Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of the English language that often poses a challenge to many writers. As a copy editor, it`s important to have a good eye for identifying errors in subject-verb agreement. In this article, we will discuss a worksheet to help identify errors in subject-verb agreement.
The worksheet consists of different sentences that contain errors in subject-verb agreement. It is important to understand the rules that govern subject-verb agreement to be able to identify these errors. Here are some of the common rules:
1. Singular subjects require singular verbs, while plural subjects require plural verbs.
For example, “The dog runs in the park” is correct because “dog” is a singular subject that requires the singular verb “runs.” Conversely, “The dogs runs in the park” is incorrect because “dogs” is a plural subject that requires the plural verb “run.”
2. The subject and verb must agree in tense.
For example, “The children played outside yesterday” is correct because “played” is in the past tense, and “yesterday” indicates that the action happened in the past. Conversely, “The children plays outside yesterday” is incorrect because the verb “plays” is in the present tense, not the past tense.
3. Compound subjects joined by “and” require a plural verb.
For example, “John and Mary are arriving for dinner” is correct because “John and Mary” is a compound subject that requires the plural verb “are.” Conversely, “John and Mary is arriving for dinner” is incorrect because “is” is a singular verb, and “John and Mary” is a compound subject.
Using these rules and others, the worksheet contains several sentences that present a variety of errors in subject-verb agreement. Some errors include incorrect verb tense, incorrect pluralization, and incorrect application of the rules of compound subjects.
As a copy editor, it`s important to be able to identify these errors to ensure that written content is clear and grammatically correct. When reviewing written content, it`s important to read the sentence carefully and determine the subject and verb. Once you`ve identified these components, consider the rules that govern subject-verb agreement and determine whether the sentence is grammatically correct.
In conclusion, identifying errors in subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of being an effective copy editor. The worksheet presented in this article is a useful tool for practicing these skills and becoming more adept at identifying these errors. By mastering these skills, a copy editor can ensure that written content is clear, concise, and grammatically correct, ultimately improving the quality of written communication.