Effective academic writing requires mastery of many grammatical rules, but one of the most critical is subject-verb agreement. This rule, which dictates that the subject and verb in a sentence must match in number (singular or plural), is essential for clear, professional, and grammatically correct writing. Incorrect subject-verb agreement can lead to confusion, reduce the credibility of your work, and detract from the clarity of your ideas.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what subject-verb agreement is, common challenges students face with this rule, how to avoid common errors, and provide practical tips for ensuring subject-verb agreement in academic writing. Whether you’re new to academic writing or looking to refine your grammatical skills, this blog post will offer valuable insights to enhance your writing.
Table of Contents
- What is Subject-Verb Agreement?
- The Importance of Subject-Verb Agreement in Academic Writing
- Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement
- Singular vs. Plural Subjects
- Compound Subjects
- Indefinite Pronouns
- Common Challenges with Subject-Verb Agreement
- Distance Between Subject and Verb
- Collective Nouns
- Subjects That Seem Plural But Are Singular
- Inverted Sentences
- Strategies for Correct Subject-Verb Agreement
- Identifying the Subject and Verb
- Dealing with Complex Sentences
- Agreement with Collective and Compound Subjects
- Advanced Tips for Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement
- Common Subject-Verb Agreement Errors in Academic Writing
- How to Proofread for Subject-Verb Agreement
- Conclusion
1. What is Subject-Verb Agreement?
Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that requires the subject of a sentence and its verb to match in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. This simple rule is essential for creating grammatically correct sentences.
Example:
- Singular Subject: The student writes a paper.
- Plural Subject: The students write papers.
In the first example, “student” is a singular subject, so the singular verb “writes” is used. In the second example, “students” is a plural subject, so the plural verb “write” is used.
2. The Importance of Subject-Verb Agreement in Academic Writing
Subject-verb agreement is foundational for clarity and professionalism in academic writing. Errors in subject-verb agreement can make your writing difficult to read and understand, leading to miscommunication of your ideas. In formal contexts, such as academic papers, essays, and research reports, maintaining proper grammar is essential for establishing credibility with your audience.
Beyond credibility, proper subject-verb agreement ensures that your writing flows smoothly, helping your readers focus on the content of your argument rather than being distracted by grammatical mistakes.
3. Basic Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement
Let’s explore the basic rules of subject-verb agreement in English grammar.
Singular vs. Plural Subjects
The first rule of subject-verb agreement is that a singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb. This rule applies to most basic sentence constructions in English.
Examples:
- The dog barks at the stranger. (singular subject “dog,” singular verb “barks”)
- The dogs bark at the stranger. (plural subject “dogs,” plural verb “bark”)
Compound Subjects
A compound subject consists of two or more subjects joined by “and.” In most cases, compound subjects take a plural verb.
Example:
- The teacher and the student discuss the project.
However, when a compound subject is made up of singular nouns that refer to the same person or thing, the verb remains singular.
Example:
- The professor and department chair explains the policy.
Here, “professor” and “department chair” refer to the same individual, so the verb is singular.
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns (e.g., everyone, someone, anybody, nobody) are often tricky because they appear to refer to multiple people or things, but they actually require singular verbs.
Examples:
- Everyone is excited about the new project.
- Nobody has submitted their paper yet.
Some indefinite pronouns, such as “some” and “none,” can be singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to.
Example:
- Some of the cake is left. (singular)
- Some of the students are missing. (plural)
4. Common Challenges with Subject-Verb Agreement
While the basic rules of subject-verb agreement are straightforward, there are several challenges that can make this rule difficult to apply consistently. Below are some of the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
Distance Between Subject and Verb
One of the most frequent causes of subject-verb agreement errors occurs when the subject and verb are separated by a long phrase or clause. In such cases, it’s easy to mistakenly make the verb agree with the wrong noun.
Incorrect:
- The results of the experiment shows a clear pattern.
In this sentence, the verb “shows” incorrectly agrees with “experiment” instead of the plural subject “results.” The correct sentence is:
Correct:
- The results of the experiment show a clear pattern.
