SUBJECT- VERB AGREEMENT | BASIC RULES | ENGLISH GRAMMAR | Yourdaisteny

Recent questions

• What is subject-verb agreement?

  Subject-verb agreement is a grammatical rule that ensures the subject of a sentence matches the verb in number. This means that a singular subject must be paired with a singular verb, while a plural subject requires a plural verb. For example, in the sentence "The cat runs," "cat" is singular, so "runs" is also singular. Conversely, in "The dogs bark," "dogs" is plural, necessitating the plural verb "bark." Understanding this agreement is crucial for constructing grammatically correct sentences in English.

• How do I use collective nouns?

  Collective nouns refer to groups of individuals or things and can be tricky because they can take either singular or plural verbs depending on the context. If the group acts as a single unit, a singular verb is used, as in "The team wins the game." However, if the members of the group are acting individually, a plural verb is appropriate, such as in "The team are arguing among themselves." Therefore, the choice of verb depends on whether the focus is on the group as a whole or on the individual members within the group.

• What are examples of plural nouns?

  Plural nouns are words that indicate more than one person, place, thing, or idea. Common examples include "dogs," "cats," "cars," and "houses." In English, most plural nouns are formed by adding an "s" or "es" to the end of the singular form. For instance, "book" becomes "books," and "box" becomes "boxes." However, some nouns have irregular plural forms, such as "child" which becomes "children," and "mouse" which becomes "mice." Understanding how to correctly use plural nouns is essential for proper sentence structure and clarity in communication.

• What is a singular verb?

  A singular verb is a verb form that agrees with a singular subject in a sentence. This means that when the subject of the sentence is one person, place, thing, or idea, the verb must also be in its singular form. For example, in the sentence "The bird sings," "bird" is singular, so the verb "sings" is also singular. Singular verbs are typically used with subjects that are not pluralized, and recognizing the correct form is important for maintaining grammatical accuracy in writing and speech.

• How do I identify a compound subject?

  A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are joined by a conjunction, such as "and" or "or." When subjects are connected by "and," they typically take a plural verb, as in "Tom and Jerry are friends." However, when subjects are connected by "or" or "nor," the verb must agree with the subject closest to it. For example, in the sentence "Either the teacher or the students are responsible," the verb "are" agrees with "students," which is plural. Understanding how to identify and use compound subjects correctly is essential for constructing clear and grammatically correct sentences.