Subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of English grammar that can make or break the quality of your writing. The third rule of subject-verb agreement states that singular subjects always take singular verbs, and plural subjects always take plural verbs. In this article, we will explore the subject-verb agreement rule 3 in detail.
What is subject-verb agreement?
Subject-verb agreement is a grammatical rule that governs the use of verbs in relation to their subjects. It states that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number, which means that a singular subject must have a singular verb, and a plural subject must have a plural verb. This rule ensures that sentences are grammatically correct and easy to understand.
What is subject-verb agreement rule 3?
Subject-verb agreement rule 3 states that singular subjects always take singular verbs, while plural subjects always take plural verbs. This rule is easy to follow and helps to ensure that the verb agrees with the subject in number.
Examples of subject-verb agreement rule 3
Here are some examples that illustrate the subject-verb agreement rule 3:
Singular subject and verb: The dog barks at the cat.
The subject “dog” is singular, and the verb “barks” is singular, which makes this sentence grammatically correct.
Plural subject and verb: The dogs bark at the cats.
The subject “dogs” is plural, and the verb “bark” is plural, which makes this sentence grammatically correct.
Exceptions to subject-verb agreement rule 3
While subject-verb agreement rule 3 is generally easy to follow, there are some exceptions that you need to be aware of:
– Collective nouns: Collective nouns, such as “team”, “group”, “family”, and “committee” can take either singular or plural verbs depending on the context of the sentence. For example, “The team is playing well” (singular verb) versus “The team are arguing among themselves” (plural verb).
– Indefinite pronouns: Some indefinite pronouns, such as “each”, “every”, and “either”, are always singular and take singular verbs. For example, “Each of the boys is responsible for his own homework.”
– Compound subjects: When two or more subjects are joined by “and”, the verb is usually plural. For example, “John and Jane are going to the movies.” However, if the subjects are joined by “or” or “nor”, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. For example, “Neither John nor Jane is going to the movies.”
Conclusion
Subject-verb agreement rule 3 is an essential aspect of English grammar, and it is crucial that you understand it to ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and easy to understand. Remember to use singular verbs with singular subjects and plural verbs with plural subjects to follow this rule. Also, keep in mind the exceptions discussed above to avoid common mistakes.