Subject-verb agreement is the foundation of good grammar and is crucial in effective communication. A subject-verb agreement error occurs when the subject and the verb in a sentence do not match in number, which leads to confusion and ambiguity. If you`re unsure whether you`ve made a subject-verb agreement error, here are some examples to help you understand the concept.
Example 1: Singular Subject with Plural Verb
Incorrect: The dog barks loudly at night.
Correct: The dog barks loudly at night.
In this example, the subject `dog` is singular, but the verb `barks` is plural. The correct verb form for this sentence would be `bark.`
Example 2: Plural Subject with Singular Verb
Incorrect: The books on the shelf was dusty.
Correct: The books on the shelf were dusty.
In this example, the subject `books` is plural, but the verb `was` is singular. The correct verb form for this sentence would be `were.`
Example 3: Compound Subject with Singular Verb
Incorrect: The dog and the cat runs in the garden.
Correct: The dog and the cat run in the garden.
In this example, the compound subject `dog and cat` is plural, but the verb `runs` is singular. The correct verb form for this sentence would be `run.`
Example 4: Indefinite Pronouns with Singular Verbs
Incorrect: Everyone loves their car.
Correct: Everyone loves his or her car.
In this example, the indefinite pronoun `everyone` is singular, but the pronoun `their` is plural. The correct pronoun for this sentence would be `his or her.`
Example 5: Collective Nouns with Singular Verbs
Incorrect: The team are playing well.
Correct: The team is playing well.
In this example, `team` is a collective noun, which refers to a group of individuals acting as a single entity. Hence, even though it is plural in form, it requires a singular verb.
Subject-verb agreement errors can be easily avoided by paying attention to the number of the subject and the verb in a sentence. Make sure they match in number to ensure clarity and precision in your writing.
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