Understanding subject-verb agreement rules is crucial for effective communication. The agreement between a subject and its verb can directly impact the clarity and coherence of a sentence. If the subject and verb do not agree, the sentence can become confusing and difficult to read. To help you avoid this mistake, we’ve compiled nine important subject-verb agreement rules to keep in mind.
1. Singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs. For example, “The cat is sleeping” (singular subject and verb) and “The cats are sleeping” (plural subject and verb).
2. When a subject contains both singular and plural nouns, the verb should agree with the noun closest to it. For example, “The book or the pens are on the table” (plural verb) and “The pens or the book is on the table” (singular verb).
3. Collective nouns, such as “team” or “group,” take singular verbs when the group acts as a single unit. For example, “The team is practicing” and “The group decides on the location.”
4. When dealing with certain singular subjects, such as “each,” “every,” and “either,” the verb should be singular. For example, “Each student has a textbook” and “Every car needs fuel.”
5. When using “or” and “nor,” the verb should agree with the subject closest to it. For example, “Neither the teacher nor the students are ready” (plural verb) and “Neither the students nor the teacher is ready” (singular verb).
6. Indefinite pronouns, like “everyone” and “someone,” are singular and should take singular verbs. For example, “Everyone enjoys ice cream.”
7. Inverted sentences, where the subject appears after the verb, still follow the rule of subject-verb agreement. For example, “Under the bridge runs the river” (singular verb) and “On the porch sit two chairs” (plural verb).
8. Phrases beginning with “with,” “including,” and “as well as” do not change the subject-verb agreement. For example, “The dog, as well as the cat, is sleeping.”
9. For uncountable nouns, always use a singular verb. For example, “The milk was spilled” and “The water is refreshing.”
In summary, subject-verb agreement is essential for clear communication. By following these nine rules, you can confidently ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and easy to understand.