Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of English grammar that plays a significant role in effective communication. Every sentence must have a clear subject and a corresponding verb that agree in number and tense. When subject-verb agreement rules are not followed, the sentence can become confusing or hard to understand. Therefore, it is vital that writers learn how to identify and correct errors in subject-verb agreement.
To help improve your editing skills in this area, try these editing exercises on subject-verb agreement:
1. Identify the Subject and Verb
The first step in ensuring subject-verb agreement is to identify the subject and verb in each sentence. The subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about, while the verb is the action or state of being that the subject is performing. Look at the following sentences:
– The dog barks loudly at night.
– She plays tennis every Tuesday.
In sentence 1, “dog” is the subject, and “barks” is the verb. In sentence 2, “she” is the subject, and “plays” is the verb. It is crucial to understand how to identify the subject and verb to ensure subject-verb agreement.
2. Check for Singular and Plural Agreement
Another crucial aspect of subject-verb agreement is ensuring that the subject and verb agree in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural too. Take a look at these examples:
– The student studies for six hours a day.
– The students study for six hours a day.
In sentence 1, “student” is singular, and “studies” is the singular verb. In sentence 2, “students” is plural, and “study” is the plural verb. It is crucial to remember that singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.
3. Recognize Irregular Verbs
Sometimes, the verb used in a sentence is irregular, which means it does not follow the standard verb conjugation rules. For instance, “to be” has an irregular conjugation, and it is essential to recognize it when editing for subject-verb agreement. Look at these examples:
– The book was written by a famous author.
– The books were written by famous authors.
In sentence 1, the singular verb “was” is used with the singular subject “book.” In sentence 2, the plural verb “were” is used with the plural subject “books.” Although “was” and “were” are not regular verbs, they are frequently used and have their standard conjugation rules.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is crucial to effective communication in English. By following the three exercises outlined above, editors can improve their ability to spot errors in subject-verb agreement and ensure that written communication is clear and concise. Remember always to identify the subject and verb, check for singular and plural agreement, and recognize irregular verbs. These editing exercises will help ensure that written communication is understandable and communicates the intended message to the reader.
