Question

unit 7: subject - verb agreement
lesson 44
subject - verb agreement
a verb must agree with its subject in person and number. in the present tense, add -s or -es to the base form for the third person singular.
singular
she jumps.
he watches.
plural
they jump.
they watch.
in verb phrases, the helping verbs be, have, and do change form to agree with third - person subjects.
singular
it is green.
he was sick.
she is skiing.
he has fallen down.
does she like to ski?
plural
they are green.
they were sick.
they are skiing.
they have fallen down.
do they like to ski?
exercise 1 underline the verb in parentheses that agrees with the subject.
many people (is, are) disgusted by insects.

1. however, understanding insects (helps, help) people enjoy them.
2. for example, the cricket (is, are) a fascinating creature.
3. everyone (has heard, have heard) the crickets song.
4. the crickets musical organs (is, are) on the base of its wings.
5. scientists (calls, call) them stridulating organs.
6. stridulate (comes, come) from a latin word meaning \to creak.\
7. crickets (sings, sing) by scraping their wings together.
8. most insect musicians (is, are) males.
9. scientists (assumes, assume) that they sing to attract females.
10. (does, do) you know that cockroaches have probably been on this planet longer than human beings?
11. surely this (means, mean) that the insect has extraordinary powers of survival.
12. the roach (was not designed, were not designed) to live indoors.

Explanation:

1. "Understanding insects" is a gerund phrase acting as a singular subject, so "helps" is correct.
2. "The cricket" is a singular subject, so "is" is correct.
3. "Everyone" is a singular indefinite pronoun, so "has heard" is correct.
4. "Musical organs" is plural, so "are" is correct.
5. "Scientists" is plural, so "call" is correct.
6. "Stridulate" (the subject, though it's a verb form here acting as a noun conceptually) is singular in this context (referring to the act/word), so "comes" is correct.
7. "Crickets" is plural, so "sing" is correct.
8. "Most insect musicians" (musicians is plural) so "are" is correct.
9. "Scientists" is plural, so "assume" is correct.
10. "You" takes "Do" (second - person singular/plural in this usage).
11. "This" is singular, so "means" is correct.
12. "The roach" is singular, so "was not designed" is correct.

Answer:

1. helps
2. is
3. has heard
4. are
5. call
6. comes
7. sing
8. are
9. assume
10. Do
11. means
12. was not designed