Which sentence is written correctly? “My brother [don't] like carrots, but he [love] peas.”

Use Standard Grammar, Usage, and Spelling to Edit · TELPAS Grades 4–5 writing. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Reporting category 2: find and fix an error in a short text. On the real test some of these are typed answers or sentence rewrites. Here they are multiple choice so they can be checked.

The question

Choose the best answer.

Read the sentence. The sentence has more than one error. My brother [don't] like carrots, but he [love] peas. Which sentence is written correctly?

• AMy brother don't like carrots, but he loves peas.
• BMy brother doesn't like carrots, but he loves peas.Correct answer
• CMy brother doesn't like carrots, but he love peas.
• DMy brother doesn't likes carrots, but he loves peas.

Why “My brother doesn't like carrots, but he loves peas.” is correct

This works like the sentence-rewrite items on the real test, where every error must be fixed. Both errors are subject-verb agreement: with one person (he, she, my brother), we use "doesn't" and add -s to the verb, so "he loves." The last wrong choice shows a related trap: after "doesn't," the -s goes away again.

Why the other answers are wrong

• My brother don't like carrots, but he loves peas. — This fixes "loves" but keeps "don't," which does not go with "my brother."
• My brother doesn't like carrots, but he love peas. — This fixes "doesn't" but keeps "he love." With "he," the verb adds -s.
• My brother doesn't likes carrots, but he loves peas. — After "doesn't," the verb goes back to its base form: like, not likes.

Practice more of this

More writing practice for Grades 4–5, or see the TELPAS practice test for 4th and 5th grade.