Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammatical rule that dictates that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. This means that a singular subject must have a singular verb, whereas a plural subject must have a plural verb. While this may seem like a straightforward rule, it is easy to make mistakes with subject-verb agreement, particularly when the sentence is more complex.
Here are some common subject-verb agreement errors and how to avoid them:
1. Singular subject with a plural verb: When a singular subject is paired with a plural verb, the sentence is grammatically incorrect. For instance: “The book on the shelf are new.” In this case, “book” is singular, so the verb should also be singular. The correct sentence would be “The book on the shelf is new.”
2. Plural subject with a singular verb: Similarly, if a plural subject is paired with a singular verb, it creates a grammatical error. For example: “The cats on the roof is playing.” In this case, “cats” is plural, so the verb should also be plural. The correct sentence would be “The cats on the roof are playing.”
3. Compound subjects: When a sentence has two or more subjects, they should be joined by a conjunction such as “and” or “or.” The verb should agree with the subject that is closest to it. For instance: “My sister and my mother is visiting tomorrow.” In this case, “sister” and “mother” are both singular, so the verb should also be singular. The correct sentence would be “My sister and my mother are visiting tomorrow.”
4. Indefinite pronouns: Indefinite pronouns such as “everyone,” “everyone,” and “anyone” are singular and require a singular verb. For example: “Everyone in the office were working late.” The correct sentence would be “Everyone in the office was working late.”
5. Collective nouns: Collective nouns such as “team,” “family,” and “government” can be either singular or plural, depending on the context. For instance, “The team is playing well” and “The team are arguing amongst themselves” are both correct, depending on whether the team is acting as a single unit or as individuals.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of good grammar. It helps to create clear and concise sentences that are easy to read and understand. By avoiding these common errors and following the rules of subject-verb agreement, you can significantly improve the quality of your writing.