Grammar Syntax Questions Medium
Subject-verb agreement refers to the 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.
When it comes to collective adjectives, which are adjectives that describe a group or collection of individuals, subject-verb agreement can become slightly more complex. Collective adjectives, such as "group," "team," "committee," or "family," are singular in form but refer to multiple individuals or entities.
In terms of subject-verb agreement, collective adjectives are treated as singular subjects. This means that they should be paired with singular verbs. For example:
- The team is practicing for the game.
- The committee has made its decision.
- My family enjoys spending time together.
In these examples, even though the collective adjectives "team," "committee," and "family" refer to multiple individuals, they are considered singular subjects and are therefore paired with singular verbs ("is," "has," and "enjoys").
It is important to note that there are exceptions to this rule. In some cases, collective adjectives can be treated as plural subjects if the emphasis is on the individual members rather than the group as a whole. For example:
- The committee are divided in their opinions.
In this case, the plural verb "are" is used because the emphasis is on the individual members of the committee and their differing opinions.
Overall, subject-verb agreement with collective adjectives in grammar syntax requires understanding whether the emphasis is on the group as a whole or the individual members, and choosing the appropriate singular or plural verb accordingly.