Verb Agreement definition and examples

Verb Agreement

Definition: Verb agreement, or subject-verb agreement, refers to the grammatical rule that the verb in a sentence must match its subject in number and person.

Core Principle:

• If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular.
• If the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.

Examples of Verb Agreement

Singular Subject and Verb:

• “She walks to school every day.” (Singular subject “she” agrees with singular verb “walks.”)
• “The dog barks at strangers.”
• “He eats breakfast every morning.”

Plural Subject and Verb:

• “They walk to school every day.” (Plural subject “they” agrees with plural verb “walk.”)
• “The dogs bark at strangers.”
• “They eat breakfast every morning.”

Special Cases in Verb Agreement

Third-Person Singular Present Tense: Verbs often add “-s” or “-es” (e.g., “he runs,” “she watches”). However, irregular verbs like “he has” or “she goes” deviate from this pattern.

Collective Nouns: Nouns such as “team” or “family” can take singular or plural verbs, depending on whether the group is viewed as a single unit or individuals.

Indefinite Pronouns: Words like “everyone” or “somebody” are generally treated as singular, even though they may refer to multiple people.

Importance of Verb Agreement

• Grammatical Accuracy: Makes sentences structurally sound.
• Clarity: Maintains a clear connection between the subject and verb.
• Coherence: Enhances readability and understanding.

Verb agreement ensures a harmonious relationship between subjects and verbs for grammatical accuracy.