Grammar Rules Questions Long
Subject-verb agreement is a grammatical rule that states that the subject of a sentence must agree in number with the verb. This means that a singular subject should be paired with a singular verb, and a plural subject should be paired with a plural verb. However, when it comes to compound verbs, there are a few additional considerations to keep in mind.
Compound verbs are formed when two or more verbs are joined together to express a single action or idea. They can be formed by using coordinating conjunctions like "and," "or," or "but," or by using correlative conjunctions like "either...or" or "neither...nor." In subject-verb agreement with compound verbs, it is important to ensure that the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
When the compound verb is joined by a coordinating conjunction, the subject closest to the verb determines the verb form. For example:
- The cat and the dog play in the yard. (plural subject, plural verb)
- Either John or his friends are coming to the party. (singular subject, singular verb)
In these examples, the verb form "play" agrees with the plural subject "cat and dog," while the verb form "are" agrees with the singular subject "John or his friends."
Similarly, when the compound verb is joined by a correlative conjunction, the subject closest to the verb determines the verb form. For example:
- Neither the students nor the teacher is happy with the test results. (singular subject, singular verb)
- Either the book or the pen belongs to me. (singular subject, singular verb)
In these examples, the verb form "is" agrees with the singular subject "students," while the verb form "belongs" agrees with the singular subject "book."
It is important to note that if the subjects connected by the coordinating or correlative conjunctions are of different numbers (one singular and one plural), the verb should agree with the subject closest to it. For example:
- Neither the cat nor the dogs like water. (plural subject, plural verb)
- Either the dog or the cats like to play. (plural subject, plural verb)
In these examples, the verb forms "like" agree with the plural subjects "dogs" and "cats," respectively.
In summary, subject-verb agreement with compound verbs requires ensuring that the verb agrees with the subject closest to it, whether the compound verb is joined by coordinating or correlative conjunctions. By following this rule, one can maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity in their writing.