General Rule in Subject Verb Agreement(预告)

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammatical rule that is essential in any form of writing. It refers to the relationship between the subject and the verb in a sentence, where the verb must agree with the number and person of the subject. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should be plural as well. In this article, we will discuss the general rules of subject-verb agreement to help you improve your writing.

1. Singular subjects need singular verbs.

A singular subject is a noun or pronoun that refers to one person, place, thing, or idea. When using a singular subject in a sentence, it is important to make sure that the verb is also singular. For example:

– Sarah walks to school every day.

In this sentence, the singular subject “Sarah” agrees with the singular verb “walks.”

2. Plural subjects need plural verbs.

A plural subject is a noun or pronoun that refers to two or more people, places, things, or ideas. When using a plural subject in a sentence, the verb should also be plural. For example:

– The dogs bark loudly at night.

In this sentence, the plural subject “dogs” agrees with the plural verb “bark.”

3. Indefinite pronouns can be tricky.

Indefinite pronouns are pronouns that do not refer to a specific person, place, or thing, such as “someone,” “anyone,” “everyone,” “anybody,” and “nobody.” When using indefinite pronouns as subjects in a sentence, it is important to determine whether the pronoun is singular or plural. For example:

– Everyone loves their family.

This sentence is incorrect because the singular indefinite pronoun “everyone” does not agree with the plural possessive pronoun “their.” The correct sentence should be:

– Everyone loves his or her family.

4. Compound subjects can be either singular or plural.

A compound subject is a subject that consists of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by a conjunction such as “and,” “or,” or “nor.” When using a compound subject in a sentence, it is important to determine whether the subjects are singular or plural. For example:

– John and Mary are going to the movies.

In this sentence, the plural compound subject “John and Mary” agrees with the plural verb “are going.”

5. Collective nouns can be either singular or plural.

Collective nouns refer to groups of people or things, such as “team,” “class,” “family,” or “company.” When using collective nouns as subjects in a sentence, it can be either singular or plural depending on the context. For example:

– The team is practicing for the game.

In this sentence, the collective noun “team” is used as a singular subject and agrees with the singular verb “is practicing.”

– The team are arguing with each other.

In this sentence, the collective noun “team” is used as a plural subject and agrees with the plural verb “are arguing.”

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an essential grammatical rule that ensures clarity and coherence in writing. By understanding and applying the general rules of subject-verb agreement, you can improve your writing and convey your message effectively. As a professional, I highly recommend that you pay close attention to this rule to improve your content`s readability and engagement.