Subject-Verb Agreement — 3rd Grade Lesson
Students will make subjects and verbs agree in number — singular subjects take singular verbs, plural subjects take plural verbs.
3rd Grade · Subject-Verb Agreement · ~20 min lesson
Matching subjects and verbs
In English, the subject and verb must agree — they have to match in number.
- Singular subject (one) → singular verb (with -s): He runs.
- Plural subject (more than one) → plural verb (no -s): They run.
The -s rule (it’s backwards!)
Adding -s to a verb marks singular — the opposite of nouns!
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| He runs | They run |
| She sings | We sing |
| The dog barks | The dogs bark |
Who takes -s verbs?
Only singular subjects take -s verbs:
- he, she, it — take -s: She plays.
- they, we, I, you — no -s: They play.
Finding the subject first
To check agreement, find the subject (who/what is doing the action), decide if it’s one or many, then pick the matching verb.
“The dogs ___ in the yard.” (barks / bark) Subject: the dogs → plural → bark.
Common tricky cases
- Each / everyone / somebody are singular: Everyone wants a turn.
- A noun like ‘team’ can be singular: The team plays well.
How to practice at home
- Agree or disagree: say “He run” and have your child correct it.
- Swap the subject: take a sentence and change he → they, then fix the verb.
- Write and check: after writing a sentence, circle the subject and verb and check they match.
Practice with the exercises above, then download the free printable subject-verb agreement worksheet.
Practice Exercises
Try these on your own, then reveal the answer to check.
Which is correct: 'He run' or 'He runs'?
💡 He is singular — the verb needs -s.
Which is correct: 'They runs' or 'They run'?
💡 They is plural — no -s on the verb.
Fill in: 'The dog ___ fast.' (run / runs)
💡 The dog is one dog — singular.
Fill in: 'The cats ___ all day.' (sleep / sleeps)
💡 The cats is plural.
Which pronoun takes -s verbs: he, they, or we?
💡 He is singular.
Fix it: 'My mom cook dinner.'
💡 Mom is singular — add -s.
Printable Worksheets
Put this lesson into practice with free, printable worksheets — each with an answer key.
Before You Start
- Nouns and plural nouns
- Action verbs and tenses
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Writing 'He go' instead of 'He goes'
- Forgetting that 'she', 'he', and 'it' take -s verbs
What to Learn Next
Browse more Subject-Verb Agreement worksheets or explore all 3rd Grade worksheets.
Related Worksheets
Subject-Verb Agreement Worksheet
The verb must match its subject. One subject = verb with -s; more than one subject = verb without -s. Choose the correct verb.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is subject-verb agreement?
The rule that a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb: He runs, but they run.
How do I know whether to add -s?
It's the opposite of what feels natural: singular subjects (he, she, it, one thing) take the -s verb. Plural subjects (they, we, two things) take the base verb.
Original & reviewed. Every worksheet is created in-house from a grade-level skill brief, checked for a correct answer key, and reviewed for grade-appropriateness. Our editorial policy.