Introduction
Ever wonder why we say “One tiger runs” but “Two tigers run”? That’s subject-verb agreement, a key grammar rule ensuring the subject (who or what does the action) matches the verb in number (singular or plural) and person. For example, “One tiger” (singular) takes “runs” (singular verb), while “They” (plural) takes “run”. This rule, vital for acing HKCEE Syllabus B and moving from my 2000 E grade to A, prevents errors like “He run”. With burgers, basketball, fitness, or Bangkok examples, mastering subject-verb agreement makes your sentences clear and confident!
- Subject-Verb Agreement: The subject (who or what does the action) and verb (the action) must match in number (singular or plural).
- Singular subjects (e.g., “one tiger”) use a singular verb, which often adds -s or -es in the present tense (e.g., One tiger runs.).
- Plural subjects (e.g., “five tigers”) use a plural verb, which is usually the base form without -s (e.g., Five tigers run.).
- Why “run” vs. “runs”:
- Five tigers run: “Five tigers” is plural, so the verb “run” (no -s) is used for general statements or habits in the simple present tense.
- One tiger runs: “One tiger” is singular, so the verb “runs” (with -s) is used.
- Why not “running”?:
- “Running” (e.g., Five tigers running) is a present participle and needs a helping verb like “are” (Five tigers are running) for a complete sentence. It’s used for actions happening right now (present continuous tense) but is less simple than “run” for general statements.
- When to use each:
- Use run (or runs) for simple, general facts or habits (e.g., Five tigers run fast.).
- Use are running (or is running) for actions happening now (e.g., Five tigers are running now.).