Grammar Agreement Questions Long
Common errors in agreement in person include:
1. Subject-verb disagreement: This occurs when the subject and verb do not agree in terms of person. For example, saying "He walk to school" instead of "He walks to school." To correct this error, ensure that the verb agrees with the subject in terms of person. In this case, the correct form would be "He walks to school."
2. Pronoun-antecedent disagreement: This error happens when the pronoun and its antecedent do not agree in terms of person. For instance, saying "Each student should bring their own book" instead of "Each student should bring his or her own book." To correct this error, use pronouns that agree with their antecedents in terms of person. In this case, using "his or her" instead of "their" would be the correct form.
3. Agreement in collective nouns: Collective nouns, such as "team," "group," or "family," can be singular or plural depending on the context. An error occurs when the verb or pronoun does not agree with the intended meaning. For example, saying "The team are celebrating their victory" instead of "The team is celebrating its victory." To correct this error, ensure that the verb or pronoun agrees with the collective noun's intended meaning. In this case, using "is" instead of "are" and "its" instead of "their" would be the correct form.
4. Agreement in indefinite pronouns: Indefinite pronouns, such as "everyone," "someone," or "anybody," are singular and require singular agreement. Errors occur when the verb or pronoun does not agree with the singular form. For instance, saying "Everyone have their own opinions" instead of "Everyone has his or her own opinion." To correct this error, use singular verbs and pronouns with indefinite pronouns. In this case, using "has" instead of "have" and "his or her" instead of "their" would be the correct form.
To correct these errors, it is essential to carefully review the subject, verb, and pronoun agreement in a sentence. Pay attention to the person and number of the subject and ensure that the verb or pronoun agrees accordingly. Additionally, it is helpful to proofread and edit your writing to catch any agreement errors before finalizing your work.