Subject-verb agreement is an important grammatical rule that writers, editors, and communicators in general should be familiar with. The rule states that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number (singular or plural). For instance, “She walks to school” is correct, whereas “She walk to school” is incorrect.

To help writers and editors improve their writing skills, various resources are available, including subject-verb agreement rules pdfs. These downloadable resources provide easy-to-understand guidelines on how to use the rule correctly and avoid common mistakes. In this article, we discuss some essential subject-verb agreement rules to help you write more effectively, and we provide resources for accessing free pdfs on the subject.

Rule 1: The verb must agree with the subject in number.

This rule is straightforward, meaning that when the subject is singular, the verb should be singular, and when the subject is plural, the verb should be plural. For example:

Singular:

– He drinks coffee every morning.

– The car is parked outside.

Plural:

– They eat pizza on weekends.

– The dogs run in the park.

Rule 2: Collective nouns can be either singular or plural.

Collective nouns refer to a group of people or things and can be either singular or plural, depending on the context in which they are used. For example:

Singular:

– The team is playing in the tournament.

– The jury is still deliberating.

Plural:

– The group of tourists are taking pictures.

– The committee members disagree on the issue.

Rule 3: Inverted sentences require special attention.

Inverted sentences refer to sentences in which the subject comes after the verb. In such sentences, it is essential to match the verb with the subject, even if the sentence seems to be structured differently. For example:

Normal sentence:

– She is going to the store.

Inverted sentence:

– To the store is she going.

Rule 4: Compound subjects require a plural verb.

Compound subjects refer to sentences in which two or more subjects are joined by “and.” In such cases, the verb should be plural. For example:

– My sister and I are going to the party.

– The dog and the cat are playing in the yard.

To improve your subject-verb agreement skills, you can access free pdfs that provide more detailed rules and examples. Many online platforms offer such resources, including Grammarly, the Online Writing Lab (OWL) from Purdue University, and the University of Bristol’s Study Skills for ESL Students. Additionally, many books on grammar and style, such as The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White, provide detailed explanations of subject-verb agreement.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is an essential rule that writers and editors should be familiar with to produce clear, effective writing. By following the guidelines outlined in this article and accessing free pdf resources, you can improve your writing and communication skills and avoid common mistakes.