First Grammar Lessons: Part I, Lesson X

Lesson X

Most verbs change in rather an odd way, to match the subject. They do not change the word altogether, like is and are in the verb Be, but only the last letter.

You noticed that most nouns are made plural by adding s.

Well, it seems as if the verb and the subject could have but one s between them.

When the noun is singular and does not want the s, we find it added to the verb.

The dog walks.
The boy reads.

But make dog plural, that is, put an s to it, and you will see that the verb can no longer keep its s. We cannot say “The dogs walks,” but “The dogs walk.”

To be learnt.

Many verbs are made plural by taking “s” off the singular.

Exercise X

1. Make sentences with singular nouns for subjects with these predicates: walk, run, jump, ride, sew, skip, dance.

You see it is necessary to add s to the verbs.

2. Now make those subjects plural.

The girls walks.

You find the verb must be again altered to agree with the subject.

3. Say which predicates require a singular and which a plural subject:

_____ go to school.
_____ sells butter.
_____ takes pains.
_____ are useful.