Agreement Null: What it is and How to Avoid it
Agreement null, also known as agreement error or subject-verb disagreement, is a common grammatical mistake that occurs when the subject and verb of a sentence do not agree in number. This error is a common issue in writing and can occur in various forms, including singular-plural agreement, person agreement, and tense agreement.
This type of error can significantly affect the readability and clarity of your writing, causing confusion and misconceptions. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what agreement null is and how to avoid it in your writing.
Singular-plural agreement
One of the most common forms of agreement null is singular-plural agreement. This error happens when the subject and verb of a sentence do not agree in number. For example:
Incorrect: The dog eats their food.
Correct: The dog eats its food.
In this example, the subject “dog” is singular, while the verb “eats” is in the plural form “their.” To correct this error, we need to use the singular pronoun “its” instead of “their.”
Person agreement
Person agreement occurs when the subject and verb of a sentence do not agree in person. In English, there are three persons: first person (I, we), second person (you), and third person (he, she, it, they). For example:
Incorrect: They believes in ghosts.
Correct: They believe in ghosts.
In this example, the subject “they” is in the third person, while the verb “believes” is in the singular form “believe.” To correct this error, we need to use the plural form “believe” instead of “believes.”
Tense agreement
Tense agreement happens when the subject and verb of a sentence do not agree in tense. In English, there are three primary tenses: the present, the past, and the future. For example:
Incorrect: She will go to the store yesterday.
Correct: She went to the store yesterday.
In this example, the verb “will go” is in the future tense, while the adverb “yesterday” suggests the past. To correct this error, we need to use the past tense form “went” instead of “will go.”
How to avoid agreement null
To avoid agreement null, you need to pay close attention to your subject and verb agreement. Be sure that they agree in number, person, and tense. Here are a few tips to help:
– Always identify your subject and verb before starting to write a sentence.
– Check your subject and verb for agreement in number, person, and tense.
– When writing compound subjects, make sure that they agree in number and person.
– Use the correct verb form when writing with collective nouns.
– Review your work to ensure that your sentences do not contain any agreement errors.
Final thoughts
Agreement null is a common grammatical mistake that can make your writing hard to read and understand. To avoid this error, you need to be aware of the subject and verb agreement in your sentences. By paying attention to the number, person, and tense of your subject and verb, you can produce clear and concise writing that engages your readers.