Subject-verb agreement is a crucial element in any well-written sentence. It is the foundation on which clear and concise communication can be built. It may seem simple, but the lack of subject-verb agreement can completely alter the meaning of a sentence, leading to confusion and misinterpretation. In this article, we will go through some paragraph examples that highlight the importance of subject-verb agreement.
Example 1:
Incorrect: The group of friends was going to the movie, but one of them decide to stay home.
Correct: The group of friends were going to the movie, but one of them decided to stay home.
In the first example, the verb “was” is singular, while the noun “friends” is plural. The correct version uses a plural verb “were” to match the plural subject. Additionally, “decide” is incorrect as it does not agree with the subject “one.” The correct version uses the third-person singular verb “decided” to match the singular subject “one of them.”
Example 2:
Incorrect: Neither the teacher nor the students were excited about the test.
Correct: Neither the teacher nor the students was excited about the test.
In this example, the subject is made up of two nouns, “teacher” and “students.” Since “neither” indicates a negative, the verb should agree with the nearest noun, which is “teacher.” Therefore, the singular verb “was” is used instead of the plural verb “were.”
Example 3:
Incorrect: Each of the employees who work in this department always take their lunch break at noon.
Correct: Each of the employees who works in this department always takes their lunch break at noon.
In this example, “employees” is plural, but “each” refers to one person. The singular verb “works” agrees with “each,” and “takes” agrees with the plural “employees.” The pronoun “their” is also used as a gender-neutral alternative to “his” or “her.”
Example 4:
Incorrect: Running, biking, and hiking are some of my favorite activities that keep me active.
Correct: Running, biking, and hiking are some of my favorite activities that keep me active.
This example may seem correct, but it actually contains a mistake. The subject “activities” is plural, but the verb “keep” is singular. The verb should be plural to agree with the subject, so “keep” becomes “keep.”
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of effective writing. It may seem like a minor detail, but it can completely change the message you are trying to convey. Remember to always double check your subject-verb agreement to ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and easy to understand.