Subject-verb agreement is an essential grammatical rule that ensures a sentence flows smoothly and effectively. It is a crucial rule for writers who want their content to resonate with audiences effectively. Subject-verb agreement simply means that the subject and verb in a sentence must match in number. In this article, we will highlight 13 rules of subject-verb agreement with examples.
1. Rule 1: Singular subjects require singular verbs, and plural subjects require plural verbs.
Example: She walks in the park. They walk in the park.
2. Rule 2: Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, somebody, nobody, etc., are always singular and require singular verbs.
Example: Everyone loves ice cream.
3. Rule 3: Each, every, either, neither, and many a are singular and require singular verbs.
Example: Each of the players is tired.
4. Rule 4: The words with, together with, and along with do not change the number of the subject. The verb agrees with the original subject.
Example: The boy, together with his friends, is playing soccer.
5. Rule 5: Collective nouns such as team, family, group, class, etc., can be singular or plural depending on the context of the sentence.
Example: The team is playing well. The family are at the park.
6. Rule 6: Gerunds (verbs ending in -ing) are always singular and require singular verbs.
Example: Running is my favorite pastime.
7. Rule 7: Fractions and percentages are singular and require singular verbs.
Example: One-third of the pie is gone.
8. Rule 8: Titles of books, songs, movies, etc., are always singular and require singular verbs.
Example: Gone with the Wind is a classic novel.
9. Rule 9: Inverted sentences (sentences that begin with a prepositional phrase, adverb, or auxiliary verb) require the verb to agree with the subject.
Example: Into the room came the boy with the red shirt.
10. Rule 10: The words none and some can be singular or plural, depending on the context of the sentence.
Example: None of the students is late. Some of the students are late.
11. Rule 11: The word either/or and neither/nor take a singular verb if both subjects are singular.
Example: Neither the boy nor the girl is going to the party.
12. Rule 12: When two subjects are joined by and, the verb is plural.
Example: The cat and the dog are playing.
13. Rule 13: When the subject is a compound subject followed by a plural noun, use a plural verb.
Example: Bread and butter are my favorite breakfast meal.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a vital aspect of effective writing. Adhering to these 13 rules will help you avoid common grammatical errors and ensure your content flows smoothly, capturing your audience`s attention. Remember to keep these rules in mind the next time you write a sentence.