We Cannot Agree to Disagree

Humans, generally but not always, enjoy debates; in the world of grammar, however, agreeing to disagree when it comes to subjects and verbs and their agreement is not allowed. The rule governing agreement is not open to debate or argument. No one interested in correct form is inclined to quibble or offer opposition to the following rule: if the subject of a sentence is singular, the verb has to be singular; and if the subject is plural, the verb has to be plural. The subject and verb agree in number, singular or plural. The writer does not get to choose to mix them up but has to follow form.

English is a strange language in some cases, and when it comes to knowing if a verb is singular or plural, an odd thing occurs. Most nouns, and there are exceptions, end with an “s” when they mean more than one, when they are plural: apples, trees, houses, times, oceans, ideas…all end in “s,” which the most common ending for a plural noun. Common, ordinary verbs, not irregular ones, when in agreement with singular nouns, often end in “s,” too, sort of an opposite effect and not meaning plural at all.

For instance, “a girl (singular noun) visits (singular verb) the beach.”

Add two friends, and “three girls (plural noun) visit (plural verb) the beach.”

There is no “s” on the end of the plural form of the verb visit…one girl visits; three girls visit. (The letter “s” appears to like having more than one purpose.)

Since I don’t know who decided to form a rule on subject and verb agreement or who was in charge of spelling rules either, I can’t say why the above peculiarity happens. It does, but it is not a true rule, more a memory device that won’t serve when weirdly spelled nouns or irregular verbs serve as the main components of a sentence.

The word “deer” is spelled the same, regardless of how many “deer” might be involved as the subject of a sentence. But depending on context, one “deer has” a forest home and five “deer have” a forest home.

The English language doesn’t seem to employ many rules without accompanying exceptions, and it’s a wise student who memorizes as many of the exceptions as possible. The rule about plural subject/ plural verb and singular subject/ singular verb stands, though, pretty much (just in case someone finds this debatable) without exception.

Roxy’s tip: Make sure your subjects and verbs agree!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! My next entry is coming soon. ‘Til then, hang ten!