Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of grammar that can significantly affect the clarity and coherence of a sentence. It is a topic that often confuses many writers, especially if English is not their first language. In Hindi, subject-verb agreement is known as “visheshan-sangya soojh-boojh.”
To write grammatically correct sentences, one must ensure that the subject and verb agree in number and person. It means that if the subject is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural. The same rule applies to the agreement of the subject and verb in the first, second, and third persons.
For example, in Hindi, the sentence “Mere dost school jate hain” is grammatically correct because the subject “mere dost” is plural, and the verb “jate hain” is also plural. However, if the sentence were to read “Mere dost school jata hai,” it would be incorrect because the subject is plural, and the verb is singular.
It is also essential to note that the agreement between the subject and verb can be affected by intervening words or phrases. For instance, in the sentence “The book on the table, along with the pen, is mine,” the subject “book” is singular, and the verb “is” agrees with it, even though there are intervening words.
The same applies to sentences with compound subjects, where two or more subjects are connected by “and.” The verb in such sentences should be plural. For example, in the sentence “Raj and Ravi play cricket,” the subject “Raj and Ravi” is plural, and the verb “play” agrees with it.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of writing grammatically correct sentences. It is necessary to ensure that the subject and verb agree in number and person, and that intervening words or phrases do not affect the agreement. By understanding the basics of subject-verb agreement, one can improve their writing skills and communicate more effectively.