As a copy editor, proper subject-verb agreement is one of the essential rules to produce copy that is grammatically correct and easy to read. Correct subject-verb agreement not only improves readability but also helps search engines to crawl and understand the content.
One of the most frequently misunderstood rules is the use of “and” in subject-verb agreement. Typically, when two or more subjects are connected with “and,” a plural verb is necessary. However, there are situations when using a singular verb is more appropriate.
First and foremost, when two subjects are connected with “and,” a plural verb is required. For instance, “The cat and dog are playing in the garden.” In this sentence, “cat” and “dog” are individual subjects connected by “and,” so the plural verb “are” is needed.
On the other hand, when two subjects connected with “and” are considered a single entity, a singular verb is needed. Consider this example: “Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite sandwich.” Here, the combination of peanut butter and jelly is considered as one unit, so “is” should be used.
Another situation where the use of singular verb with “and” is appropriate is when the subjects are joined by “either-or” or “neither-nor.” For example, “Neither the cat nor the dog likes to swim” or “Either the cat or the dog is responsible for knocking over the vase.”
It`s also worth noting that when a singular subject and a plural subject are connected with “and,” the verb should be plural. For instance, “The cat and dogs are playing in the garden.”
In conclusion, using proper subject-verb agreement is crucial in producing grammatically correct copy that is understandable to both humans and search engines. Remember, when two or more subjects are connected with “and,” use a plural verb unless the subjects are considered a single entity or are connected with “either-or” or “neither-nor.”
