Common mistake Agreement of relative pronoun 'who' and verb
Common Mistake: Agreement of Relative Pronoun 'Who' and Verb
One common mistake that many people make is incorrect agreement of the relative pronoun 'who' and the verb in a sentence. The relative pronoun 'who' refers to a person and is often used to introduce a clause that provides more information about that person.
Subject-Verb Agreement
In English grammar, it is important for the subject and the verb in a sentence to agree in terms of number. This means that if the subject of a sentence is singular, the verb should also be singular. Similarly, if the subject is plural, the verb should be plural as well.
When using the relative pronoun 'who' to refer to a singular noun, it is crucial to use a singular verb form. Let's take a look at some examples:
- Incorrect: The boy who love football are my neighbors.
- Correct: The boy who loves football is my neighbor.
In the first example, the verb 'love' is plural, but it should be singular to agree with the singular subject 'boy'. The correct version should use the singular verb 'loves' to maintain subject-verb agreement.
Using 'Who' with Plural Nouns
When 'who' is used to refer to plural nouns, the verb should also be in the plural form. Here's an example:
- Incorrect: The students who is studying for the exam are well-prepared.
- Correct: The students who are studying for the exam are well-prepared.
In the incorrect version, the verb 'is' is singular, but it should be plural to agree with the plural subject 'students'. The correct version uses the plural verb 'are' to maintain subject-verb agreement.
Linguix Grammar Checker
Linguix grammar checker is a helpful tool that can assist in detecting and correcting agreement errors between the relative pronoun 'who' and the verb.
Using a reliable grammar checker like Linguix can be invaluable in catching and correcting these common mistakes. It will help ensure that your writing is grammatically correct, clear, and professional.
By paying attention to the agreement of the relative pronoun 'who' and the verb, you can enhance the clarity and correctness of your writing. Remember to always double-check and proofread your work, or better yet, utilize a grammar checker like Linguix to catch any errors that may have slipped through.
Agreement of relative pronoun 'who' and verb mistake examples
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Incorrect:There are others who likes sleeping until noon.Correct:There are others who like sleeping until noon.
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Correct:There is a man downstairs who wants to speak to you.
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Correct:This movie is about a squirrel who gains human-like intelligence.
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Correct:You're the only one amongst your friends who speaks French.
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Incorrect:Mary is one of the students who has done honor to the college.Correct:Mary is one of the students who have done honor to the college.
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Correct:Mary is the only one of our students who has achieved national recognition.
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Correct:People who win the lottery are lucky.
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Correct:Tom is one of the best people who walks this earth.
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Correct:I don't think that Tom knows who has to do that.
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Correct:...umentation) as well as Kathy Reeves who is currently my only direct report at the ...
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Correct:They gave to him the name 'agyieus' as the protector god of public places and houses who wards off evil, and his symbol was a tapered stone or column.
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Correct:... can only be held by someone in priestly orders who has been ordained for at least six years.
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Correct:I have found documentation that tells who has control of the Adjust function.
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Correct:as his spouse in his Who's Who entry.
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Correct:I'm going to pass this issue by one of my colleagues who specializes in report design and troubleshooting
