Verb Agreement with Prepositional Phrases
Verb Agreement with Prepositional Phrases: Tips for Clear and Consistent Writing
As a copy editor, one of the most common errors I come across is a lack of agreement between verbs and prepositional phrases in sentences. This is a problem that can make your writing confusing and difficult to understand. However, with some basic understanding of how verbs and prepositional phrases work together, you can write clear and grammatically correct sentences that will help you communicate effectively.
What are prepositional phrases?
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun, which is the object of the preposition. A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between the object of the preposition and another word in the sentence. For example, in the sentence “The cat is on the table,” “on” is the preposition and “the table” is the object of the preposition.
How do prepositional phrases affect verb agreement?
When a prepositional phrase is used as the subject of a sentence, it can be easy to get confused about verb agreement. The verb in the sentence must agree with the subject, which is the noun or pronoun that comes after the preposition. For example, in the sentence “The books on the shelf are dusty,” “books” is the subject, and “are” is the verb that agrees with the subject.
When the subject of the sentence comes before the prepositional phrase, it can be easy to mistakenly use the wrong verb form. For example, in the sentence “The group of students is going on a field trip,” “group” is the subject, and “is” is the verb that agrees with the singular subject. The prepositional phrase “of students” should not affect the agreement between the subject and verb.
On the other hand, when the prepositional phrase comes before the subject, it can also be easy to use the wrong verb form. For example, in the sentence “On the table are two plates,” “plates” is the subject, and “are” is the verb that agrees with the plural subject. The prepositional phrase “on the table” should not affect the agreement between the subject and verb.
Tips for clear and consistent writing
To avoid errors in verb agreement with prepositional phrases, here are some tips to keep in mind when writing:
1. Identify the subject of the sentence.
2. Look for the prepositional phrase that modifies the subject.
3. Remember that the prepositional phrase does not change the subject-verb agreement.
4. If the subject comes before the prepositional phrase, use the correct verb form for the subject.
5. If the prepositional phrase comes before the subject, use the correct verb form for the subject.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your writing is clear, consistent, and grammatically correct. Remember that taking the time to double-check your verb agreement with prepositional phrases is an important step in producing high-quality writing that effectively communicates your ideas.