Lesson 57: Agreement with Compound Subjects
When writing in the English language, it is essential to have a proper understanding of grammar and syntax. One of the most common grammatical errors that writers make is agreement with compound subjects.
Compound subjects refer to sentences that have two or more subjects connected by a coordinating conjunction such as “and”, “or”, or “nor”. These subjects can be singular or plural, and it is crucial to ensure that the verb agrees with the subject in both number and person.
Here are some examples:
Correct: Tom and Jerry are going to the zoo.
Incorrect: Tom and Jerry is going to the zoo.
In the correct sentence, the verb “are” agrees with the compound subject “Tom and Jerry” since they are plural subjects.
Correct: The car or the truck needs to be serviced.
Incorrect: The car or the truck need to be serviced.
In this example, the verb “needs” agrees with the singular subject “the car” as it is the first subject in the compound sentence.
When dealing with compound subjects, you need to keep some important points in mind. These include:
1. Subjects that are joined by “and” are usually plural. This means that the verb should have “are” or “were” instead of “is” or “was”.
2. If the subjects joined by “or” are both singular, the verb should be singular as well. However, if the subjects are both plural, the verb should be plural.
3. When subjects are joined by “nor”, the verb should agree with the subject closest to it. For instance, if one subject is singular and the other plural, the verb should be plural to agree with the plural subject.
4. If the subjects in the compound sentence are of different persons (I, you, he, she, it, we, or they), ensure that the verb agrees with the subject that comes first in the sentence.
In conclusion, agreement with compound subjects is an essential aspect of English grammar that you cannot overlook. As a writer, always ensure that your verbs agree with your subjects in both person and number. This will not only make your writing coherent but also enhance your credibility as a skilled and proficient writer.