Agreement in Inverted Sentences: What You Need to Know
Inverted sentences are a common feature of English grammar, particularly when it comes to certain types of writing, like journalism and academic writing. In these cases, writers often invert the subject and verb to make a sentence more concise or to emphasize a particular point. However, this can lead to confusion when it comes to agreement between the subject and verb. In this article, we`ll explore some tips and tricks for achieving proper agreement in inverted sentences.
First, let`s define what we mean by “inverted sentence.” An inverted sentence is one where the subject and verb are reversed from their typical order. For example, instead of saying “I ate breakfast,” an inverted sentence might be “Breakfast was eaten by me.” Inverted sentences can also occur with questions, such as “Is it raining?” becoming “Raining, is it?”
In order for an inverted sentence to be grammatically correct, the subject and verb must still agree in number and person. This means, for example, that if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular. If the subject is third person, the verb should have an “s” added to the end, as in “She sings.” This is the same rule that applies to regular sentence construction.
However, achieving this agreement can be tricky when dealing with inverted sentences. One common mistake is to forget the subject entirely, leading to errors like “Was eaten breakfast by me.” Another mistake is to use the wrong form of the verb, such as in “She sing.”
To avoid these errors, it`s helpful to remember that the subject is still the main focus of the sentence, even when inverted. This means that you should always start by identifying the subject and determining its number and person. Once you`ve done that, you can choose the appropriate form of the verb and place it next to the subject, as in “Was the breakfast eaten by me?” or “Sings she?”
Another trick is to mentally flip the sentence back into its normal order to check for agreement. For example, if you start with “Eaten was breakfast by me,” you can flip it back to “I ate breakfast” to make sure everything sounds correct.
It`s also important to be aware of more complex sentence structures that involve multiple subjects or clauses. In these cases, you may need to use different forms of the verb for each subject or clause. For example, consider the sentence “Out of the darkness came a man and a woman, both of whom were holding knives.” Here, “came” agrees with “man and woman” and is in the singular form to match “a man.”
In conclusion, achieving proper agreement in inverted sentences requires careful attention to the subject and verb, as well as an understanding of the basic rules of grammar. By following these tips and tricks, you can ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and grammatically correct, no matter how complex the sentence structure.