Subject-verb agreement is a grammatical rule in English that requires the subject of a sentence to agree in number with the verb. In other words, if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well. This agreement ensures that the sentence is grammatically correct and easy to understand.
Here
are some examples to illustrate subject-verb agreement:
1)
Singular subject and singular verb:
The
cat is sleeping. (The subject "cat" is singular, so the verb
"is" is also singular.)
2)
Plural subject and plural verb:
The
cats are sleeping. (The subject "cats" is plural, so the verb
"are" is also plural.)
3)
Indefinite pronoun and singular verb:
Everyone
wants to be happy. (The indefinite pronoun "everyone" is singular, so
the verb "wants" is also singular.)
4)
Collective noun and singular or plural verb:
The
team is playing well. (The collective noun "team" is singular, so the
verb "is" is also singular.)
The
team are playing well. (The collective noun "team" can also be
treated as a plural subject, so the verb "are" can also be used.)
5)
Compound subject and plural verb:
The
dog and the cat are sleeping. (The compound subject "dog and cat" is
plural, so the verb "are" is also plural.)
6)
Inverted sentence and singular or plural verb:
Here
comes the bus. (The subject "bus" is singular, so the verb
"comes" is also singular.)
Here
come the buses. (The subject "buses" is plural, so the verb
"come" is also plural.)
It's
important to note that sometimes the subject can be separated from the verb by
phrases or clauses, which can make it more difficult to determine the correct
agreement. However, the basic rule still applies: the subject and verb must
agree in number, regardless of any intervening elements.
In
summary, subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule in English grammar that
ensures sentences are clear, concise, and correct. By following this rule, you
can create sentences that are easy to read and understand, and avoid common
grammatical errors.
THANKS FOR JOINING