Subject-verb agreement is a basic grammatical rule that dictates that a subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. In other words, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well. This rule is crucial for ensuring clear communication and effective writing.
One aspect of subject-verb agreement that may be overlooked is the order in which they appear in the sentence. Generally, the subject should come before the verb in a sentence. For example:
– The cat (subject) meows (verb) loudly.
– The students (subject) study (verb) for their exams.
However, this order can be inverted in certain situations, such as:
– In questions: Are you (verb) coming (subject) to the party?
– In sentences that begin with prepositional phrases: Between the two of us (prepositional phrase), lies (verb) a secret (subject).
It`s important to note that in these cases, the subject is still the main focus of the sentence. The verb merely follows after to complete the sentence structure.
Additionally, when using compound subjects (two or more subjects joined by “and”), the verb should be plural. For example:
– Jenny and Tim (compound subject) are (verb) going to the movies.
And when using compound singular subjects, the verb should also be singular. For example:
– Peanut butter and jelly (compound singular subject) is (verb) my favorite sandwich.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a fundamental principle of clear and effective writing. By following the proper order and ensuring that subjects and verbs agree in number, writers can avoid errors and communicate their ideas more effectively to their readers.