Common mistake Subject-verb agreement plural

Common Mistake: Subject-Verb Agreement

One of the most common grammar mistakes that people make is related to subject-verb agreement, specifically when it comes to using the correct verb form with plural subjects. This error occurs when the verb form does not match the subject in terms of number. Let's explore this mistake in more detail.

Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement

In English grammar, the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in terms of number. This means that if the subject is plural, the verb should also be in the plural form. Similarly, if the subject is singular, the verb should be in the singular form. Let's look at some examples to understand this concept better:

Correct: The dogs bark at night.
Incorrect: The dogs barks at night.

In the correct example, the subject (dogs) is plural, so the verb form (bark) agrees with it. However, in the incorrect example, the verb form (barks) does not match the plural subject.

Avoiding Subject-Verb Agreement Mistakes

To avoid subject-verb agreement mistakes, it is important to identify the subject and determine whether it is singular or plural. Once you have identified the subject, select the appropriate verb form to match it. Here are some tips to help you avoid this common mistake:

Pay attention to the number of the subject (singular or plural).
Remember that singular subjects usually take singular verb forms, while plural subjects take plural verb forms.
Be cautious of phrases such as "a number of," "a variety of," or "a group of," which may confuse the subject-verb agreement.

By keeping these rules in mind and practicing regularly, you can improve your subject-verb agreement and avoid this common mistake.

While it is essential to be aware of grammar rules and practice them, it is also helpful to have tools that can assist you in detecting and correcting such errors. Linguix grammar checker is a reliable tool that can help you identify subject-verb agreement mistakes in your writing, ensuring your sentences are grammatically correct and well-structured.

Subject-verb agreement plural mistake examples

Incorrect:
The tall gentlemen gets a lot of attention.

Correct:
The tall gentlemen get|got|will get a lot of attention.
Incorrect:
The tall gentlemen gets a lot of attention and he certainly must know it.

Correct:
The tall gentlemen get|got|will get a lot of attention and he certainly must know it.
Incorrect:
These beautiful red ball gowns goes well with the color of your eyes.

Correct:
These beautiful red ball gowns go|went|will go well with the color of your eyes.
Incorrect:
The TV news programs helps us keep up with the world.

Correct:
The TV news programs help|helped|will help us keep up with the world.
Incorrect:
If the second customer facilities depends on building facilities for the first customer we have an impasse, a mess.

Correct:
If the second customer facilities depend|depended|will depend on building facilities for the first customer we have an impasse, a mess.
Correct:
The recent data has caused a reversal of expectations.
Correct:
The invasive species has multiplied and spread in all directions from there.
Correct:
The United States officially maintains that it supports democracy and human rights through several tools Examples of these tools are as follows:
Correct:
As of 2008, the smallest known freshwater fish is a cypriniform, Danionella translucida, reaching at the longest.
Correct:
The trick to getting a great fare for those last minute home for the holiday flights is to travel on Thursday and return on Friday.
Correct:
Miguel Cabrera (3,530) The record for the most Total Bases in a Single Game is 19, by Shawn Green of the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 23, 2002, playing against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Correct:
The United Nations wants the US to cease hostilities in Afghanistan.
Correct:
A huge thanks goes to Rep. Jim Hill who helped us get our 5 mo.
Correct:
In the Iliad, the word ares is used as a common noun synonymous with "battle."
Correct:
A cow chases away flies with its tail.
Correct:
A marked copy showing revisions is also attached.
Correct:
The Cayman Islands has a small population and therefore a limited work force.
Correct:
As Election Day nears, a key question confronting investors is how each presidential candidate will affect the stock market.
Correct:
The Hidden Words is another book written by Bahá'u'lláh during the same period, containing 153 short passages in which Bahá'u'lláh claims to have taken the basic essence of certain spiritual truths and written them in brief form.
Correct:
A few minutes is all I ask.
Correct:
BT, The attached shows deals done since April 1, 01.
Correct:
Gentlemen, In addition to looking for ways in which Transwestern can improve mainline deliverability, another important criteria is access to markets.

Incorrect:
The dusty books about red ants and termites seems very informative.

Correct:
The dusty books about red ants and termites seem|seemed|will seem very informative.
Incorrect:
These beautiful red ball gowns with the little flowers goes well with the color of your eyes.

Correct:
These beautiful red ball gowns with the little flowers go|went|will go well with the color of your eyes.
Incorrect:
The delivery locations for all newspaper subscriptions needs to be changed to ECS 05/06.

Correct:
The delivery locations for all newspaper subscriptions need|needed|will need to be changed to ECS 05/06.
Correct:
The central idea of the book of Amos is that God puts his people on the same level as the surrounding nations – God expects the same purity of them all.
Correct:
The front end checks whether the program is correctly written in terms of the programming language syntax and semantics.
Correct:
The record for the most Total Bases in a Single Game is 19, by Shawn Green of the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 23, 2002, playing against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Correct:
Attached are a list of the exhibits for a certificate application and the environmental requirements (this document is the redline for the new environmental regulations under Order No. 603, 603A, and 603B).
Correct:
This greatly surprised astronomers because X-ray emission is usually associated with very high-temperature bodies.
Correct:
The winter energy imports from the South hold Northwest costs down just as spring run off sales to the South lower energy costs in California.
Correct:
The board lights up each time a transaction is made for delivery to a particular point.
Correct:
The revised invoices for Duke contracts 27291 and 27349 appear to be correct.
Correct:
As most of you probably know, attorneys have a duty of strict confidentiality to their clients, and this duty attaches from the moment a consultation begins (regardless of whether a formal "engagement" has commenced).
Correct:
My dog barks if someone comes to the door.
Correct:
The plant runs on LNG that is indexed to JCC, effectively giving our customer a significant crude oil exposure.
Correct:
The group Republicans for Environmental Protection seeks to strengthen the Republican Party's stance on environmental issues, and supports efforts to conserve natural resources and protect human and environmental health.
Correct:
An oxide layer forms around beryllium that prevents further reactions with air unless heated above 1000 °C.
Correct:
A higher closes during the day session is needed to confirm Tuesday's bullish...

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