Subject-verb agreement is an essential grammatical rule that can make or break the clarity of your writing. When writing a sentence, it is crucial to ensure that the subject and verb agree in number, i.e., singular or plural. If the subject and verb do not agree, the result is an error that can distract or confuse your readers. In this article, we will explore the most common subject-verb agreement sentence errors and how to avoid them.
1. Singular Subject and Plural Verb
One common subject-verb agreement error occurs when a singular subject is paired with a plural verb or vice versa. For example, “The group of students was discussing their assignments.” In this sentence, “group” is singular, but “their” is plural. The correct sentence should be “The group of students was discussing its assignments.”
To avoid this error, always double-check that the verb matches the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should be plural.
2. Compound Subjects
Another common subject-verb agreement error occurs when a sentence has a compound subject. A compound subject is when two or more subjects are joined by the conjunction “and.” For instance, “John and Mary was late for the meeting.” In this case, the verb “was” agrees with only one subject (Mary) instead of both. The correct sentence should be “John and Mary were late for the meeting.”
To avoid this error, ensure that the verb agrees with all subjects in the compound subject. If the subjects are plural, the verb should be plural, and if the subjects are singular, the verb should be singular.
3. Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns, such as everyone, somebody, anybody, nobody, someone, and anyone, can create confusion in subject-verb agreement. These pronouns are singular and require a singular verb. For instance, “Everyone have their own opinions.” Here, the verb “have” does not agree with the singular subject “everyone.” The correct sentence should be “Everyone has their own opinions.”
To avoid this error, always ensure that the verb agrees with the subject, not the object of the sentence.
4. Interrupted Subjects
Sometimes sentences have interrupted subjects, and this can lead to subject-verb agreement errors. For example, “The car, as well as the bikes, were parked outside.” Here, the subject “car” is singular, but the verb “were” is plural, matching the following plural subject “bikes.” The correct sentence should be “The car, as well as the bikes, was parked outside.”
To avoid this error, remember to match the verb with the subject closest to it and not with the interrupting phrase.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement errors can make your writing look unprofessional and confusing. By being mindful of these common errors and following the tips above, you can ensure that your writing is clear and error-free. Remember to always double-check that the verb matches the number of the subject, especially in complicated sentences. By doing so, you can improve your writing and enhance the readability of your content.