Subject-verb agreement plays a crucial role in ensuring that your writing is clear, concise, and grammatically correct. One of the most important rules to keep in mind is rule 12, which addresses situations when a singular subject is combined with multiple nouns or phrases connected by “or” or “nor.”
Rule 12 states that when a singular subject is connected by “or” or “nor” to a plural subject, the verb agrees with the closer subject. For example, consider the following sentence: “Neither the teacher nor the students were impressed by the presentation.” In this example, the verb “were” agrees with the plural subject “students” which is closer to the verb than the singular subject “teacher.”
It’s important to note that when using “either…or” or “neither…nor,” the subject closest to the verb determines the number agreement. For instance, take a look at the sentence, “Either the car or the buses are available for transportation.” In this case, “buses” is a plural noun, so the verb “are” agrees with it.
Another example would be, “Neither the author nor the publisher has responded to my email.” In this sentence, “publisher” is singular and closer to the verb than the plural noun “author.” Therefore, the verb “has” agrees with the singular subject “publisher.”
By following this rule, you can ensure that your writing is grammatically correct, clear, and easy to understand. This is particularly important if you are writing content for a website or blog and want to improve your search engine optimization (SEO) ranking. By using proper grammar and following the rules of subject-verb agreement, you can improve the readability and credibility of your content, which in turn can help drive traffic to your website.
In summary, subject-verb agreement rule 12 is an important guideline to keep in mind when writing. It will help you to avoid common mistakes such as using the wrong verb form or creating confusion for your readers. By taking the time to understand and apply this rule correctly, you can improve the quality of your writing and increase your chances of success in the digital world.