Module Report
English Composition 101
Subject-Verb Agreement
By Michele Graham
Course
Composition 101
3 Semester Hours
Prerequisite: English 100
Description
In this module, students will go to the Internet site www.funbrain.com. and take Ms.
Graham’s quiz on subject-verb agreement.
Transferability
In composition, one of the main objectives is for students to develop critical and
analytical skills in writing and reading of expository prose. Students must also develop a
firm grasp of grammar to convey those ideas clearly and effectively. This is why I teach a
seminar on subject-verb agreement in all of my English classes—English 98 (sentence
development), 100 (paragraph and essay development), 101 (various types of essay
writing), and 102 (research).
Faculty Technology Skill
• Basic computer skills
• Ability to navigate the Internet
Student Technology Skill
Same as Faculty stated above
Faculty Equipment
• Internet access
• Individual PC with Microsoft Word
• Printer, black and white or color (optional)
Improvement on Teaching and Learning
This use of technology is individually engaging, efficient, simple, and easy to learn. The
ability to access other grammar practice exercises exclusive of the textbook will only
enhance student learning. It will also break up the monotony of the same stylistically flat
and boring questions found in most textbooks. I tried to make my questions interesting by
inserting humor, names of popular entertainers, and names of popular video games. With
the quiz I developed on FunBrain.com, I also can scramble the questions and change
them periodically; therefore, the student can take the quiz as many times as possible
without getting bored. Then, the results are automatically sent to my e-mail address:
mgraham@ccc.edu. Knowing that the results are automatically sent to me encourages
students to do their best and to take the quiz many times to ensure maximum results.
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Another benefit of accessing grammar exercises this way is that it serves as an
introduction to the Internet to many students who are otherwise unfamiliar with the
Internet and are apprehensive about using it as an educational tool.
Nontechnology Comparison
Students can obviously access the fundamentals of subject-verb agreement through
lecturing, handouts, and textbooks/workbooks; however, accessing practice exercises on
the Internet is far more engaging, interactive, and fun.
How to Use in the Classroom
A primary feature of this module is flexibility. This exercise will take place in our
English computer laboratory where students will have access to computers that are more
updated, thus faster. Each computer has the common word processing program Microsoft
Word, and the room is also equipped with a printer.
A week prior to this activity, I will spend plenty of class time lecturing and assigning
group activities based on the fundamentals of subject-verb agreement, and why it is
necessary in expository writing.
On “computer day,” I’ll do the following:
1. Have students sign on to Internet Explorer.
2. Next, I’ll give them the URL (web address) www.FunBrain.com where they can
access the site that provides the grammar exercise on subject-verb agreement.
3. Next, I’ll tell the students to click on Take Your Teacher’s Quiz. Once the students
are in the Quiz Lab, they must login under Student Login. In the Secret Word box,
enter the password I created (vernett). Then, the student will enter his or her name in
the User ID box and then select GO. Once each student logs in his or her name and
enters this password, he or she will automatically go to Ms. Graham’s instruction
page. There each student will click on the link entitled Subject-Verb Agreement
Quiz under the Language Arts category and then take the quiz. This is a 50-question,
fill-in-the-blank quiz in which the student will have to select the appropriate verb
from the given options.
4. After the student takes the quiz, he or she must go to the Send Ms. Graham a
Message box located in the Quiz Lab and send me a message about the quiz. What
questions did the student have difficulties with? Did the student enjoy the quiz? Why
or why not?
Links to Websites on Subject-Verb Agreement
•
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/sv_agr.htm
Here you'll find the guidelines that govern subject-verb agreement as well as practice
quizzes to assess your knowledge.
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•
http://ace.acadiau.ca/english/grammar/s_v.htm
The English Department at SGU presents this web page for further assistance with
subject-verb agreement.
•
http://www.funbrain.com
Once you get to this site, click on quiz lab, and enter "vernett" as your student
password. Take the quiz I designed especially for you.
•
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/elc/quiz/subverb1.htm
On this site, there are no rules of subject-verb agreement, just a quiz; therefore, select
this site once you are comfortable with the rules and then take the quiz.
•
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/subjectverbmix/index_pre.html
Harcourt School offers a site that deals with other aspects of English grammar as well
as subject-verb agreement.
•
http://chompchomp.com/hotpotatoes/sva1.pdf
This site presents an excellent quiz on subject-verb agreement in Acrobat format.
•
http://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/common/stage2-6ex.htm
The English Language Center offers an excellent quiz involving pronoun agreement
also.
•
http://www.meredith.edu/grammar/subject-.htm
This website offers practice exams as well as a tutorial section.
•
http://www.vic.uh.edu/ac/student/writing/subject1.html
The University of Houston Academic Center offers tutorials that include peer
tutoring. A quiz is also attached to assess your knowledge of this subject.
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