Verb Agreement and Examples

Verbs are an essential part of grammar, and they help to convey the action in a sentence. Proper verb agreement in a sentence is necessary to ensure that the subject and verb match in number and person. In other words, the verb must agree with the subject in terms of whether it is singular or plural. In this article, we will explore the concept of verb agreement in greater detail and provide some examples to illustrate the point.

The basic concept of verb agreement is simple, and it means that the verb in a sentence must agree with the subject in terms of its number and person. If the subject is singular, then the verb should also be singular, while if the subject is plural, then the verb should be plural as well. This rule may sound straightforward, but it can be tricky in some cases, especially when the subject is complex or the sentence structure is unconventional.

Consider the following example. „The dog barks at the cat.“ Here, the subject is „the dog,“ which is singular, and the verb is „barks,“ which is also singular. The verb agrees with the subject as both are singular.

Now consider another example. „The dogs bark at the cats.“ Here, the subject is „the dogs,“ which is plural, and the verb is „bark,“ which is also plural. The verb agrees with the subject as both are plural.

In some cases, the subject may be compound, which means it consists of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by a conjunction. In such cases, the verb should agree with the subject that is closer to it. For example, „John and Mary are coming to the party.“ Here, the subject is compound, with „John“ and „Mary“ joined by the conjunction „and.“ The verb „are coming“ agrees with the subject „John and Mary.“

However, things can get complicated when the subject is a collective noun, which refers to a group of people or things acting as a single unit. In such cases, the verb may be singular or plural, depending on how the writer wants to convey the meaning. For example, „The crowd is cheering for the team.“ Here, the subject „crowd“ is singular, and the verb „is cheering“ agrees with it. However, the sentence could also be written as „The crowd are cheering for the team,“ with the verb „are cheering“ agreeing with the plural noun „crowd.“

In conclusion, proper verb agreement is crucial for clear and effective communication in writing. By ensuring that the verb and subject match in number and person, writers can convey the intended meaning accurately and precisely. Whether the subject is singular, plural, compound, or collective, writers should pay careful attention to verb agreement and use it consistently throughout the text.