Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule in English grammar that every writer, student, or professional must master. In essence, this rule requires the verb of a sentence to agree in number with the subject of the sentence. This article seeks to illustrate this rule and provide some examples to help you understand it better.

Subject-verb agreement is critical because using the wrong verb form can make a sentence sound awkward, confusing, or ambiguous. For instance, consider the sentence: « The cat on the sofa eats fish. » This sentence sounds correct because the subject (« cat ») is singular, and the verb (« eats ») agrees with it. However, changing the subject to plural creates an error: « The cats on the sofa eats fish. » Here, the verb « eats » does not agree with the plural subject « cats. »

To avoid such errors, you need to know how to match the subject and verb in both singular and plural forms. In general, a singular noun needs a singular verb, and a plural noun requires a plural verb. However, there are some exceptions to this rule that you should also be aware of.

Here are some key tips to remember when applying the subject-verb agreement rule:

1. Singular subjects take singular verbs, while plural subjects take plural verbs. For example, « The dog barks » uses a singular verb because « dog » is singular. In contrast, « The dogs bark » uses a plural verb because « dogs » is plural.

2. When a sentence has two subjects joined by « and, » it usually takes a plural verb. For example, « John and Jane are coming to the party » uses a plural verb because « John » and « Jane » are both subjects.

3. When a sentence has two subjects joined by « or » or « nor, » it takes a verb that agrees with the closest subject. For example, « Neither John nor Jane is coming to the party » uses a singular verb because « Jane » is closest to the verb « is. »

4. Collective nouns (such as team, family, or group) are usually singular and take singular verbs. For example, « The team is practicing » uses a singular verb because « team » is collective.

5. Some nouns that end in « -s » or « -ics » are singular even though they look plural. For example, « The news is on » uses a singular verb because « news » is singular even though it refers to many individual news stories.

In conclusion, mastering the subject-verb agreement rule is essential for clear, effective communication in writing. By following the tips above and understanding the exceptions and nuances of this rule, you can avoid errors and convey meaning accurately and clearly in your writing.