Grammar Points: Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement is an important rule in English. It means that the verb needs to match the subject in number. This can be singular (one) or plural (more than one). Let’s break this down with some simple examples and rules.

1. Singular Subjects:

• A singular subject talks about one person, thing, or idea.
• Example: "The dog runs fast."
  • Here, “dog” is singular, so we use the verb “runs.”

2. Plural Subjects:

• A plural subject is about more than one person, thing, or idea.
• Example: "The dogs run fast."
  • In this case, “dogs” is plural, so we use the verb “run.”

3. Common Mistakes:

• Watch out for collective nouns, which are words like “team” or “group.”
  • Example: "The team wins its game." (This is singular.)
  • Example: "The teams win their games." (This is plural.)

4. Indefinite Pronouns:

• Some words like “everyone” can be either singular or plural.
  • Example: "Everyone loves music." (This is singular.)
  • Example: "Many enjoy concerts." (This is plural.)

Summary

Make sure the verb matches the subject. If the subject is singular, use a singular verb. If the subject is plural, use a plural verb. This will help keep your sentences correct!