Straight talking and methodical, "Smashing Grammar" (Our Grammar Book, 2019), Read more about using a singular or plural verb with, Read more about ending a long, compound subject with a comma, Ending a long, compound subject with a comma. Please don’t write like my two-year-old speaks! Having your work proofread is a good idea if you’re not confident about this aspect of grammar. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Here are two good reasons with care about compound subjects. *There are some singular words that frequently trip people up. by Jean Little | Sep 11, 2020 | Writing Tips | 0 comments. When writing and speaking in present tenses, the subjects and verbs in a sentence need to be in the same form, or, “agree” with each other, and that’s called subject-verb agreement (SVA).Subjects and verbs have single and plural forms, and it’s important not to mix them up.
All sentences need a subject and a verb to be complete, but if they don’t match, the sentence won’t make sense!
If you have any funny examples of agreement problems, or if you have a real toughie that needs the attention of a professional, please comment below! When information separates a subject and verb, the agreement between them could be A singular subject looks like this: Mary likes watermelon. Neither lamps nor clocks are in the box.
Auxiliary (or “helper”) verbs (e.g., “is”/“are” or “has”/“have”) also cause trouble, since they often change depending on whether the subject is singular or plural when using a past participle (e.g., “The boy has finished his homework” vs. “The boys have finished their homework”). Vocational rather than academic, "Grammar for Grown-ups" is packed with real-life examples and keeps you engaged with a wealth of great quotations from Homer the Greek to Homer the Simpson.
When two subjects are joined with the coordinating conjunction “and,” we always use a plural verb: However, when using “either/or” or “neither/nor,” whether to use a singular or plural verb depends on the noun nearest to it: Singular: Either the girls or the boy is going to the game. One common mistake with subject–verb agreement occurs when a parenthetical statement appears between the subject and the verb: The man, in the company of his dog, goes for a walk. While simple sentences like “she turns her articles in early” and “they turn their articles in late” rarely cause a problem, more complex sentences can give even the most experienced writers a run for their money. After using a compound subject, writers are sometimes unsure whether to use a singular or plural verb. SUBJECT-VERB RULE #1 – Two or more singular (or plural) subjects joined by and act as a plural compound subject and take a plural verb (singular + singular = plural). (Photo: ToNic-Pics). Read me!
We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. "Or" does not create a plural like "and" does. Compound Subjects. Your email address will not be published. For compound subjects that are both singular and plural joined by or or nor, use the verb that agrees with the closest subject.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Simply put, the subject and verb must agree in number.
The box for your crayons are on the floor in the family room.
The group hosts a huge dance party every year. (Don’t say “him and her make a great team.”). Remember: the verb should agree with the subject, rather than with the descriptive clause that has been inserted into the sentence. The use of any illegal toxic products is strictly prohibited. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies.
A lamp or clock is in the box. If the two subjects are connected by “or” or “nor,” use a singular verb. If one of your simple subjects in a compound subject is plural, put it near the verb so you can satisfy the Logic Rule. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In the present tense, subject–verb agreement requires using singular verbs with singular subjects and plural verbs with plural subjects. Here are the rules: (Rule 1) "And" creates a plural. Here’s an example of getting this wrong. If we rephrased this so that the dog was part of a compound subject, we would use the plural verb “go” instead: But when an additional person or thing is mentioned parenthetically, the verb should always agree with the subject of the main clause.
This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. But we use the plural verb “are” when the players are acting as individuals. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. subject verb disagreement when information separates them information Ex: Is the sentence correct? Our staff is ready and willing to assist you, so visit our office or call us for an appointment today. Home Grammar Tips: Subject–Verb Agreement. Each one of these strategies has its own set of risk factors and possible rewards. Here, we use the singular verb “goes” because the dog is part of a parenthetical clause (i.e., within commas), not part of the sentence subject. How To White Label SEO Content Writing Services. Amanda or her best friend is the best soprano in the choir. All of the following words are singular and require a singular verb: When there are two subjects in a sentence connected by “and,” use a plural verb. “zone and others” is plural, so the verb should be plural: However, even educated adults fall victim to a similar error at one time or another. This is a key rule for understanding subjects. (Photo: Georg_Wietschorke).
Sometimes writers get so caught up in adding descriptive information to their sentences that they forget whether the subject was singular or plural by the time they get to the verb. Required fields are marked *. which is singular. And he also lays out rules for when we should expect the disagreement (e.g. Thankfully, most children learn that something “doesn’t work” without ever needing a formal grammar lesson. My son, along with all of his toys, goes with me to the store. A plural subject looks like this: Mary and Mark like watermelon. Here are some examples of subject verb agreement with compound subjects: Sugar and flour are needed for the recipe.
And since the rules do vary depending on how a sentence is constructed, it pays to be careful with subject–verb agreement! The president and her committee have made some questionable decisions this quarter. When "and" joins two or more singular simple subjects, the verb is plural. adroll_version = "2.0"; Your email address will not be published.
What if the ideas joined by “and” refer to more than one person or do not form one concept? adroll_adv_id = "KRNULS3DQRHXVACWQTZIHM"; Emergency room staff often has to take measures to ensure the safety of the patient. Or … You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. Different and Separable Compound Subjects. adroll_pix_id = "MI5A3AMLEVCWLMSS7QK6YA";