Subject-Verb Agreement

Key Concepts

• Singular Subjects
• Plural Subjects
• Indefinite Pronouns

Explanation of Each Concept

Singular Subjects

A singular subject refers to one person, place, thing, or idea. When a singular subject is used, it requires a singular verb form. Singular subjects include words like "cat," "book," and "idea."

Example: The cat sleeps on the mat.

Plural Subjects

A plural subject refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea. When a plural subject is used, it requires a plural verb form. Plural subjects include words like "cats," "books," and "ideas."

Example: The cats sleep on the mats.

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to people, things, or ideas in a general or unspecified manner. Some indefinite pronouns are always singular, while others can be singular or plural depending on the context. Examples of singular indefinite pronouns include "everyone," "someone," and "each."

Example: Everyone has their own opinion.

Examples and Analogies

Singular Subjects Example

Consider the sentence: "The dog barks loudly." Here, "dog" is a singular subject, so the verb "barks" is in its singular form.

Plural Subjects Example

In the sentence: "The dogs bark loudly." The subject "dogs" is plural, so the verb "bark" is in its plural form.

Indefinite Pronouns Example

For the sentence: "Each of the students has a book." The indefinite pronoun "each" is singular, so the verb "has" is also singular.

Analogy: Musical Instruments

Think of subjects and verbs as musical instruments and their sounds. A singular subject is like a single violin playing a note, while a plural subject is like a group of violins playing together. The sound (verb) must match the number of instruments (subjects) to create harmony.