Subject verb agreement is a crucial aspect of written communication. This grammatical rule dictates that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. Simply put, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural too.
One common error in subject verb agreement is when the subject and the verb are separated by intervening words or phrases. This situation can be tricky because the writer sometimes tends to ignore the subject and focuses only on the noun or pronoun closest to the verb. However, this can result in a disagreement between the subject and verb.
For instance, consider the sentence, „A bouquet of flowers were on the table.” In this example, the noun „bouquet” is singular, but the verb „were” is plural. The error is a result of the intervening phrase „of flowers,” which is plural, causing confusion.
To correct this error, the sentence should be rewritten as, „A bouquet of flowers was on the table.” Here, the singular verb „was” agrees with the singular subject „bouquet.”
Another instance of subject verb agreement error occurs when the subject is a collective noun. Collective nouns refer to a group of individuals, but they are considered singular in grammar. Examples of collective nouns include „family,” „team,” and „jury.” These nouns are often misleading because they refer to more than one individual, and this can lead to confusion in choosing the correct verb.
For example, consider the sentence, „The team is excited to play in the championship.” Although „team” refers to several people, it is considered a single entity, making it singular. Therefore, the correct verb should be „is,” not „are.”
In conclusion, subject verb agreement is an essential grammatical rule that writers must be keen on. Writers must pay attention to intervening words or phrases that may cause confusion, and also be aware of collective nouns. Taking the time to proofread and edit written work ensures that subject verb agreement errors are avoided, making written communication more effective and professional.
