Subject-verb agreement is crucial in ensuring effective communication, whether in spoken or written language. It refers to the grammatical relationship between the subject and the verb in a sentence. A sentence should have a subject and verb agreement; otherwise, it may sound awkward or confusing. In this article, we will provide you with a cheat sheet to help you identify and correct subject-verb agreement errors.
1. Singular subject with a singular verb
In a sentence, the verb should match the subject in terms of number. For instance, if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular. For example:
– The dog barks at night. (Correct)
– The dogs bark at night. (Correct)
2. Compound subject with a plural verb
When two or more subjects are connected by „and,” they form a compound subject. The verb should be plural in such cases. For example:
– Tom and Jerry are watching TV. (Correct)
– Apples and oranges taste good. (Correct)
3. Singular subject with a plural verb
This is a common mistake that many people make, where they use a plural verb with a singular subject. For example:
– The book on the table are mine. (Incorrect)
– The book on the table is mine. (Correct)
4. Nouns with collective meaning
When a noun refers to a group of people or things as a unit, it is called a collective noun. Collective nouns such as team, committee, family, government, etc. are used as singular subjects. For example:
– My family is planning a vacation. (Correct)
– The government is implementing new policies. (Correct)
5. Indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, somebody, nobody, anyone, anything, etc. are always singular and require a singular verb. For example:
– Everyone wants to be successful. (Correct)
– Somebody is knocking at the door. (Correct)
6. Agreement in tense
The tense of the verb should match the time frame of the sentence. For example:
– I am eating breakfast now. (Correct)
– I ate breakfast yesterday. (Correct)
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of effective communication. Use this cheat sheet to avoid making common errors and improve your writing skills. Remember to always proofread your work to ensure that your sentences are grammatically correct.