Verb Subject Agreement Game: A Fun Way to Learn Grammar
As a writer or editor, one of the most important skills you need to have is a good understanding of grammar. And one of the most basic rules of grammar is subject-verb agreement. Simply put, this means that the verb used in a sentence should match the subject in terms of number (singular or plural). For example, “She sings” is correct, while “She sing” is not.
To help you (or your students!) learn or reinforce this concept, there is a fun game that you can play called the Verb Subject Agreement Game. Here`s how it works:
Step 1: Choose a sentence from a book or create one yourself. Make sure it contains a subject and a verb.
Step 2: Write the sentence on the board, leaving a blank space where the verb is. For example, “The _____ runs.”
Step 3: Divide your group into two teams. Team A goes first.
Step 4: On a piece of paper, each member of Team A writes down a verb that they think would agree with the subject in the sentence. For example, “The dog runs.” “The cats run.” “The birds run.” Each player should write down a different verb.
Step 5: When everyone has written down a verb, they hand their paper to the team captain. The captain reads out each verb one by one, and the team decides which verb is correct. If a player wrote down a verb that doesn`t agree with the subject, they are out of the game.
Step 6: Once all the verbs have been read out, the team picks a winning verb. If it`s the correct one, they earn a point. If it`s the wrong one, the other team gets a chance to guess.
Step 7: It`s Team B`s turn to play. Repeat steps 4 to 6.
Step 8: Continue playing until you have run out of sentences or until one team has earned a specific number of points.
This game is not only fun but it also helps learners of all ages improve their grammar skills. By practicing subject-verb agreement in a playful environment, you can help them remember the rule better and apply it more effectively in their writing or editing.
To make the game more challenging, you can increase the complexity of the sentences, such as adding adjectives or adverbs, or using more unusual nouns or verbs. You can also make it a race against the clock, forcing teams to come up with their verb choices within a certain time limit.
In conclusion, the Verb Subject Agreement Game is a great way to make learning grammar more engaging and enjoyable. Whether you are a teacher, an editor, or a writer, give it a try and see how it can help you or your students become more proficient in using correct grammar.