π Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement: The Basics
Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammar rule that ensures your sentences sound natural and make sense. Simply put, the verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural) with its subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.
π What is a Singular Verb?
- π― Definition: A singular verb is a verb form used when the subject of the sentence is a single person, place, thing, or idea. It indicates that only one entity is performing the action or being described.
- π£οΈ Common Forms: For most verbs in the present tense, a singular verb often ends with an '-s' or '-es' (e.g., walks, runs, eats, teaches). The verb 'to be' has singular forms like is, was. The verb 'to have' has the singular form has.
- βοΈ Example 1: The cat sleeps soundly. (Subject: cat - singular, Verb: sleeps - singular)
- π‘ Example 2: My sister is a talented artist. (Subject: sister - singular, Verb: is - singular)
- π Example 3: The student has completed the assignment. (Subject: student - singular, Verb: has - singular)
π What is a Plural Verb?
- π₯ Definition: A plural verb is a verb form used when the subject of the sentence consists of two or more people, places, things, or ideas. It indicates that multiple entities are performing the action or being described.
- πΆββοΈπΆββοΈ Common Forms: For most verbs in the present tense, a plural verb does not end with '-s' or '-es' (e.g., walk, run, eat, teach). The verb 'to be' has plural forms like are, were. The verb 'to have' has the plural form have.
- 𧩠Example 1: The cats sleep soundly. (Subject: cats - plural, Verb: sleep - plural)
- π Example 2: My sisters are talented artists. (Subject: sisters - plural, Verb: are - plural)
- β
Example 3: The students have completed the assignment. (Subject: students - plural, Verb: have - plural)
βοΈ Singular vs. Plural Verbs: A Side-by-Side Comparison
To help solidify your understanding, here's a direct comparison of singular and plural verbs:
| Feature |
Singular Verb |
Plural Verb |
| Subject Type |
One person, animal, place, thing, or idea (e.g., he, she, it, a dog, the book) |
Two or more people, animals, places, things, or ideas (e.g., they, we, dogs, books) |
| Verb Form (Present Tense) |
Often ends in -s or -es (e.g., reads, goes, teaches). Special forms: is, has, does. |
Typically does not end in -s or -es (e.g., read, go, teach). Special forms: are, have, do. |
| Example Sentence |
The bird sings beautifully. |
The birds sing beautifully. |
| Example with 'to be' |
She is happy. |
They are happy. |
| Example with 'to have' |
He has a new car. |
We have new cars. |
β¨ Key Takeaways for Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement
- π Identify the True Subject: Sometimes, words come between the subject and the verb. Ignore these intervening phrases (e.g., "One of the books is missing," not "are missing").
- π€ Watch Out for Compound Subjects: Subjects joined by "and" typically take a plural verb (e.g., "John and Mary are here"). Subjects joined by "or" or "nor" agree with the subject closest to the verb (e.g., "Neither the students nor the teacher is ready").
- π§ Collective Nouns Can Be Tricky: Nouns like team, family, audience can be singular or plural depending on whether they act as a single unit or as individuals (e.g., "The team is winning" vs. "The team are arguing among themselves").
- π§ Indefinite Pronouns: Some are always singular (e.g., each, every, either, neither, one, nobody, everyone) and take singular verbs. Others are always plural (e.g., both, few, many, several) and take plural verbs. Some can be either (e.g., all, any, none, some, most) depending on the object of the prepositional phrase following them.
- π‘ Practice Makes Perfect: The best way to master subject-verb agreement is through consistent reading, writing, and practicing with exercises. The more you expose yourself to correct usage, the more natural it will become.
- π Stay Consistent: Once you've determined the number of your subject, ensure that all verbs referring to that subject throughout your writing maintain agreement.
