Subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of English grammar that cannot be overemphasized. It is a rule that states that the subject of a sentence must agree with the verb in number – whether singular or plural. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural. While this may seem straightforward, there are instances where subject-verb agreement can be tricky, especially when phrases are involved.

Phrases are groups of words that function as a single unit within a sentence. There are several types of phrases, including prepositional phrases, infinitive phrases, gerund phrases, and participial phrases. In each of these cases, the presence of a phrase can make subject-verb agreement more complicated.

Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases consist of a preposition, its object, and any modifiers. They usually act as adjectives or adverbs within a sentence. For example, in the sentence ”The book on the table is mine,” the prepositional phrase ”on the table” modifies the noun ”book.”

When subject-verb agreement involves prepositional phrases, it is important to identify the subject of the sentence before determining whether the verb should be singular or plural. In the sentence ”The book on the table is mine,” the subject is ”book,” which is singular. Therefore, the verb ”is” is also singular.

Infinitive Phrases

Infinitive phrases consist of the word ”to” followed by a verb. They can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs within a sentence. For example, in the sentence ”I want to read that book,” the infinitive phrase ”to read that book” functions as a noun, serving as the direct object of the verb ”want.”

When subject-verb agreement involves infinitive phrases, the verb should always be singular. For example, in the sentence ”To learn a new skill requires practice,” the subject is ”learning a new skill,” which is singular. Therefore, the verb ”requires” is also singular.

Gerund Phrases

Gerund phrases consist of a verb in its ”-ing” form followed by any modifiers. They always function as nouns within a sentence. For example, in the sentence ”Swimming is my favorite sport,” the gerund phrase ”swimming” serves as the subject of the sentence.

When subject-verb agreement involves gerund phrases, the verb should always be singular. For example, in the sentence ”Watching movies makes me happy,” the subject is ”watching movies,” which is singular. Therefore, the verb ”makes” is also singular.

Participial Phrases

Participial phrases consist of a verb in either its past or present participle form followed by any modifiers. They can function as adjectives within a sentence. For example, in the sentence ”The dog, wagging its tail, greeted me at the door,” the participial phrase ”wagging its tail” modifies the noun ”dog.”

When subject-verb agreement involves participial phrases, it is important to identify the noun that the phrase modifies before determining whether the verb should be singular or plural. In the sentence ”The dogs, barking loudly, ran towards the gate,” the subject is ”dogs,” which is plural. Therefore, the verb ”ran” is also plural.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of writing that ensures clarity and coherence in sentences. Understanding how phrases can affect subject-verb agreement is an important skill for any professional. By following the guidelines outlined in this article, you can ensure that your writing is grammatically correct and optimized for SEO.