Subject Verb Agreement
Introduction: Language works best when its parts are in harmony, and subject-verb agreement is one of the most important aspects of this harmony. Subject-verb agreement means that the verb in a sentence must correspond correctly with its subject in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third). We very often make mistakes in using the proper verb with a subject in the sentence. We need to use the verb that agrees with the subject. For example, in the sentence “The quality of the mangoes was not good,” the true subject is “quality,” not “mangoes.” Hence, the verb should be singular ( was ). Mastery of this rule ensures both correctness and elegance in English expression. Main Rules of Subject–Verb Agreement 1. Singular and Plural Subjects with ‘and’ When two or more singular nouns or pronouns joined by and generally take a plural verb. For Examples: 1. Gold and silver are preci...