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Notes - Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-Verb Agreement is the grammatical rule that subjects and verbs must match in number, with singular subjects requiring singular verbs and plural subjects requiring plural verbs. Important rules include using plural verbs for subjects joined by 'and' and singular verbs for subjects connected by 'or' or 'nor'. Common mistakes involve mismatching verb forms with their corresponding subjects, which can lead to incorrect sentences.

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11 views

Notes - Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-Verb Agreement is the grammatical rule that subjects and verbs must match in number, with singular subjects requiring singular verbs and plural subjects requiring plural verbs. Important rules include using plural verbs for subjects joined by 'and' and singular verbs for subjects connected by 'or' or 'nor'. Common mistakes involve mismatching verb forms with their corresponding subjects, which can lead to incorrect sentences.

Uploaded by

pd918123pawan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Subject-Verb Agreement

What is Subject-Verb Agreement?


Subject-Verb Agreement refers to the rule that the subject and the verb in a sentence must match in
number (singular or plural). This agreement ensures that the sentence is grammatically correct.

• Singular subjects require singular verbs (verbs often ending in -s or -es).

o Example: He runs fast.

• Plural subjects require plural verbs (verbs without -s or -es).

o Example: They run fast.

If the subject and verb do not match in number, the sentence sounds incorrect.

Singular vs. Plural Verbs


1. Singular Subject + Singular Verb

o Singular verbs generally end with -s or -es in the present tense.

o Example: She works hard.

2. Plural Subject + Plural Verb

o Plural verbs do not end with -s or -es in the present tense.

o Example: They work hard.

Important Rules for Subject-Verb Agreement


1. Subjects joined by "and" take a plural verb:

o Example: John and Mary are friends.

o Explanation: Two subjects connected with "and" act as a plural subject.

2. Singular subjects connected by "or" or "nor" take a singular verb:

o Example: Either John or Mary is coming to the party.

o Explanation: When "or" or "nor" is used, the verb matches the subject closer to it.

3. When the sentence starts with "there" or "here," the verb agrees with the subject that
follows:

o Example: There is a book on the table. (singular subject: a book)

o Example: There are books on the table. (plural subject: books)

4. Collective nouns take singular verbs (in most cases):


o Example: The team is winning the game.

o Explanation: Words like "team" or "family" are considered singular entities, so they
take a singular verb.

5. Inverted sentences (e.g., questions) still follow subject-verb agreement rules:

o Example: Where are the students?

o Explanation: The verb "are" agrees with the plural subject "students."

Common Mistakes to Avoid


1. Using singular verbs with plural subjects:

o Incorrect: The students is studying.

o Correct: The students are studying.

o Explanation: "Students" is a plural subject, so it needs the plural verb "are."

2. Using plural verbs with singular subjects:

o Incorrect: She run fast.

o Correct: She runs fast.

o Explanation: "She" is singular, so the verb must be singular and take an "-s."

3. Forgetting the correct verb form with "either...or" or "neither...nor":

o Incorrect: Neither the teacher nor the students has finished the project.

o Correct: Neither the teacher nor the students have finished the project.

o Explanation: The verb "have" agrees with "students," the subject closer to it.

Key Takeaways
1. Always match the verb to the subject's number (singular/plural).

2. Pay attention to specific rules for conjunctions ("and," "or," "nor").

3. For "there" or "here" constructions, the subject following these words determines the verb.

4. Practice recognizing singular and plural subjects to ensure accuracy in verb usage.

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