Subject-verb agreement is one of the most important rules that govern the English language. When it comes to questions, it is essential to follow these rules to ensure that our sentences are grammatically correct and convey the intended meaning clearly. In this article, we will discuss the subject-verb agreement rules in questions and how to apply them correctly.
1. Inverted Questions
Inverted questions are those in which the subject comes after the auxiliary verb. For example, “Are you going to the party?” In this sentence, the subject “you” comes after the auxiliary verb “are.” The rule of subject-verb agreement in inverted questions is that the auxiliary verb agrees with the subject. In the above example, “are” agrees with the singular subject “you.”
2. Questions with Singular or Plural Subjects
If the subject of the question is singular, the verb should also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb should also be plural. For example, “Does he like pizza?” In this question, “does” is the singular verb that agrees with the singular subject “he.” Similarly, in the question “Do they like pizza?” the plural verb “do” agrees with the plural subject “they.”
3. Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns are those that do not refer to a specific person or thing. Examples include “someone,” “anyone,” “everyone,” “nobody,” and “somebody.” In questions that use these pronouns as the subject, it is essential to ensure that the verb agrees with the pronoun`s singular or plural meaning. For example, “Does anyone know the answer?” In this sentence, “does” is the singular verb that agrees with the singular meaning of “anyone.”
4. Compound Subjects
In a sentence with a compound subject, where two or more subjects are joined by “and,” the verb should be plural. For example, “John and Mary are going to the party.” In this sentence, “are” is the plural verb that agrees with the plural subjects “John” and “Mary.”
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of grammar, especially in questions. By applying these rules correctly, we can ensure that our questions are grammatically correct and convey the intended meaning clearly. Whether it is an inverted question, a question with singular or plural subjects, indefinite pronouns, or compound subjects, following these subject-verb agreement rules in questions will help us communicate effectively.