Question

What is subject-verb agreement?

Answer 1

Subject-verb agreement is making sure that singular subjects go with singular verbs, and plural subjects go with plural verbs.

Explanation:

Subjects and verbs must agree in number (singular or plural) in order to make a logical sentence.

In present tense (meaning it's happening in the present), subject-verb agreement looks like this:

SINGULAR:
`"The"` `stackrel"subject"overbrace"horse"` `stackrel"verb"overbrace"eats"` `"grass."`

PLURAL:
`"The"` `stackrel"subject"overbrace"horses"` `stackrel"verb"overbrace"eat"` `"grass."`

Notice how the verb has the `s` in singular, and the noun has the `s` in plural. The top subject and verb are both singular, so they agree. The bottom subject and verb are both plural, so they also agree.

Sentences without subject-verb agreement would be:

`>` `"The horse eat grass."`
`>` `"The horses eats grass."`

You see how that sounds funny? That's because the subject and verb don't agree - they're singular and plural in the same sentence. These sentences are incorrect.

If you need to know subject-verb agreement in the different tenses, this is a good article to read.