Rule No.12: Subject-Verb Agreement

As a professional, one of the most important rules that I follow is subject-verb agreement. This is a fundamental rule in English grammar that ensures the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action in the sentence, and the verb is the word that describes the action.

Subject-verb agreement means that the verb must agree with the subject in terms of number. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. This may sound simple enough, but this rule can be tricky when dealing with compound subjects, indefinite pronouns, and collective nouns.

Compound Subjects

A compound subject is when there are two or more subjects connected by a conjunction, such as “and,” “or,” or “nor.” When the subjects are joined by “and,” the verb should be plural. For example: “John and Jane are going to the party.” When the subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb should agree with the subject closest to the verb. For example: “Neither John nor his brothers are going to the party.”

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are words that refer to people or things in general, such as “everyone,” “someone,” “anyone,” “nothing,” and “everything.” When these words are used as the subject of a sentence, the verb should be singular. For example: “Everyone loves ice cream.”

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns refer to a group of people or things, such as “team,” “family,” or “audience.” When these words are used as the subject of a sentence, the verb can be singular or plural depending on the context. For example: “The team is playing well” and “The family are discussing their vacation plans.”

Subject-verb agreement is an essential rule in English grammar that ensures clarity and accuracy in writing. As a professional, I make sure to check for subject-verb agreement in all the content that I edit to ensure that the writing is easy to read and understand. By following this rule, writers can communicate their message effectively and convey their ideas clearly to their readers.