Subject-verb agreement is a crucial element of English grammar that every writer should know. It is a grammatical rule that dictates that a subject and its verb must agree in number and person. In simpler terms, if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural.
A subject can be a noun, pronoun, or even a clause. Meanwhile, a verb is the action word that denotes what the subject is doing. Therefore, when writing sentences, it`s essential to make sure that the subject and verb match in number and person to prevent confusion and make the sentence clear.
Here are some key points to keep in mind when it comes to subject-verb agreement:
1. Singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects take plural verbs.
For instance, “The cat (singular) chases (singular) the mouse,” and “The cats (plural) chase (plural) the mice.”
2. When the subject is a compound subject joined by “and,” use a plural verb.
For instance, “Tom and Jerry are both cartoon characters.”
3. When the subject is a compound subject joined by “or” or “nor,” use a verb that agrees in number with the subject closest to it.
For instance, “Neither the dog nor the cats are hungry.”
4. When the subject is an indefinite pronoun such as “everyone,” “someone,” or “anybody,” use a singular verb.
For instance, “Everyone is invited to the party.”
5. Some nouns such as “news,” “mathematics,” and “physics” are always treated as singular, so use singular verbs when referring to them.
For instance, “Mathematics is a challenging subject.”
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a critical grammatical rule that can affect the clarity and coherence of your writing. By ensuring that the subject and verb match in number and person, you can make your sentences more precise and understandable. Keep these tips in mind, and you`ll be well on your way to mastering subject-verb agreement.