Subject Verb Agreement in Compound Subjects

Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental grammatical concept that every writer, editor, and reader must know and adhere to. It refers to the correct matching of the subject and the verb in a sentence, in terms of number and tense. Compound subjects can make this concept more challenging, but with proper understanding and practice, it is easy to master.

A compound subject is a sentence element that has two or more subject parts that share the same predicate or verb. For example, “John and Jane are going to the party.” In this sentence, “John” and “Jane” are the two subject parts that form a compound subject. The verb that matches this plural compound subject is “are.”

The rule for subject-verb agreement in compound subjects is to ensure that the verb agrees with the number of the compound subject. If the compound subject is singular, the verb must be singular as well. If the compound subject is plural, the verb must be plural. For instance, “John or Jane is going to the party” and “John and Jane are going to the party” show how the verb changes depending on the number of the compound subject.

However, some compound subjects may seem singular, but they are plural in meaning. For example, “Bread and butter is my favorite breakfast.” Although “bread and butter” sounds like a single item, it is still a compound subject and requires a plural verb, “are,” to agree with it.

Another issue that arises in compound subjects is when they are joined by “not only…but also,” “either…or,” “neither…nor,” and “both…and.” In this case, the verb must agree with the subject that is closest to it. For instance, “Not only John but also Jane is going to the party” and “Neither John nor Jane is going to the party.”

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of writing that must be well-understood and applied to avoid confusion, ambiguity, and errors in meaning. Compound subjects demand extra attention, but with practice and vigilance, they can be mastered. A writer should always ensure that the verb agrees with the number and tense of the compound subject, regardless of the joining words. A professional should also ensure that the content is optimized for search engines without neglecting the grammatical accuracy and clarity of the subject-verb agreement in compound subjects.