Writing

Verbs: Number and Form

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Verbs: Number and Form
Reviewing Verbs
This lesson provides practice in using verbs correctly. It covers three of the most common errors in verb usage:

1. incorrect number
2. incorrect verb form (or tense)
3. incorrect verb for the context of the sentence
Verbs: Number and Form
Using the Correct Number
Verbs can be singular or plural. A singular verb is used when its subject refers to a single person, place, or thing. A plural verb is used when its subject refers to more than one person, place, or thing. In a sentence, the verb and subject must agree in number.
Singular Forms Plural Forms
The tenor sings very well. The tenors sing very well.
The woman has the books. The women have the books.
The boy is giving a party. The boys are giving a party.
Verbs: Number and Form
It is sometimes difficult to tell whether a verb should be singular or plural. Two situations are especially tricky.
1. When the verb comes before the subject, check the subject carefully to see whether it is singular, plural, or a compound subject. Compound subjects require a plural verb.
Are Lisa and Lynn ready?
2. When a phrase comes between the subject and verb, ignore the nouns in the intervening phrase. It is the subject noun that determines whether the verb is singular or plural.
The box of raisins and nuts was on the table.
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 1 of 15
The verb and subject agree in number. The subject "houses" is plural. "Are" is the plural form of the verb. Try again.
The subject "cars" is plural. The plural form of the verb "takes" should be used so the subject and verb agree in number.
The verb and subject agree in number. The subject "trees" is plural. "Need" is the plural form of the verb. Try again.
One of the sentences has a subject and a verb that do not agree in number. Try again.
A verb must agree with its subject in number.
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 2 of 15
The subject and verb agree in number. The subject "smallest" is singular. "Is" is a singular verb. Try again.
The subject and verb agree in number. The subject "student" is singular. The verb "receives" is also singular. Try again.
The subject and verb agree in number. "Plants" is a plural subject. "Are" is a plural verb. Try again.
The subject and verb agree in number in each sentence.
Look at the subject and verb, and ignore the intervening phrase.
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 3 of 15
The compound subject "Bo and Ted" requires a plural verb.
The subject "members" is a plural noun. It requires a plural verb. "Are" is the plural form of the verb. Try again.
The verb agrees with its subject in number. The subject "grinder" is a singular noun. The verb "is" is also singular. Try again.
In one of the sentences, a singular verb form is used where the plural verb form is needed. Try again.
In each sentence, the verb comes before the subject.
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 4 of 15
The subject "cups and saucers" is a compound subject, so it requires a plural verb. "Are" is the plural form of the verb. Try again.
The subject "mother and father" is a compound subject. It requires a plural verb.
The subject and verb agree in number. The subject "vase" is singular. "Is" is the singular form of the verb. Try again.
In one sentence, a singular verb form is used where a plural verb form is needed. Try again.
A verb must agree with its subject in number.
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 5 of 15
The subject "one" is singular. It requires a singular verb.
The subject and verb agree in number. The subject "anyone" is singular. "Has seen" is the singular form of the verb. Try again.
The verb and subject agree in number. The subject "several" is plural. "Are" is the plural form of the verb. Try again.
In one sentence, a plural verb form is used where the singular verb form is needed. Try again.
A verb must agree with its subject in number.
Verbs: Number and Form
Using the Correct Form
Each verb has three main forms: present, past, and past participle.
Present: We fix TVs and VCRs.
Past: We fixed your TV yesterday.
Past Participle: We had fixed your TV before.

The past tense and past participle of most verbs are formed by adding "d" or "ed" to the end of the present tense. These verbs are called regular verbs.
Present   Past   Past Participle
yell   yelled   (had) yelled
stop   stopped   (had) stopped
walk   walked   (had) walked
Verbs: Number and Form
Irregular Verbs
Some verbs have past and past participle forms that are not spelled in a regular way. These verbs are called irregular verbs because there is no simple rule for their spellings.

Present Past Past Participle
break broke broken
know knew known
lie lay lain
ring rang rung
swim swam swum
Verbs: Number and Form
Using the Correct Verb for the Sentence Context
Some verbs are confusing to nearly everyone. The meanings of these verbs should be memorized to ensure that the verbs are used correctly within the context of a sentence.

