Subject verb agreement is an essential aspect of grammar that every writer should understand. When we write a sentence, we must ensure that the subject and verb agree with each other. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should be plural too. In this article, we will discuss the subject verb agreement rules in detail.
Rule 1: Agreement with a singular subject
When the subject of a sentence is singular, we should use a singular verb. For example:
Incorrect: The students is going to the library.
Correct: The student is going to the library.
In the first example, the subject is „students,” which is plural, but the verb used is singular, making it incorrect. In the second example, the subject is „student,” which is singular, and the verb used is also singular, making it correct.
Rule 2: Agreement with a plural subject
When the subject of a sentence is plural, we should use a plural verb. For example:
Incorrect: The dog barks every morning.
Correct: The dogs bark every morning.
In the first example, the subject is „dog,” which is singular, and the verb used is also singular, making it incorrect. In the second example, the subject is „dogs,” which is plural, and the verb used is also plural, making it correct.
Rule 3: Agreement with compound subjects
When a sentence has compound subjects joined by „and,” we should use a plural verb. For example:
Incorrect: The cat and the dog loves to play outside.
Correct: The cat and the dog love to play outside.
In the first example, the subject is a compound subject consisting of „cat” and „dog,” but the verb used is singular, making it incorrect. In the second example, the subject is a compound subject consisting of „cat” and „dog,” and the verb used is also plural, making it correct.
Rule 4: Agreement with collective nouns
When we use collective nouns, we should use a singular or plural verb, depending on the context. Collective nouns are nouns that represent a group of people, animals, or things. For example:
Incorrect: The team are playing well today.
Correct: The team is playing well today.
In the first example, the subject is „team,” which is a collective noun, but the verb used is plural, making it incorrect. In the second example, the subject is „team,” which is a collective noun, and the verb used is singular, making it correct.
In conclusion, subject verb agreement is an essential aspect of grammar that every writer should understand. By following the rules mentioned above, writers can ensure that their sentences are grammatically correct and effective. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to the subject and verb agreement while writing to convey your message effectively.