Verb Agreement with Compound Subject: How to Write Like a Pro
As a writer or editor, one of the essential rules you need to know is verb agreement. However, verb agreement becomes a bit more complicated when dealing with compound subjects.
A compound subject occurs when a sentence has two or more subjects joined by a conjunction such as „and,“ „or,“ or „nor.“ When writing such sentences, it is crucial to ensure that the verb agrees with all the subjects in terms of number (singular or plural).
The following are the rules to follow when dealing with verb agreement with compound subjects:
Rule #1: The conjunction „and“
When you have two or more subjects joined by „and,“ the verb should be plural. For example:
– Sarah and Tom are going to the concert tonight.
In this sentence, there are two subjects (Sarah and Tom), and they are connected by the conjunction „and.“ The verb „are“ is used because it agrees in number with the plural subjects.
Rule #2: The conjunction „or“ and „nor“
When you have two subjects joined by „or“ or „nor,“ the verb should agree with the subject that is closer to the verb. For example:
– Either my sister or my brother is going to pick me up.
In this sentence, there are two subjects (my sister and my brother) joined by the conjunction „or.“ The verb „is“ agrees in number with the closer subject, which is „brother.“
– Neither the dog nor the cats are allowed on the couch.
In this sentence, there are two subjects (the dog and the cats) joined by the conjunction „nor.“ The verb „are“ agrees in number with the plural subject, which is „cats.“
Rule #3: The conjunction „either… or“ and „neither… nor“
When using „either… or“ or „neither… nor“ to join two subjects, the verb should agree with the subject that is closer to the verb. For example:
– Neither my mom nor my dad likes spicy food.
In this sentence, the verb „likes“ agrees in number with the closest subject, which is „dad.“
– Either my friends or I am going to the beach.
In this sentence, the verb „am“ agrees in number with the subject „I.“
In conclusion, verb agreement with compound subjects can be tricky, but it is essential to master to write like a pro. By following the rules mentioned above, you can ensure that your written work is grammatically correct and easy to read.