Present Past Past Participle
adapt (to change) adapted adapted
adopt (to take) adopted adopted
lie (to recline) lay lain
lay (to put) laid laid
rise (to go up) rose risen
raise (to force up) raised raised
sit (to rest) sat sat
set (to place) set set
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 6 of 15
The past tense verb "burst" is used correctly. Try again.
The past participle verb form "driven" is used correctly. Try again.
The past tense verb "flew" is used correctly. Try again.
In all of the sentences, irregular verbs are used correctly.
The past tense of irregular verbs is not formed by adding "ed."
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 7 of 15
The verb "swear" is irregular. The past tense is not formed by adding "ed."
The past tense verb form "gave" is used correctly. Try again.
The past participle verb form "written" is used correctly. Try again.
In one sentence, the past tense of an irregular verb has been incorrectly formed by adding "ed." Try again.
The past tense of irregular verbs is not formed by adding "ed."
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 8 of 15
The verb "grow" is irregular. Its past tense is not formed by adding "ed."
The past tense verb "became" is used correctly in this sentence. Try again.
The past participle verb form "rung" is used correctly in this sentence. Try again.
In one of the sentences, the past tense of an irregular verb has been incorrectly formed by adding "ed." Try again.
The past tense of irregular verbs is not formed by adding "ed."
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 9 of 15
The past participle verb form "chosen" is used correctly. Try again.
The present tense verb form "leads" is used correctly. Try again.
The verb "spring" is irregular. The past tense is not formed by adding "ed."
In one sentence, the past tense of an irregular verb has been incorrectly formed by adding "ed." Try again.
The past tense of irregular verbs is not formed by adding "ed."
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 10 of 15
The verb "speak" is irregular. The past tense is not formed by adding "ed."
The past tense verb form "rode" is used correctly. Try again.
The past tense verb form "spoke" is used correctly. Try again.
In one sentence, the past tense form of an irregular verb has been incorrectly formed by adding "ed." Try again.
The past tense of irregular verbs is not formed by adding "ed."
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 11 of 15
The past participle verb form "flown" is used correctly. Try again.
The past tense verb form "burst" is used correctly. Try again.
The verb "drive" is irregular. The past tense is not formed by adding "ed."
In one sentence, the past tense form of an irregular verb has been incorrectly formed by adding "ed." Try again.
The past tense of irregular verbs is not formed by adding "ed."
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 12 of 15
The context of the sentence requires the present tense verb "sit," which means "to be seated."
The present tense of the verb "set," which means "to place," is used correctly. Try again.
The present tense of the verb "set," which means "to place," is used correctly. Try again.
In one sentence, the verb meaning "to place" is used where the verb meaning "to be seated" is needed. Try again.
The context of one sentence requires the present tense verb that means "to be seated."
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 13 of 15
The sentence requires "lay," the past tense of the verb "lie," which means "to recline." Try again.
The sentence requires "lain," the past participle of the verb "lie," which means "to recline." Try again.
The context of the sentence requires the present tense of the verb "lie," which means "to recline."
In one sentence, the past tense of the verb that means "to recline" is used where the present tense is needed. Try again.
The context of one sentence requires the present tense of the verb that means "to recline."
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 14 of 15
The sentence requires the past tense of the verb "adopt," which means "to take."
"Adopted," the past tense of the verb that means "to take," is used correctly. Try again.
"Adapt," the present tense of the verb that means "to adjust," is used correctly. Try again.
One sentence requires the past tense of the verb that means "to take." Try again.
In one sentence, the past tense verb that means "to adjust" is used where the past tense verb that means "to take" is needed.
Verbs: Number and Form
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Question 15 of 15
"Risen," the past participle of the verb that means "to go up," is used correctly. Try again.
The context of the sentence requires the past tense of the verb that means "to go up."
"Raised," the past tense of the verb that means "to force up," is used correctly. Try again.
In one sentence, the past tense verb that means "to force up" is used instead of the past tense verb that means "to go up." Try again.
In one sentence, the past tense verb that means "to force up" is used where the past tense verb that means "to go up" is needed.
Verbs: Number and Form