The note
How schools teach it now
Schools teach that a verb must agree with its subject (singular or plural) as part of Standard English: 'we were', not 'we was'; 'she doesn't', not 'she don't'. Children learn to find the real subject, even when other words come between it and the verb.
5-minute kitchen-table activity
Write subjects on sticky notes (The dog, My friends, Each of the boys, The box of pens) and make 'is' and 'are' cards. Your child matches each subject to a verb and says the sentence aloud. Talk about the tricky ones where a plural word sits right next to the verb.
Worked example
Which word completes the sentence? The box of chocolates ___ on the kitchen table. (is, are, am, be)
- Find the subject: what is on the table? The box.
- 'of chocolates' just tells us what is in the box.
- One box, so the singular verb 'is'.
Answer: is
Common mistakes to watch for
- Matching the verb to the nearest noun (chocolates) instead of the subject (box).
- Treating 'everyone' or 'each' as plural.
- Writing 'we was' or 'they was' because it's common in speech.
Encouragement
- Try saying
- “Let's find who or what the sentence is really about.”
- Rather than
- “Just go with whatever sounds right.”