Subject-verb agreement is a crucial element of grammar that is often overlooked. It is essential to ensure that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number, otherwise, it can lead to confusion and a loss of clarity. Subject-verb disagreements occur when the subject and verb do not match in number, i.e., singular or plural. In this article, we will explore the various types of subject-verb disagreements and how to avoid them.
The first type of subject-verb disagreement occurs when the subject and verb are separated by a phrase or clause. In these cases, the writer may be misled by the words in between and end up with an incorrect verb form. For example, “The group of boys were playing soccer” is incorrect because “group” is singular, and the correct verb form is “was playing.” The correct sentence is “The group of boys was playing soccer.”
The second type of subject-verb disagreement happens in sentences that contain collective nouns. Collective nouns are singular and refer to a group of people, animals, or things. However, they can be tricky because they can be followed by a singular or plural verb, depending on context. For instance, “The committee are divided on the issue” should read “The committee is divided on the issue.”
The third type of subject-verb disagreement arises when the subject is a complex noun phrase. When the subject is made up of several words, writers can make mistakes by focusing on the wrong part of the noun phrase. For example, “The pile of books on the desk are mine” should read “The pile of books on the desk is mine” since “pile” is singular.
The fourth type of subject-verb disagreement arises when the subject and verb are separated by a long or complex sentence. In such cases, the writer may forget the subject and end up with an incorrect verb form. For instance, “Running through the park, the birds on the trees were chirping” is incorrect because “birds” is not the subject of the sentence. The correct sentence is “Running through the park, I heard the birds on the trees chirping.”
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of grammar that writers must pay attention to. Subject-verb disagreements can lead to confusion and a loss of clarity in writing. By understanding the different types of subject-verb disagreements, writers can avoid making these errors and produce clear, concise, and grammatically correct content.