One of Those Verb Agreement: Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement in Writing

Have you ever come across a sentence where the subject and verb did not agree in number? For example, ”The team of players were celebrating their victory” instead of ”The team of players was celebrating its victory.” This is a classic example of subject-verb agreement.

Subject-verb agreement is a grammatical rule that dictates the relationship between the subject and the verb in a sentence. Simply put, the verb must agree with the subject in number; that is, a singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb.

This rule may seem straightforward, but it can be tricky in certain situations. One of those situations is when you encounter a collective noun, such as ”team,” ”family,” or ”group.” Collective nouns refer to a group of individuals, but they are treated as a single entity. The rule of thumb is that if the collective noun is acting as a single entity, use a singular verb. If the collective noun is acting as individuals, use a plural verb.

For example, ”The team is playing well” uses a singular verb because the team is being treated as a single unit. On the other hand, ”The team have different opinions” uses a plural verb because each member of the team is being treated as an individual.

Another situation where subject-verb agreement can be challenging is when the subject and verb are separated by a long distance. This can happen when there are multiple clauses or phrases between the subject and verb. In such cases, it is important to identify the subject and ensure that the verb agrees in number.

For example, ”The book, along with its sequels and prequels, have sold millions of copies” should actually be ”The book, along with its sequels and prequels, has sold millions of copies” because ”book” is the singular subject.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an important rule to master in writing. It can help you convey your message clearly and avoid confusion for your readers. Remember to identify the subject and ensure that the verb agrees in number, especially in tricky situations such as collective nouns and long-distance subjects and verbs. By following this rule, you can achieve grammatical accuracy and make your writing more polished and effective.