For Novena parents comparing weekday and weekend Primary English exam prep tuition, a precise grammar difficulty can make the decision clearer. A child may recognise two people in a sentence but overlook how the subject presents them.
A useful focus is agreement with ‘both’ and ‘either’. ‘Both of the pupils are ready’ refers to the two pupils together. ‘Either of the pupils is ready’ treats either individual as the subject choice and uses singular agreement in these examples.
A weekday lesson may keep the correction close to marked work; a weekend may offer a calmer comparison. Choose the routine that leaves enough attention for understanding and a small independent follow-up.
Find your next decision
Find the complete subject before choosing the verb · A worked example: both and either · Check another verb without changing the principle · Choose weekdays for a focused correction · Choose weekends for careful contrasts · Use three-pax discussion to expose the subject choice · Confirm scope and practical arrangements · Review agreement the child can explain
Find the complete subject before choosing the verb
Ask the child to identify what the sentence says about the people involved. Does it refer to both together, or to either individual?
Seeing a plural noun near the verb can tempt a learner to choose a plural verb immediately. The sentence structure needs attention before that decision.
Begin with clear ‘both of’ and ‘either of’ examples. These let the child examine the subject without introducing several other agreement patterns at once.
A worked example: both and either
Use this invented pair: ‘Both of the pupils are carrying folders.’ ‘Either of the pupils is able to collect the forms.’ The first describes the two pupils together; the second says either individual can perform the task.
In these standard constructions, ‘both’ takes plural agreement and ‘either’ takes singular agreement. The plural noun ‘pupils’ inside the following phrase does not determine the second verb.
Ask the child to explain the difference in meaning as well as select ‘are’ or ‘is’. A correct verb chosen by guessing does not establish the subject relationship.
Check another verb without changing the principle
Compare ‘Both of the volunteers have a badge’ with ‘Either of the volunteers has a spare badge’. The same distinction now affects ‘have’ and ‘has’.
Keep the initial lesson focused on this construction. Sentences using ‘either…or’ have additional agreement considerations and should be taught separately rather than folded into an oversimplified rule.
Use a short check: identify the subject construction, decide whether it presents both or either individual, then select the verb. Read the whole sentence to confirm the intended meaning.
Choose weekdays for a focused correction
A weekday session may work when the child brings a freshly marked exercise and remembers how the answer was chosen. The tutor can inspect whether the nearby plural noun distracted the learner.
Allow for travel, food and rest after school. Identifying the full subject requires enough attention to read beyond one conspicuous word.
Later in the week, use a few unfamiliar examples with different nouns and verbs. Ask for one explanation rather than repeat a large set of nearly identical items.
Choose weekends for careful contrasts
A weekend may suit a learner who needs time to compare meanings side by side. The tutor can ask what changes when ‘both’ becomes ‘either’.
Do not make the lesson only about swapping verbs. The child should understand whether the sentence concerns the pair or either member separately.
Arrange a small midweek check without the original examples. This reveals whether the subject-first habit is available away from the lesson.
Use three-pax discussion to expose the subject choice
In eduKate’s three-pax approach, learners can compare independent answers and explain the subject construction. A peer can check whether the chosen verb fits the explanation.
Discussion should follow individual work. Otherwise, one pupil may supply the pattern while the others appear to understand through agreement.
Ask how the tutor checks each child’s transfer in fresh sentences and original writing. The useful result is a grammar decision the learner can make independently.
Confirm scope and practical arrangements
Novena families should verify the actual teaching venue, course availability and timings directly. Include the complete journey, rest and school commitments when comparing lesson days.
For examination-year requirements, refer to your school and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board. Practice should match the child’s level and recent work.
Bring marked exercises or writing to the consultation. The first priority may be recognising the subject, selecting verb forms or reading the meaning accurately, and the teaching should begin there.
Review agreement the child can explain
Look for the learner identifying the construction and explaining why the verb fits. That reasoning makes a correct answer more useful evidence of understanding.
Compare fresh examples over time, with different verbs and longer noun phrases once the clear cases are secure. Increase complexity thoughtfully rather than all at once.
If the child understands slowly but loses the pattern when rushed, use a short subject-first check. Review the lesson slot when fatigue repeatedly prevents careful sentence reading.
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Arrange a parent–student consultation
For parents who want tuition to be clear, structured, and worth the time. Discuss your child’s starting point with eduKate. Bring recent marked work and your weekly calendar. Sign up after the starting position is clear.