Subject-verb agreement is a crucial element of creating effective and grammatically correct content. This rule states that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number, whether singular or plural. However, subject-verb agreement can often be tricky, particularly when dealing with more complex sentences or subject-verb combinations. To help clarify the subject-verb agreement rule, we’ve compiled 16 examples of correct usage:
1. The cat chases the mouse. (“cat” and “chases” are both singular)
2. The cats chase the mice. (“cats” and “chase” are both plural)
3. My friend is a nurse. (“friend” is singular, “is” is singular)
4. My friends are nurses. (“friends” is plural, “are” is plural)
5. The dog and the cat sleep in the same bed. (“dog and cat” and “sleep” are both plural)
6. The company’s profits have increased this quarter. (“profits” is plural, “have increased” is plural)
7. The committee agrees with the proposal. (“committee” is singular, “agrees” is singular)
8. The jury reaches a verdict. (“jury” is singular, “reaches” is singular)
9. One of the students is absent. (“one” and “is” are both singular)
10. Two of the students are absent. (“two” and “are” are both plural)
11. Each of the girls has her own room. (“each” and “has” are both singular)
12. All of the boys have bikes. (“all” and “have” are both plural)
13. The news is devastating. (“news” is singular, “is” is singular)
14. The media are reporting on the event. (“media” and “are” are both plural)
15. The amount of work required is overwhelming. (“amount” is singular, “is” is singular)
16. The number of people attending the concert is increasing. (“number” is singular, “is” is singular)
Following the subject-verb agreement rule can improve the clarity and professionalism of your writing. By utilizing these 16 examples, your writing will be grammatically correct and easier to understand. Remembering and applying this rule is essential for any content creator or copy editor, and can make all the difference in creating top-quality content.