Agreement with the verb

Definition

Agreement with the verb refers to the grammatical rule that a verb must match its subject in number (singular or plural) and person. This ensures clarity in a sentence, indicating who is performing the action and how many subjects are involved. Proper agreement is crucial for constructing grammatically correct sentences and understanding the intended meaning.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. In Latin, verbs are conjugated to reflect agreement with their subjects, which is determined by the subject's person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) and number (singular or plural).
2. When a subject is singular, the verb must also be singular; similarly, if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.
3. The placement of direct objects can affect how verbs agree with their subjects since it helps clarify what action is being performed.
4. In compound subjects (more than one subject joined by 'and'), the verb is typically plural, reflecting the combined nature of the subjects.
5. Mistakes in verb agreement often occur when intervening phrases separate the subject from its verb, making it easy to overlook the correct form.

Review Questions

• How does subject-verb agreement influence sentence structure and clarity?
  • Subject-verb agreement is crucial for maintaining clear communication in a sentence. When the verb aligns correctly with its subject in number and person, it helps convey who is performing the action and ensures that readers understand the intended meaning without confusion. If there is disagreement between the subject and verb, it can lead to misunderstandings about who is doing what.
• Analyze how direct objects interact with verbs in terms of agreement within complex sentences.
  • Direct objects are closely linked to verbs as they receive the action expressed by the verb. In sentences where a direct object follows a compound subject, proper agreement still needs to be maintained. For example, in 'The dog and cat chase the ball,' both subjects are pluralized by 'and,' so the verb 'chase' agrees in plurality with them while also directing action toward 'the ball.' Understanding this relationship is essential for crafting grammatically sound sentences.
• Evaluate common errors related to verb agreement and suggest strategies for avoiding these mistakes.
  • Common errors related to verb agreement often arise from distractions within a sentence, such as prepositional phrases or compound subjects. To avoid these mistakes, one strategy is to identify the main subject before considering additional elements. For instance, in 'The group of students are studying,' focusing on 'group' reveals it's singular, hence 'is' should be used instead of 'are.' Practicing this identification technique can help ensure accurate agreement between subjects and verbs.

Related terms

Subject-Verb Agreement: The grammatical principle that the subject of a sentence must match its verb in number and person.

Conjugation: The variation of the form of a verb in relation to voice, mood, tense, number, and person.

Direct Object: The noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb directly in a sentence.