Noun and Verb Agreement Rules: A Guide to Writing Error-Free Copy

As a copy editor, one of the most common errors I come across in writing is a lack of agreement between nouns and verbs. This can be a simple mistake, but it can also significantly impact the clarity and effectiveness of your writing. To help you avoid this error, I have put together a guide to noun and verb agreement rules.

1. A singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb.

Examples:

Singular: The cat chases the mouse.

Plural: The cats chase the mice.

2. When a compound subject is joined by « and, » it requires a plural verb.

Example: Tom and Jerry are my favorite cartoon characters.

3. When a compound subject is joined by « or » or « nor, » the verb agrees with the subject closer to it in the sentence.

Example: Neither the team captain nor his players are confident about their performance in the match.

4. Collective nouns refer to a group of individuals but are singular in form and require a singular verb.

Example: The team plays well together.

5. Indefinite pronouns, such as « everyone, » « someone, » « anyone, » and « nobody, » require a singular verb.

Example: Everybody loves ice cream.

6. Subject-verb agreement requires consistency in tense. Do not mix past, present, and future tenses within the same sentence.

Example: The bird flew and now it is singing.

7. In sentences that begin with « there » or « here, » the subject follows the verb. The verb must agree with the actual subject, not the word « there » or « here. »

Example: There are a lot of books on the shelf.

8. In sentences that use « each » or « every, » the verb is singular.

Example: Each student must complete the assignment.

9. In sentences that begin with a prepositional phrase, the subject comes after the verb. The verb must agree with the subject, not the object of the preposition.

Example: In the garden, the flowers bloom.

In conclusion, with these noun and verb agreement rules, you can avoid common errors and write effectively and efficiently. It is essential to pay close attention to these rules to ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and grammatically correct. As a copy editor, I highly recommend keeping these rules in mind and using them as a guide to produce error-free copy.