Grade 10 English 9.3.1 Sentences,9.3.2 Subject-Verb Agreement Notes

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9.3 Grammar in Use — Notes for learners (Age 15, Kenya)

Subtopics: 9.3.1 Sentences • 9.3.2 Subject–Verb Agreement

Specific Learning Outcomes

(a) Explain basic rules of subject–verb agreement in sentences.
(b) Apply agreement rules when using count and non‑count nouns.
(c) Construct active and passive sentences in oral and written texts.
(d) Use count and non‑count nouns correctly in sentences.
(e) Advocate for the use of varied sentences in communication.
(f) Identify active voice, passive voice, count nouns and non‑count nouns.

1. What is a sentence?

A sentence is a group of words that gives a complete thought. Every sentence has a subject (who or what) and a predicate (the verb and information about the subject).

Simple example:

The farmer harvests maize. (Subject = The farmer. Verb = harvests. Object = maize.)

2. Subject–Verb Agreement — basic rules

Singular subject → singular verb. Example: He walks, The teacher explains.
Plural subject → plural verb. Example: They walk, The students explain.
For most verbs in present simple add -s or -es for third person singular: she runs, it watches.
Use the correct form of “be” and auxiliary verbs: is/are, has/have, does/do.
With compound subjects joined by and, use a plural verb: The mother and father are at the market.
With subjects joined by or / nor, the verb agrees with the nearest subject: Neither the students nor the teacher is ready. vs Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.
Collective nouns (team, family, committee) are usually treated as singular: The team is winning (British and Kenyan English often treat as singular).

3. Count and non‑count nouns — effect on agreement

Count nouns (can be counted) have singular and plural forms: mango / mangoes, student / students. Non‑count nouns (mass nouns) do not take plural forms and use singular verbs: rice, water, tea, maize, advice.

Count noun example: One mango is ripe. Five mangoes are on the tree.
Non‑count example: The maize is wet. Sugar is sweet.
Quantifiers: some, all, most, a lot of — verb depends on whether the noun is count or non‑count:
- Some students are absent. (students = plural)
- Some rice is left. (rice = non‑count → singular verb)
Amounts used as a single unit take singular verbs: Ten litres of water is enough.

4. Active and passive voice — how to form and when to use

Active: subject performs the action. Passive: subject receives the action.

Make passive in 3 steps:

Make the object of the active sentence the subject of the passive sentence.
Use the correct form of be + past participle (match the tense).
Optionally add by + agent to show who performed the action.

Examples (present simple):

Active: The teacher explains the exam.

Passive: The exam is explained by the teacher.

Examples with Kenyan context:

Active: The farmer waters the tea plants. → Passive: The tea plants are watered by the farmer.
Active: Students read the notice. → Passive: The notice is read by students.

5. How this fits the learning outcomes (short mapping)

(a) & (b) Rules in sections 2–3 explain and show count vs non‑count agreement.
(c) Section 4 shows how to construct active and passive sentences.
(d) Count / non‑count examples in section 3 help use nouns correctly.
(e) Section 6 gives ways to vary sentences for better communication.
(f) Exercises below ask learners to identify active/passive and noun types.

6. Tips for writing and speaking (advocate varied sentences)

Mix short and long sentences: short for emphasis, longer for detail.
Prefer active voice when you want clear, direct sentences. Use passive when the action or result is more important than the actor.
Use a variety of sentence types (simple, compound, complex) to hold the reader's interest.
Check noun types: if unsure whether a noun is count or non‑count, try to add numbers — if numbers work (one mango, two mangoes) it is count; if not (one rice ❌) it is non‑count.

7. Practice exercises (do these in class or at home)

Choose the correct verb:
1. The teacher (is / are) ready.
2. Some of the maize (was / were) eaten by goats.
3. My sister and I (visit / visits) the market on Saturdays.
4. Either the driver or the conductors (is / are) responsible.
5. A lot of sugar (is / are) used in the tea.
Identify whether the underlined noun is count or non‑count (write Count or Non‑count):
1. rice
2. students
3. advice
4. mango
Change these active sentences to passive:
1. The school organised the football match.
2. Farmers harvest tea leaves early in the morning.
Identify voice and noun type (example answer format: Active; Count):
1. The maize is stored in the granary.
2. Two students have completed the project.

Answers

a) is; b) were (if maize counted as separate small units eaten; more common: was eaten — accept both if explained); c) visit; d) are (nearest subject 'conductors' plural); e) is
a) Non‑count; b) Count (plural); c) Non‑count; d) Count
a) The football match was organised by the school. b) Tea leaves are harvested early in the morning by farmers.
a) Passive; Non‑count. (The sentence is passive: "is stored"; maize = non‑count.) b) Active; Count. (Two students = plural count; verb 'have' plural.)

8. Classroom activities (10–20 minutes each)

Pair activity: Give each pair 6 sentences. One student changes active → passive, the other checks subject–verb agreement and noun type.
Group editing: Provide a short paragraph (Kenyan context — e.g., school harvest day). Students rewrite to use varied sentences and correct agreement.
Role play: One student reads a short report in active voice; another rewrites it for radio (use passive where needed), then present.

9. Assessment checklist for teachers

Can the learner identify subject and verb in a sentence?
Can the learner choose correct verb forms for singular/plural and for count/non‑count nouns?
Can the learner convert sentences between active and passive with correct tense and agreement?
Does the learner use a variety of sentence structures in a short writing task?

Note: Use local examples (maize, tea, matatu, market, harvest) when practising. Encourage learners to explain why a verb form is correct — this builds understanding, not just memorisation.

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Topics

9.3.1 Sentences,9.3.2 Subject-Verb Agreement Notes, Quizzes & Revision