Subject-Verb Agreement Rules in English Grammar

Subject-Verb Agreement in English Grammar

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental concept in English grammar that ensures a smooth flow and clarity in your writing and speaking. In essence, it involves ensuring that the subject and verb of a sentence are in a consistent form, where the verb adjusts to agree with the subject in terms of person and number.

Subject Person and Number

In English, subjects can be singular or plural, and they can refer to first, second, or third person. Understanding these categories is important for correctly applying subject-verb agreement.

• Singular: I, he/she/it, you (singular)
• Plural: We, they, you (plural)

Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

1. Consistency in person: The subject and verb should agree in terms of person, i.e., singular or plural.

   Incorrect: She go to the store. Correct: She goes to the store.

2. Consistency in number: The subject and verb should agree in terms of number, i.e., singular or plural.

   Incorrect: The classmates is studying for the test. Correct: The classmates are studying for the test.

3. Internal consistency: When subjects are connected by words like and, or, or but, they should all agree with the same verb form.

   Incorrect: My cat is sleeping and the dog is awake. Correct: My cat is sleeping and the dog is awake, or My cat and the dog are awake.

4. Subject-verb agreement with some pronouns: Certain pronouns, like some, any, and none, require plural verb agreements when used in the plural form.

   Incorrect: Some pizza is still left. Correct: Some pizzas are still left.

5. Subject-verb agreement with collective nouns: Collective nouns, like team, committee, or family, can be singular or plural, depending on context and usage.

   Incorrect: The family is going to the park. (if referring to the whole family as a unit) Correct: The family are going to the park. (if referring to each family member individually)

Exceptions to the Rule

1. Zero subject: Some verbs, like be, have, or get, do not appear in their base form in the third person singular form.

   Incorrect: *Is eating cake. Correct: Eats cake.

2. Certain verbs: Some verbs, like lay, set, or eat, have irregular forms in the third person singular form.

   Incorrect: He lays the book on the table. Correct: He lays the book on the table or He lays the books on the table (depending on context)

Practice and Application

To improve your subject-verb agreement, practice using the rules and exceptions described above. Check your writing and speaking for consistency, and if you're not sure about a particular sentence, consider rephrasing it to ensure that the subject and verb agree.

Remember that grammar is a tool to help you to communicate more effectively, and practicing subject-verb agreement will help you to write and speak more clearly and confidently. Happy learning!