Explain subject-verb agreement with examples.

Subject-verb agreement is a grammatical rule that states that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. This means that a singular subject should be paired with a singular verb, and a plural subject should be paired with a plural verb. Here are some examples to illustrate this rule:

1. Singular subject and singular verb:
- The cat sleeps on the mat.
- She sings beautifully.
- He runs every morning.

2. Plural subject and plural verb:
- The cats sleep on the mat.
- They sing beautifully.
- We run every morning.

3. Singular subject and plural verb (when using certain words):
- The group of students are studying for their exams.
- The team of players are practicing their skills.

4. Indefinite pronouns and their agreement:
- Everyone loves ice cream. (singular)
- Both of them are talented musicians. (plural)

5. Collective nouns and their agreement:
- The committee is meeting tomorrow. (singular)
- The staff are attending the conference. (plural)

It is important to note that subject-verb agreement can sometimes be tricky, especially when dealing with compound subjects, inverted sentences, or phrases that come between the subject and verb. However, by understanding the basic rule of matching the subject and verb in number, one can ensure grammatical accuracy in their writing.