Subject Verb Agreement with Conjunctions

Subject-verb agreement is an essential element of proper grammar, and it involves ensuring that the verb in a sentence agrees with the subject. But what happens when conjunctions come into play? In this article, we’ll discuss subject-verb agreement with conjunctions, and provide tips and guidelines to ensure your writing is grammatically sound.

What are conjunctions?

Conjunctions are connecting words that link words, phrases, or clauses together in a sentence. They can be classified into three categories: coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative conjunctions.

Coordinating conjunctions connect two grammatically equal elements, such as two nouns or two verbs. Examples of coordinating conjunctions include “and,” “but,” “or,” “so,” and “yet.” Subordinating conjunctions, on the other hand, join independent clauses with a dependent clause. Examples include “although,” “because,” “if,” and “when.” Finally, correlative conjunctions work in pairs to connect equal sentence elements. Examples include “both… and,” “not only… but also,” and “either… or.”

Subject-verb agreement with coordinating conjunctions

When using coordinating conjunctions in a sentence, each of the individual subjects still requires its own verb that agrees with it. For example:

– Mary and John are singing a duet.

In this sentence, both Mary and John are the subjects, and “are singing” is the verb that agrees with them. It’s important to note that the verb does not always have to agree with the last subject in the series. For example:

– The cat, the dog, and the bird are sleeping.

In this sentence, “are sleeping” agrees with all three subjects, despite the verb coming after “bird.”

Subject-verb agreement with subordinating conjunctions

When using subordinating conjunctions, the verb must agree with the subject in the independent clause. For example:

– If Alice goes to the store, she will buy some milk.

In this sentence, “Alice” is the subject in the independent clause, and “goes” is the verb that agrees with it. The dependent clause “she will buy some milk” does not affect the subject-verb agreement.

Subject-verb agreement with correlative conjunctions

When using correlative conjunctions, the verb must agree with the subject closest to it. For example:

– Neither the dog nor the cat is interested in the mouse.

In this sentence, the closest subject to “is interested” is “cat,” so the verb agrees with it.

Tips for subject-verb agreement with conjunctions

– Identify the subject(s) in the sentence first, and then choose the appropriate verb that agrees with it.

– If there are multiple subjects joined by coordinating conjunctions, use a plural verb that agrees with them all.

– When using subordinating conjunctions, the verb should agree with the subject of the independent clause, not the dependent clause.

– With correlative conjunctions, the verb should agree with the subject closest to it.

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement with conjunctions is a crucial component of grammar that can affect the clarity and readability of your writing. By following the tips and guidelines outlined in this article, you can ensure your writing is grammatically correct and polished.