- Subject verb agreement: The verb and its subject must get along; otherwise, things turn very nasty. The rule is that a verb and its subject must agree in person and number. A singular verb must have singular subject; a plural verb must have a plural subject. As for example: He eats. He is eating. He has eaten. {Singular subject and verb}. They eat. They are eating. They have eaten. {Plural subject and verb}. Try to compare your subject, as in if it’s more or less than two, if it’s less than two then is singular if not then plural.
- Pronoun –Verb agreement: Watch out for errors in agreement between pronouns and verbs. (A pronoun is not a noun that has lost its standing. Instead it’s a last-minute substitute, called upon to stand in for a noun that’s overworked). You already know the basic pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, and their various forms. Here is an additional bunch of singular pronouns that. When used as subjects, typically team up with singular verbs. e.g Each of the songs Rhidita sang was nice. / Either of the potions packs a punch./ Neither of the ores packs a lunch. BUT THERE IS A EXCEPTION: Although singular subjects linked by either… or / neither..nor typically team up with singular verbs, a different rule applies when one subject is singular and one is plural. In such cases, proximity matters: the verb agrees the subject nearest to it. e.g Either the hobbits or the elf has hidden the wizard’s pipe./ Neither Rhidita nor her three companions were happy about carrying Toto everywhere.
- Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number, and gender. (The antecedent is the noun or pronoun to which the pronoun refers, or possibly defers.) Such a degree or agreement is unlikely, but its grammar (almost) all things are possible. E.g The Americans welcomed Rhidita as she arrived in America. ( The antecedent Rhidita is a third person singular feminine noun; she is the third person singular feminine pronoun.) Sometime the antecedent is an indefinite singular pronoun; any, anybody, anyone, each, either, every, everybody, everyone, neither, nobody, no one, somebody, or someone. If so, the pronoun should be singular. e.g Neither of the twins is wearing his blue pajama. When the antecedent is compound (two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and), the pronoun should be plural. You and your nasty little dog will get yours someday! When the antecedent is part of an either.. or / neither… nor statement, the pronoun will find it most politic to agree with the nearly antecedent. e.g Neither the hobbits nor the wizard has eaten all his mushrooms.
