Subject and verb agreement is an important part of effective communication in the English language. It refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action in the sentence, while the verb is the action word that describes what the subject is doing. To ensure clarity and coherence in writing, it is important to observe the subject and verb agreement rules. In this article, we will explore the basics of subject and verb agreement rules.
1. The subject must agree with the verb in number.
In simple terms, the subject and the verb in a sentence must agree in number. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural. For example:
– She runs every morning. (singular subject and verb)
– They run every morning. (plural subject and verb)
2. Compound subjects take plural verbs.
When a sentence has a compound subject, that is, two or more subjects joined by `and,` the verb should be plural. For example:
– Mary and John are coming to the party.
3. Singular subjects joined by «or» or «nor» take a singular verb.
When a sentence has singular subjects joined by «or» or «nor,» the verb should match the subject closest to it. For instance:
– Neither the boy nor the girl is interested in sports.
4. Collective nouns can take both plural and singular verbs.
Collective nouns are nouns representing a group of individuals, such as team, family, or staff. These nouns are singular in form but can take a singular or plural verb, depending on the context. For example:
– The staff has been working hard. (singular verb)
– The staff are taking a break. (plural verb)
5. Indefinite pronouns take either singular or plural verbs.
Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, anyone, somebody, and nobody can take either a singular or plural verb, depending on the context of the sentence. For example:
– Everyone is invited to the party. (singular verb)
– Some of the students are late. (plural verb)
In conclusion, subject and verb agreement is an essential aspect of writing and communication in the English language. Observing the above rules can ensure clarity and coherence in your writing, helping your message to be understood effectively. As a copy editor, it is important to pay attention to these rules and ensure that they are observed in any piece of writing.