Subject-verb agreement is an essential part of proper grammar in writing. It is the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. The subject and verb must agree in number, which means that a singular subject must take a singular verb, and a plural subject must take a plural verb. However, even experienced writers and copy editors make common subject-verb agreement mistakes. In this article, we will discuss some of these mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Indefinite pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are pronouns that do not refer to a specific person or thing. These pronouns are singular or plural, depending on the context. The most common indefinite pronouns are “anyone,” “everyone,” “nobody,” “somebody,” and “someone.” These pronouns are always singular, and they take a singular verb. For example, “Everyone is going to the party,” not “Everyone are going to the party.”

2. Collective nouns

Collective nouns are nouns that refer to a group of people or things. Examples of collective nouns include “family,” “team,” “group,” and “audience.” Collective nouns can be singular or plural, depending on the context. When a collective noun refers to the group as a whole, it takes a singular verb. For example, “The team is playing well,” not “The team are playing well.” However, when a collective noun refers to the individuals in the group, it takes a plural verb. For example, “The team are wearing their uniforms,” not “The team is wearing their uniforms.”

3. Compound subjects connected by “and”

When two subjects are connected by “and,” they are usually plural. However, there are exceptions to this rule. If the two subjects refer to the same person or thing, they take a singular verb. For example, “Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite sandwich,” not “Peanut butter and jelly are my favorite sandwich.” On the other hand, if the two subjects refer to different people or things, they take a plural verb. For example, “John and Mary are going to the party,” not “John and Mary is going to the party.”

4. Singular subjects connected by “or” or “nor”

When two singular subjects are connected by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. For example, “Neither the cat nor the dog is allowed on the couch,” not “Neither the cat nor the dog are allowed on the couch.”

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a fundamental aspect of proper grammar in writing. The most common subject-verb agreement mistakes include indefinite pronouns, collective nouns, compound subjects connected by “and,” and singular subjects connected by “or” or “nor.” As a professional, it is crucial to pay attention to these mistakes and ensure that the subject and verb agree in number to produce high-quality content.