Welcome to a fundamental concept in English grammar: Subject-Verb Agreement! This topic is crucial for speaking and writing clearly and correctly, especially as you move towards an intermediate-high level. Don't worry, it's not as complicated as it sounds, and once you understand the basic rules, your English will sound much more natural and accurate.
What is Subject-Verb Agreement?
Simply put, subject-verb agreement means that the subject of a sentence and the verb in that sentence must "agree" with each other in terms of number.
- If the subject is singular (one person, one thing, one idea), the verb must also be singular.
- If the subject is plural (more than one person, thing, or idea), the verb must also be plural.
It's like matching socks – you need a pair!
The Basic Rule: Singular vs. Plural
Let's look at the most common scenario: verbs in the simple present tense.
- For most verbs, we add '-s' or '-es' to the verb when the subject is singular (he, she, it, or a singular noun).
- She walks to school every day. (Singular subject 'She' + singular verb 'walks')
- The dog barks loudly. (Singular subject 'The dog' + singular verb 'barks')
- He studies English. (Singular subject 'He' + singular verb 'studies')
- When the subject is plural (we, you, they, or a plural noun) or 'I' or 'you', the verb usually stays in its base form (without '-s' or '-es').
- They walk to school every day. (Plural subject 'They' + plural verb 'walk')
- The dogs bark loudly. (Plural subject 'The dogs' + plural verb 'bark')
- We study English. (Plural subject 'We' + plural verb 'study')
- I walk to school. (Subject 'I' + plural verb 'walk')
- You walk to school. (Subject 'You' + plural verb 'walk')
The Verb "To Be"
The verb "to be" is a bit special because it changes form more significantly.
- Singular:
- I am
- He/She/It is
- The student is
- Plural:
- We are
- You are
- They are
- The students are
Subject-Verb Agreement in Negative Sentences
When forming negative sentences in the simple present tense, we use "do not" (or "don't") and "does not" (or "doesn't"). The main verb that follows "do/does not" always stays in its base form (without '-s' or '-es'). The agreement happens with "do" or "does."
- Use "does not" (doesn't) with singular subjects (he, she, it, or a singular noun).
- She does not walk to school every day. (Singular subject 'She' + singular auxiliary 'does not')
- The dog does not bark loudly. (Singular subject 'The dog' + singular auxiliary 'does not')
- He doesn't study English. (Singular subject 'He' + singular auxiliary 'doesn't')
- Use "do not" (don't) with plural subjects (we, you, they, or a plural noun) or 'I' or 'you'.
- They do not walk to school every day. (Plural subject 'They' + plural auxiliary 'do not')
- The dogs do not bark loudly. (Plural subject 'The dogs' + plural auxiliary 'do not')
- We don't study English. (Plural subject 'We' + plural auxiliary 'don't')
- I do not walk to school. (Subject 'I' + plural auxiliary 'do not')
- You don't walk to school. (Subject 'You' + plural auxiliary 'don't')
Why is this important for ESL students?
Mastering subject-verb agreement helps you:
- Sound more natural: Native speakers expect this agreement, and using it correctly makes your English sound more fluent.
- Communicate clearly: Incorrect agreement can sometimes confuse your listener or reader about who or what you are talking about.
- Write more accurately: It's a fundamental rule in formal and academic writing.
While the basic rule is straightforward, English has some tricky cases (like when there are phrases between the subject and verb, or with collective nouns). We'll explore those more advanced topics later. For now, focus on understanding and practicing the core idea: match your subject and your verb in number!