Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of good writing. It refers to the agreement between the subject and verb in a sentence. In simpler terms, it means that the subject and verb must match in terms of number and person. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. In this article, we`ll explore some good examples of subject-verb agreement to help you improve your writing.

Example 1:

Incorrect: The team of scientists is arguing about their findings.

Correct: The team of scientists are arguing about their findings.

Explanation: The subject in this sentence is “team,” which is a collective noun. While “team” is singular, the underlying meaning of the sentence suggests that the individuals in the team are arguing. Therefore, the correct verb to use is “are” instead of “is.”

Example 2:

Incorrect: The book that I borrowed from the library was incredibly thick.

Correct: The book that I borrowed from the library were incredibly thick.

Explanation: The subject in this sentence is “book,” which is singular. Since the verb “were” is used in the sentence, it is incorrect. The correct verb to use is “was” since the book is singular.

Example 3:

Incorrect: The group of friends were going to the movies.

Correct: The group of friends was going to the movies.

Explanation: The subject in this sentence is “group,” which is singular. Even though there are multiple friends in the group, the subject is still singular, so the correct verb to use is “was.”

Example 4:

Incorrect: Each of the students were given a book to read.

Correct: Each of the students was given a book to read.

Explanation: The subject in this sentence is “each,” which refers to every individual student. Therefore, the verb must be singular, which is “was.” “Were” is incorrect since it`s plural.

Example 5:

Incorrect: Neither the cat nor the dogs likes to eat vegetables.

Correct: Neither the cat nor the dogs like to eat vegetables.

Explanation: The subject in this sentence is “cat” and “dogs,” which are both plural. Therefore, the verb must also be plural, which is “like.”

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is crucial in writing because it ensures clarity and accuracy. Using the correct verb tense according to the subject can make a significant difference in how well the message is conveyed to the readers. These examples should give you a better understanding of how subject-verb agreement works and how to use it to improve your writing.