyone is in the right section.
Okay, so everyone rise up from your seats! On your feet! Now, remove the wax paper from the back of your index cards and place your cards on your foreheads. Make sure you can see! Everyone know what they're asking? Two questions: 1.) Am I a subject or a verb? 2.) Am I singular or plural? Here's the catch, normally we give you a certain amount of time to complete these type of tasks. This time, we're timing how long it takes you. Ms. H, are you ready with the stopwatch? You guys are the first class to do this, so you're going to have to set the bar high. You're going to get a total time for all three of the challenges, so don't slack -- the winning class, whoever gets the fastest time, is going to get a prize that is TBD. Everyone ready? On your marks, get set, go!
Okay, great! Everyone is in the right place. Now it is time for the second phase of your challenge: the scavenger hunt! Yes, you still need to keep the index cards on your foreheads! There are fourteen sentences hidden around the room and it is up to you to find them all. Here are the rules: they are all in plain sight. You do not have to move anything, open anything, to find these sentences. However, here is my only hint: look up. look down. look over. look under. But no moving or opening anything. When you find these sentences, tape them to the back board. The timer will stop when everyone is back in their right corner. Okay? Ms. H, stopwatch at the ready? On your marks, get set, go!
Part three: You can take your index cards off your foreheads now. Match up index cards with correct sentences. If you're a singular subject, what type of verb are you looking for? Singular. If you're a plural subject, what type of verb are you looking for? Plural. There is only one right subject for each sentence, the one that best fits the sentence to make it a complete thought. There is also only one right verb for each sentence as well. You're going to stick the subject and verb underneath the sentence you think it goes with. Make sure you're checking other people's answers, because if someone puts one in the wrong place, they're all going to get mixed up! Once you think they're all right, the timer will stop once everyone is back in their seats. For each wrong answer, you'll get one second added to your time. Ready?? GO!