Chapter 6: Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement in Your Writing
As a writer, ensuring that your subject-verb agreement is correct is critical to the overall clarity and readability of your work. Subject-verb agreement refers to the proper matching of the subject and verb in a sentence. The subject of a sentence is the noun or pronoun that performs the action, while the verb is the word that describes the action.
Here are some tips to follow when it comes to subject-verb agreement:
1. Singular subjects translate to singular verbs.
When you have a sentence with a singular subject, you should always opt for a singular verb. For instance, “The cat sits on the mat” (singular subject and verb). Inaccuracies arise when a singular subject is combined with a plural verb. For example, “The dog run down the street” is an incorrect statement.
2. Plural subjects need plural verbs.
Just like with singular subjects, when you have a plural subject, you should always use a plural verb. For instance, “The dogs scampered down the street” (plural subject and verb). Again, inaccuracies arise when you combine a singular verb with a plural subject, such as “The cat and the dog is sleeping” (incorrect).
3. Compound subjects can be tricky.
Compound subjects refer to two or more subjects in a single sentence. Here, you`ll need to be careful to ensure that you match the subject with the right verb form. If the subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb should match the subject closest to it. For example, “Neither the cat nor the dog is allowed on the couch” (singular subject and verb). On the other hand, if the subjects are joined by “and,” then you should use a plural verb. For example, “The cat and the dog are playing in the yard” (plural subject and verb).
4. Be mindful of indefinite pronouns.
Indefinite pronouns refer to pronouns like “everyone,” “anybody,” or “someone.” These pronouns can be tricky to match with the right verb form since they can refer to either a singular or plural subject. In this case, you can use the context of the sentence to determine if the subject is singular or plural. For instance, “Everyone is here” (singular subject and verb). “Some of the people are here” (plural subject and verb).
Proper subject-verb agreement is essential to clear and effective writing. By keeping these key guidelines in mind, you can ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and easy to understand for your readers. With practice, mastering subject-verb agreement will become second nature, resulting in better writing overall.