Grammar Syntax Questions Medium
Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that states that the subject of a sentence must agree with the verb in terms of number (singular or plural). When it comes to indefinite adjectives, such as "some," "many," "few," "several," or "all," subject-verb agreement can become a bit more complex.
In general, indefinite adjectives are considered plural and require a plural verb. For example, "Some students are studying for the exam." Here, the plural adjective "some" is followed by the plural verb "are."
However, there are exceptions to this rule. When an indefinite adjective is used to refer to an uncountable noun, it is considered singular and requires a singular verb. For instance, "Some water is spilled on the floor." Here, the uncountable noun "water" is treated as singular, so the singular verb "is" is used.
Additionally, certain indefinite adjectives, such as "each," "every," "either," and "neither," are always considered singular and require a singular verb. For example, "Each student is responsible for their own work." Here, the singular adjective "each" is followed by the singular verb "is."
It is important to pay attention to the context and the noun being referred to when determining the subject-verb agreement with indefinite adjectives.