One of the most common grammatical mistakes that writers make is subject-verb agreement. This occurs when the subject of a sentence does not match the verb that follows it. As a copy editor, it is essential to be adept at identifying and correcting these errors to ensure high-quality content that is optimized for search engine ranking. In this article, we will discuss some common subject-verb agreement problem examples and how to fix them.
Example 1: The team of experts are conducting the research.
In this sentence, the subject is the team of experts, which is a collective noun. The verb “are” is plural, which makes the sentence an example of subject-verb agreement error. The correct verb to use should be “is,” which agrees with the singular subject “team.” The correct sentence should read, “The team of experts is conducting the research.”
Example 2: Neither of the candidates have submitted their application.
In this sentence, the subject is “neither,” which is singular. However, the verb “have” is plural, making it an example of subject-verb agreement error. The correct verb to use should be “has,” which agrees with the singular subject “neither.” The corrected sentence should read, “Neither of the candidates has submitted their application.”
Example 3: The book, as well as the movie, were well-received by critics.
In this sentence, the subject is “book” and “movie,” which are two separate entities. However, the verb “were” is plural, making it an example of subject-verb agreement error. The correct verb to use should be “was,” which agrees with the singular subject “book” and “movie.” The corrected sentence should read, “The book, as well as the movie, was well-received by critics.”
Example 4: Mary and her sister is going to the mall.
In this sentence, the subject is “Mary and her sister,” which is a plural subject. However, the verb “is” is singular, making it an example of subject-verb agreement error. The correct verb to use should be “are,” which agrees with the plural subject “Mary and her sister.” The corrected sentence should read, “Mary and her sister are going to the mall.”
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement errors are common grammatical mistakes encountered by copy editors. It is essential to be proficient in correcting these errors to ensure that the content is clear, concise, and optimized for search engine ranking. Keep in mind that subject-verb agreement depends on the form of the subject, whether it is singular or plural. Therefore, it is crucial to pay close attention to both the subject and the verb in a sentence to ensure they are in agreement.
