Agreement with Verbs

Agreement with Verbs: A Guide for Effective Writing

One of the most important aspects of effective writing is ensuring that your verbs agree with their subject. If your subject is singular, your verb must be singular as well; if your subject is plural, your verb should also be plural. Failure to adhere to this grammatical rule can result in confusion, ambiguity, and ultimately poor writing.

Here are some key concepts to keep in mind when it comes to agreement with verbs:

1. Singular Subjects

When your subject is singular, your verb must also be singular. For example:

– The dog chases the cat.

– My mother is a doctor.

– The sun rises in the east.

In each of these examples, the subject (dog, mother, sun) is singular, and the verb (chases, is, rises) is also singular.

2. Plural Subjects

When your subject is plural, your verb should also be plural. For example:

– The dogs chase the cats.

– My parents are doctors.

– The stars twinkle in the night sky.

In each of these examples, the subject (dogs, parents, stars) is plural, and the verb (chase, are, twinkle) is also plural.

3. Tricky Cases

There are some cases where determining agreement with verbs can be a bit trickier. Here are a few common scenarios:

– Collective Nouns: Collective nouns refer to a group of individuals, but they are singular in form. Examples include team, audience, and group. In these cases, you must determine whether the collective noun is acting as a single unit or as individuals. If it`s acting as a single unit, use a singular verb. If it`s acting as individuals, use a plural verb. For example:

– The team is playing well. (referring to the team as a single unit)

– The team are arguing amongst themselves. (referring to the team as individuals)

– Indefinite Pronouns: Indefinite pronouns (such as anyone, everyone, somebody, and nobody) can be singular or plural, depending on the context. For example:

– Everyone was happy with the results. (singular)

– Nobody knows what happened. (singular)

– Some of the students were absent. (plural)

– Compound Subjects: If your subject is composed of two or more nouns joined by “and,” use a plural verb. For example:

– The cat and the dog are best friends.

– Singular subjects with compound nouns: If your subject is singular but made up of compound nouns, use a singular verb. For example:

– The bread and butter is delicious.

By understanding the importance of agreement with verbs and following these guidelines, you can ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and effective. Whether you`re writing a blog post, academic paper, or marketing copy, taking a few extra moments to check for agreement with verbs can make all the difference in the quality of your writing.