Three Subject Verb Disagreement Examples

07 gen. Three Subject Verb Disagreement Examples

Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of writing and communication in the English language. It ensures that the subject and the verb in a sentence are in agreement, which makes the sentence grammatically correct and sound natural. However, subject-verb disagreement often occurs in writing, leading to confusion and misunderstanding. In this article, we will discuss three examples of subject-verb disagreement and how to avoid them.

1. Singular subject with a plural verb

Example: The team of players are practicing hard.

In this sentence, the subject is “team” which is singular. However, the verb used is “are” which is plural. To correct this sentence, we need to use a singular verb. Therefore, the corrected sentence is “The team of players is practicing hard.”

2. Plural subject with a singular verb

Example: The books on the shelf belongs to me.

In this sentence, the subject is “books” which is plural. However, the verb used is “belongs” which is singular. To correct this sentence, we need to use a plural verb. Therefore, the corrected sentence is “The books on the shelf belong to me.”

3. Compound subjects with different number

Example: The cat and the dogs chases the squirrel.

In this sentence, the compound subject is “the cat and the dogs” which are different in number. “Cat” is singular while “dogs” is plural. In this case, we need to use a verb that agrees with the subject that is closest to the verb. Therefore, the corrected sentence is “The cat and the dogs chase the squirrel.”

In conclusion, subject-verb disagreement is a common mistake in writing that can be avoided by ensuring that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number. By paying attention to these examples and remembering the rules of subject-verb agreement, you can significantly improve your writing and communication skills.