Subject-verb agreement is an essential element in written communication. It is a grammatical rule that every writer should follow to ensure clarity and coherence in their writing. In this article, we will explore the concept of subject-verb agreement, its importance, and provide exercises to help you improve your skills.
What is subject-verb agreement?
Subject-verb agreement simply means that the verb in a sentence must agree with the subject in number and person. For example, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. Likewise, if the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural. This agreement is important because it helps to avoid confusion and ambiguity in writing.
Why is subject-verb agreement important?
Subject-verb agreement is crucial because it conveys the meaning of a sentence accurately. If there is a disagreement between the subject and verb in a sentence, the meaning of the sentence can be distorted, leading to confusion and misinterpretation. For example, take the sentence, “The dog barks at the cat.” If we change the subject to plural, “The dogs bark at the cat,” the meaning of the sentence changes significantly.
Subject-verb agreement exercises
Now, let`s practice some exercises to improve your subject-verb agreement skills.
1. Identify the subject and verb
The first step to ensure subject-verb agreement is to identify the subject and verb in the sentence. Remember, the verb must agree with the subject in both number and person.
Example: The cat sleeps on the mat.
Subject: The cat
Verb: sleeps
2. Singular vs. plural
Once you have identified the subject and verb, determine whether they are singular or plural. This will help you choose the correct verb form.
Example: The cats sleep on the mat.
Subject: The cats
Verb: sleep
3. Irregular verbs
Some verbs have irregular forms in the past tense, so it`s important to learn and memorize them.
Example: The child runs to school every day.
Subject: The child
Verb: runs
4. Collective nouns
Collective nouns can be singular or plural, depending on how they are used in the sentence.
Example: The team is playing well this season.
Subject: The team
Verb: is playing
Example: The team are celebrating their victory.
Subject: The team
Verb: are celebrating
5. Compound subject
If the sentence has a compound subject, use a plural verb form.
Example: The cat and dog play in the yard.
Subject: The cat and dog
Verb: play
Conclusion
Subject-verb agreement is an essential skill for every writer to master. It ensures clarity and coherence in writing, and helps to avoid confusion and misinterpretation. By practicing the exercises above, you can improve your subject-verb agreement skills and produce better writing. So, go ahead and try them out!