Subject-verb agreement is an important grammar concept that students need to master during their high school years. This lesson plan is designed to help students understand the importance of subject-verb agreement and how to use it correctly in their writing.
Objective: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify the correct verb form to use with a given subject, and use subject-verb agreement correctly in their writing.
Materials Needed: Whiteboard or chalkboard, markers or chalk, handouts with subject-verb agreement examples and exercises.
Introduction (10 minutes):
Begin the lesson by explaining to students what subject-verb agreement is. Provide examples of sentences with correct and incorrect subject-verb agreement, and explain how they differ in meaning. Discuss why proper subject-verb agreement is important in writing, and how it can affect the clarity and correctness of a sentence.
Activity 1 (15 minutes):
Write a few simple sentences on the board, and ask students to identify the subject and verb in each sentence. Then, have students identify the correct form of the verb to use with the subject. Provide feedback and explanations as needed.
Example sentences:
– The cat (is/are) sleeping on the couch.
– The dogs (bark/barks) loudly at night.
– My friends (enjoys/enjoy) playing soccer.
Activity 2 (20 minutes):
Distribute handouts with subject-verb agreement examples and exercises. Have students work individually or in pairs to complete the exercises. After they finish, review the answers as a class, discussing any questions or issues that students encountered.
Example exercise:
Circle the correct verb form for each subject in the sentences below.
1. The team (has/have) been practicing for weeks.
2. Neither the teacher nor the students (like/likes) pop quizzes.
3. Every day, he (walk/walks) to school.
Conclusion (5 minutes):
Summarize the key points of the lesson, and review why subject-verb agreement is important in writing. Encourage students to continue practicing their subject-verb agreement skills in their writing.
By following this lesson plan, students will develop their ability to use subject-verb agreement correctly and effectively in their writing. This understanding will benefit them greatly in their academic lives and beyond.