As a copy editor, one of the most fundamental rules of grammar that you will come across is the subject-verb agreement. Without proper subject-verb agreement, your sentences will lack clarity and coherence, and your readers may have a hard time understanding your message.

Subject-verb agreement simply means that the subject in your sentence (the noun or pronoun) must agree with the verb in tense and number. For example, if you have a singular subject, the verb must be in the singular form. The same applies to plural subjects and verbs.

Here are some tips on how to ensure proper subject-verb agreement in your writing:

1. Identify the subject

The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action in the sentence. It is essential to identify the subject before selecting the appropriate verb. For example, in the sentence „The dog barks at the mailman,“ „dog“ is the subject performing the action, and „barks“ is the verb.

2. Determine the number of the subject

Is your subject singular or plural? This is critical in determining the verb tense to use in your sentence. If your subject is singular, you should use a singular verb, and if your subject is plural, you should use a plural verb.

For example, „The dog barks at the mailman“ is a singular subject, so we use the singular verb „barks.“ On the other hand, „The dogs bark at the mailman“ is a plural subject, so we use the plural verb „bark.“

3. Watch out for tricky collective nouns

Collective nouns, such as team, family, group, and staff, can be confusing when it comes to subject-verb agreement. These nouns are singular, but they refer to a group of people or things. In such instances, pay attention to the context of the sentence to determine the correct verb tense.

For example, „The staff is busy preparing for the meeting“ is correct because we are referring to the collective group as a single entity. However, „The staff are arguing among themselves“ is also correct because the context suggests that the group is made up of individuals.

4. Pay attention to verb tense

In addition to number, the tense of the verb must also agree with the subject. If the subject is in the present tense, the verb should also be in the present tense. If the subject is in the past tense, the verb should also be in the past tense.

For example, „The cat is sleeping“ is correct because the subject (cat) is in the present tense. „The cat was sleeping“ is also correct because the subject (cat) is in the past tense.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule of grammar that every copy editor should master. By identifying the subject, determining its number and tense, and paying attention to tricky collective nouns, you can ensure that your sentences are clear, coherent, and grammatically correct.