Sentence Verb Agreement: The Key to Perfect Grammar
When it comes to writing, proper grammar is everything. One of the most important aspects of grammar is sentence verb agreement. Simply put, sentence verb agreement means that the subject and the verb in a sentence must agree in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.
Why Is Sentence Verb Agreement Important?
Proper sentence verb agreement is important for several reasons. For one, it helps make your writing clear and easy to understand. If your verbs don`t agree with your subjects, your sentences can become confusing, and your readers may not be able to follow what you`re trying to say.
In addition, proper sentence verb agreement is important for professional writing. Whether you`re writing a business report or a research paper, you want to make sure your writing is grammatically correct. Otherwise, you risk giving off the impression that you don`t have a strong grasp of the English language.
How to Ensure Proper Sentence Verb Agreement
Now that you understand the importance of sentence verb agreement, let`s discuss how to ensure your writing is grammatically correct.
1. Identify the subject of the sentence.
The subject of the sentence is the person, place, or thing that is doing the action. For example, in the sentence «The dog barked,» the subject is «the dog.»
2. Determine if the subject is singular or plural.
If the subject is singular, the verb should be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb should be plural. For example, in the sentence «The dog barks,» the subject is singular, and the verb is also singular. In the sentence «The dogs bark,» the subject is plural, and the verb is also plural.
3. Be aware of tricky subject-verb combinations.
Sometimes, the subject of the sentence can be tricky to identify. For example, in the sentence «The group of students is studying,» the subject is «group,» which is singular, even though «students» is plural. In this case, the verb should still be singular to agree with the singular subject.
Another example of a tricky subject-verb combination is with collective nouns. Collective nouns refer to groups of people or things. For example, «team,» «committee,» and «class» are all collective nouns. When using collective nouns as the subject of a sentence, you should use a singular verb. For example, «The team is playing well,» not «The team are playing well.»
Final Thoughts
Sentence verb agreement is an essential aspect of proper grammar. By ensuring your subjects and verbs agree in number, you can make your writing clear and easy to understand. Remember to identify the subject of the sentence, determine if it is singular or plural, and be aware of tricky subject-verb combinations. With these tips in mind, you can write with confidence and perfect grammar.
