Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental concept in the English language that refers to the matching of the verb in a sentence to the subject of the sentence. In other words, it is the agreement of the number, person, and tense between the subject and the verb in a sentence.
When writing in English, it is essential to maintain proper subject-verb agreement as it helps to ensure that your writing is clear and easy to understand. Failure to do so can result in confusing or even grammatically incorrect sentences.
The most common rule of subject-verb agreement is that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb. For example, “The dog barks” is correct, while “The dog bark” is incorrect.
However, there are some cases where subject-verb agreement can become more complicated. For instance, when the subject and verb are separated by a phrase or clause, it can be challenging to determine the correct verb form. In such cases, it is crucial to ensure that the verb agrees with the subject, not the words surrounding it.
Another instance in which subject-verb agreement can be tricky is when dealing with collective nouns. Collective nouns refer to a group of individuals or things, but they are singular in form. Examples of collective nouns include family, team, audience, and committee. When using collective nouns, it is important to decide whether the group is acting as a single entity or as individuals. If the group is acting as a single entity, use a singular verb. For example, “The team is playing well.” If the individuals in the group are acting independently, use a plural verb. For example, “The committee are divided on the issue.”
It is also important to remember that subject-verb agreement extends to verb tenses as well. For example, “He runs every day” is correct, while “He run every day” is incorrect because the tense of the verb does not agree with the subject.
Overall, maintaining proper subject-verb agreement is crucial in writing clear and understandable sentences. By following the rules of subject-verb agreement, you can ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and easy to read.