To avoid this mistake, always identify the true subject of the sentence before selecting the verb.
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, group, committee) can take either singular or plural verbs depending on whether the group is acting as a single unit or as individual members.
Singular (group acting as a unit):
- The team is winning.
Plural (members of the group acting individually):
- The team are discussing their strategies.
In American English, collective nouns are typically treated as singular, while in British English, they are often treated as plural. For consistency, choose one style and stick to it throughout your paper.
Subjects That Seem Plural But Are Singular
Some subjects look plural but are singular in meaning and take a singular verb. Words like “mathematics,” “news,” “politics,” and “economics” are examples of singular nouns that require singular verbs.
Examples:
- Mathematics is challenging for many students.
- The news was surprising.
Similarly, titles of books, movies, or organizations that are plural in form but singular in meaning also require singular verbs.
Example:
- The United Nations is holding a summit.
Inverted Sentences
In most English sentences, the subject comes before the verb. However, in inverted sentences, where the verb comes before the subject, it’s easy to make a subject-verb agreement mistake.
Example:
- Where is the keys? (Incorrect)
In this sentence, the subject “keys” is plural, so the verb should also be plural.
Correct:
- Where are the keys?
5. Strategies for Correct Subject-Verb Agreement
To avoid errors, follow these strategies when constructing your sentences.
Identifying the Subject and Verb
The first step to ensuring subject-verb agreement is correctly identifying the subject and verb of the sentence. This might seem simple, but complex sentences can make it harder to locate the true subject.
Example:
- The collection of rare books was on display.
In this sentence, the true subject is “collection,” not “books,” so the verb “was” is correct.
Dealing with Complex Sentences
Complex sentences with multiple clauses can make subject-verb agreement tricky. Ensure that each clause has a subject and verb that agree.
Example:
- The professor, who along with his assistants conducts research, is presenting the findings.
In this sentence, “professor” is the subject, and “is” is the verb that agrees with it.
Agreement with Collective and Compound Subjects
When dealing with collective and compound subjects, think carefully about whether the subject is singular or plural in meaning. If a compound subject refers to two different things, the verb should be plural.
Example:
- The library and the science center are being renovated.
6. Advanced Tips for Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement
Here are some additional tips for mastering subject-verb agreement:
- Watch out for Interrupting Phrases: Ignore phrases that come between the subject and verb, such as prepositional phrases or clauses, as they do not affect agreement.
- The results of the survey, along with other factors, were analyzed.
- Use Grammar Checking Tools: Tools like Grammarly can help you catch subject-verb agreement errors.
- Practice with Complex Sentences: Challenge yourself by writing more complex sentences that involve multiple clauses or subjects. Review them for subject-verb agreement accuracy.
- Study Irregular Verbs: Some verbs do not follow the regular rules for forming the singular and plural, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with them.
7. Common Subject-Verb Agreement Errors in Academic Writing
Even experienced writers make mistakes with subject-verb agreement, especially when writing under pressure. Here are some common errors to watch out for:
- Mistaking prepositional phrases for subjects: The subject is never part of a prepositional phrase.
- Forgetting that indefinite pronouns like “everyone” and “nobody” are singular.
- Confusion with collective nouns: Deciding whether to use a singular or plural verb depends on context.
- How to Proofread for Subject-Verb Agreement
When proofreading your academic paper, pay special attention to subject-verb agreement. Here’s how to do it:
- Read your sentences aloud: Hearing the sentence helps identify errors.
- Highlight the subjects and verbs: This can help you visually check for agreement.
- Use grammar checking tools: While not foolproof, these tools can highlight possible mistakes.
9. Conclusion
Mastering subject-verb agreement is crucial for clear and effective academic writing. By following the rules outlined in this guide, paying attention to common pitfalls, and practicing regularly, you can improve your grammar and ensure that your academic work is grammatically correct and professional.
Remember, clarity and precision in writing come from a deep understanding of grammatical rules like subject-verb agreement. With practice and attention to detail, you’ll be able to write confidently, knowing that your sentences are both accurate and effective.