Subject-verb agreement is an essential concept in English grammar that ensures that the subject and verb in a sentence are in agreement with each other. In other words, the verb used in a sentence should match the number and person of the subject. A singular subject requires a singular verb, while a plural subject requires a plural verb, and this rule applies to both present and past tense sentences.
Here are a few examples to demonstrate the subject-verb agreement rule:
– The dog eats his food (singular subject – ‘dog’ – requires a singular verb – ‘eats’).
– The dogs eat their food (plural subject – ‘dogs’ – requires a plural verb – ‘eat’).
– She sings beautifully (singular subject – ‘she’ – requires a singular verb – ‘sings’).
– They sing beautifully (plural subject – ‘they’ – requires a plural verb – ‘sing’).
It is important to note that subject-verb agreement can become tricky when there are intervening phrases or clauses between the subject and verb. In such cases, the subject-verb agreement should always be based on the subject, and not on any phrase or clause within the sentence.
For instance:
– The book, along with its many sequels and prequels, is a bestseller (singular subject – ‘book’ – requires a singular verb – ‘is’).
– The books, along with their many sequels and prequels, are bestsellers (plural subject – ‘books’ – requires a plural verb – ‘are’).
Moreover, when using compound subjects joined by ‘and’, the verb should be in the plural form. However, if the compound subject refers to the same thing, it should be treated as a singular subject, and the verb should be in the singular form.
For example:
– John and Mary are coming to the party (plural subject – ‘John and Mary’ – requires a plural verb – ‘are’).
– The fish and chips tastes delicious (singular subject – ‘fish and chips’ – refers to the same thing and requires a singular verb – ‘tastes’).
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is crucial in ensuring the grammatical accuracy and clarity of a sentence. It is essential to pay attention to the number and person of the subject while selecting the verb to achieve proper agreement.