Subject-verb agreement is a critical aspect of grammar that every writer must understand to create flawless content. The rule states that the subject and the verb must agree in number, meaning that a singular subject should take a singular verb, and a plural subject should take a plural verb. In this article, we will discuss examples of each Rule in Subject-Verb Agreement.
Rule 1: Singular subjects take singular verbs.
Example:
Correct – The cat sits on the mat.
Incorrect – The cat sit on the mat.
Rule 2: Plural subjects take plural verbs.
Example:
Correct – The dogs run in the park.
Incorrect – The dogs runs in the park.
Rule 3: Compound subjects that are joined by “and” take a plural verb.
Example:
Correct – Tom and Jerry are best friends.
Incorrect – Tom and Jerry is best friends.
Rule 4: When a singular subject is followed by “or,” “nor,” the verb agrees with the closest noun.
Example:
Correct – Either the boy or the girl has the key.
Incorrect – Either the boy or the girl have the key.
Rule 5: When a singular subject is followed by “either/or” or “neither/nor,” the verb agrees with the noun closest to it.
Example:
Correct – Neither the teacher nor the student was present.
Incorrect – Neither the teacher nor the student were present.
Rule 6: Indefinite pronouns such as “everyone,” “somebody,” “anyone,” and “nobody” take singular verbs.
Example:
Correct – Somebody needs to clean the table.
Incorrect – Somebody need to clean the table.
Rule 7: Collective nouns such as “team,” “committee,” and “family” take a singular or plural verb depending on the context.
Example:
Correct – The team is playing well today.
Correct – The team are undergoing fitness training.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is crucial for effective communication, and every writer must have an in-depth understanding of it. The above examples provide a clear illustration of each rule in subject-verb agreement. As a professional, I highly recommend that you master these rules to ensure your content is polished and grammatically correct.
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