How do you ensure agreement between a singular subject and a plural verb?

To ensure agreement between a singular subject and a plural verb, it is important to follow these guidelines:

1. Identify the subject: Determine whether the subject of the sentence is singular or plural. The subject is the noun or pronoun that the verb refers to.

2. Understand subject-verb agreement: Remember that a singular subject requires a singular verb, while a plural subject requires a plural verb. This helps maintain grammatical consistency in the sentence.

3. Match the verb with the subject: Ensure that the verb form matches the number of the subject. For singular subjects, use singular verbs, typically ending in -s or -es. For plural subjects, use plural verbs without any additional endings.

4. Be cautious with intervening words: Pay attention to words or phrases that may come between the subject and the verb. These intervening words should not affect the agreement between the subject and the verb. Focus on the subject itself to determine the appropriate verb form.

5. Avoid common pitfalls: Watch out for tricky situations such as collective nouns, indefinite pronouns, and compound subjects. Collective nouns, like "team" or "family," can be singular or plural depending on the context. Indefinite pronouns, such as "everyone" or "somebody," are always singular and require singular verbs. Compound subjects joined by "and" usually take plural verbs, but if they refer to a single entity, a singular verb is used.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure proper agreement between a singular subject and a plural verb, maintaining grammatical accuracy in your writing.