Subject-verb agreement is an important grammatical rule in the English language that can cause confusion for many writers. It requires the verb in a sentence to agree with the subject, whether it’s singular or plural. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. Failure to adhere to this rule can result in subject-verb agreement errors. In this article, we’ll examine some common subject-verb agreement error questions and how to avoid them.
1. “The group of friends were at the party.” Is this correct?
The correct sentence would be, “The group of friends was at the party.” While “group of friends” may sound plural, it is actually a collective noun, which is singular and requires a singular verb.
2. “The book, along with its characters, are interesting.” Is this correct?
The correct sentence would be, “The book, along with its characters, is interesting.” The subject of the sentence is “book,” which is singular, and not “characters,” which is plural. Therefore, the verb should be singular.
3. “Neither the teacher nor the students were happy with the test results.” Is this correct?
The correct sentence would be, “Neither the teacher nor the students was happy with the test results.” The word “neither” implies a negative sense of agreement, so the verb should be singular to match the negative subject.
4. “Everyone at the party were dancing.” Is this correct?
The correct sentence would be, “Everyone at the party was dancing.” The word “everyone” is a singular pronoun and requires a singular verb.
5. “Either the cat or the dogs are causing the mess.” Is this correct?
The correct sentence would be, “Either the cat or the dogs is causing the mess.” The word “either” implies a singular subject, so the verb should be singular to match the subject.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement errors can be avoided by paying close attention to the subject of the sentence and ensuring that the verb agrees with it in number. While these errors may seem small, they can greatly affect the clarity and readability of your writing. By mastering this fundamental grammatical rule, you can become a more effective and skilled writer.
