Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule in English grammar that governs the agreement between a subject and its corresponding verb in a sentence. This agreement is based on the number and person of the subject, and the form of the verb must reflect this agreement for the sentence to be grammatically correct.
Here are some key points to keep in mind when dealing with subject-verb agreement:
Singular subjects require singular verbs, and plural subjects require plural verbs. For example, “She is” (singular subject and verb) and “They are” (plural subject and verb) are both grammatically correct, while “She are” and “They is” are incorrect.
The subject and verb must agree in person. For example, “I am” (first-person singular) and “He is” (third-person singular) are both correct, while “I is” and “He am” are incorrect.
In sentences that use compound subjects (two or more subjects joined by “and”), the verb should be plural. For example, “John and Mary are” is correct, while “John and Mary is” is incorrect.
In sentences that use collective nouns (words that refer to a group of people or things), the verb may be either singular or plural, depending on whether the collective noun is acting as a single entity or as a group of individuals. For example, “The team is practicing” (singular verb, the team acts as a single entity) and “The team are arguing” (plural verb, the team acts as a group of individuals) are both correct.
In sentences that use indefinite pronouns (words like “anyone,” “everyone,” and “nobody”), the verb should agree with the pronoun in number. For example, “Anyone can” (singular verb) and “Some of the people have” (plural verb) are both correct.
In sentences that use phrases like “along with,” “as well as,” or “together with,” the subject is the noun that comes before these phrases, and the verb should agree with that noun. For example, “The dog, along with his owner, is” is correct, while “The dog, along with his owner, are” is incorrect.
Subject-verb agreement is an essential part of English grammar that ensures that sentences are clear, concise, and grammatically correct. By keeping these key points in mind, you can avoid common errors and write with confidence.
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