Subject-verb agreement

Definition

Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that the subject of a sentence must match its verb in number and person. This means that singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects require plural verbs, ensuring clarity and coherence in communication.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Subject-verb agreement errors often occur when the subject is separated from the verb by other words, making it difficult to determine if they agree.
2. Collective nouns, like 'team' or 'group,' can be tricky; they can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individuals.
3. Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone' or 'some' can also cause confusion in agreement; for instance, 'everyone is' rather than 'everyone are.'
4. When using compound subjects joined by 'and,' a plural verb is required; however, if connected by 'or' or 'nor,' the verb should agree with the closest subject.
5. In cases where the subject is a fraction or a percentage, the verb should agree with the noun that follows the phrase (e.g., 'Thirty percent of the apples are rotten').

Review Questions

• How does the placement of modifiers affect subject-verb agreement in a sentence?
  • Modifiers placed between the subject and verb can create confusion regarding agreement. For instance, in a sentence like 'The box of toys was on the floor,' the subject 'box' is singular, so it takes the singular verb 'was.' If one were to misidentify 'toys' as the subject due to its position, it could lead to incorrect usage of a plural verb. Therefore, clear identification of the subject helps maintain proper agreement.
• Discuss how collective nouns influence subject-verb agreement and provide examples to illustrate your point.
  • Collective nouns can significantly influence subject-verb agreement because they can be treated as either singular or plural based on context. For example, in the sentence 'The team wins every game,' 'team' is acting as a single unit, so it takes a singular verb. Conversely, if we say 'The team are arguing among themselves,' it implies individual actions within the group, requiring a plural verb. Understanding this distinction helps prevent common errors in agreement.
• Evaluate how context can alter subject-verb agreement rules in complex sentences with multiple subjects.
  • In complex sentences where multiple subjects are present, context plays a crucial role in determining correct subject-verb agreement. For example, consider the sentence: 'Neither the manager nor the employees were satisfied.' Here, 'employees' is closer to the verb and determines that a plural verb is needed. Conversely, if rephrased to say 'Neither the employees nor the manager was satisfied,' it illustrates how context changes which noun governs the verb's form. This flexibility underlines the importance of careful construction and comprehension in maintaining grammatical accuracy.

Related terms

Subject: The noun or pronoun in a sentence that performs the action or is described by the verb.

Verb: The word in a sentence that expresses action, occurrence, or state of being.

Pluralization: The process of changing a word to indicate that it refers to more than one person, animal, thing, or concept.