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 compound subjects, which are formed by joining two or more subjects with a coordinating conjunction like "and," "or," or "nor," the subject-verb agreement can become slightly more complex.
In general, when the compound subject is joined by "and," the verb should be plural. For example, in the sentence "John and Mary are going to the party," the plural verb "are" agrees with the compound subject "John and Mary."
However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. If the compound subject refers to the same person or thing, it is considered singular and requires a singular verb. For instance, in the sentence "Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite sandwich," the singular verb "is" agrees with the compound subject "peanut butter and jelly" because they are considered a single entity.
Additionally, when the compound subject is joined by "or" or "nor," the verb should agree with the subject closest to it. For example, in the sentence "Neither the cat nor the dogs are allowed on the couch," the plural verb "are" agrees with the plural subject "dogs."
In summary, subject-verb agreement with compound subjects in grammar syntax requires careful consideration of the coordinating conjunction used and the relationship between the subjects to ensure that the verb agrees in number with the compound subject.