Subject-verb agreement is an important aspect of good grammar. It refers to the match between the subject and verb in a sentence. In interrogative sentences, the subject and verb must still agree, but it can be a little more challenging. In this article, we will explore the rules of subject-verb agreement in interrogative sentences and provide some helpful tips.
First, let us define what an interrogative sentence is. An interrogative sentence is a type of sentence that asks a question. It is distinguished from declarative sentences that make a statement and imperative sentences that give a command or request. Interrogative sentences require a slightly different approach to subject-verb agreement, given that they tend to be more complex than other types of sentences.
Tip #1: Inverted word order
One of the distinctive features of interrogative sentences is the inverted word order. In a simple declarative sentence, the subject comes before the verb. However, in an interrogative sentence, the verb often comes before the subject. For example, in the sentence “She is going to the store,” the subject “she” precedes the verb “is going.” But in the interrogative sentence “Is she going to the store?” the order is reversed.
When the word order is inverted like this, it can be tricky to maintain subject-verb agreement. However, a good rule of thumb is to always use the subject-verb agreement of the declarative sentence. For example, in the sentence “She is going to the store,” the subject “she” agrees with the singular verb “is going.” Therefore, in the interrogative sentence “Is she going to the store?” the subject-verb agreement remains the same, and “she” still agrees with “is going.”
Tip #2: Singular or plural subject?
Another challenge in subject-verb agreement in interrogative sentences is determining whether the subject is singular or plural. This is important because the verb must agree with the subject in number. One way to determine the number of the subject is to look for clues in the sentence. For example, if the subject is a single person, animal, or thing, it is likely singular. But if the subject is a group of people, animals, or things, it is plural.
Another clue to the number of the subject is the use of articles. If the subject is preceded by “a,” “an,” or “the,” it is likely singular. If the subject is preceded by “some,” “many,” or other plural indicators, it is likely plural.
Tip #3: Watch out for compound subjects
Finally, in interrogative sentences, it is important to watch out for compound subjects. A compound subject is when there are two or more subjects in a sentence that are joined by a conjunction such as “and,” “or,” or “nor.” In these cases, the verb must agree with the subject that is closest to it.
For example, in the sentence “Tom and Jerry are going to the park,” the verb “are” agrees with the plural subject “Tom and Jerry.” But in the interrogative sentence “Are Tom and Jerry going to the park?” the verb still agrees with the closest subject, which is “Jerry.” Therefore, the correct sentence is “Is Tom and Jerry going to the park?”
Conclusion
Subject-verb agreement is important in all types of sentences, including interrogative sentences. The key to maintaining subject-verb agreement in interrogative sentences is to be aware of the inverted word order, determine the number of the subject, and watch out for compound subjects. By following these tips, you can ensure that your interrogative sentences are grammatically correct and easy to read.