Subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of English grammar. It refers to the proper matching of the subject and verb in a sentence. But did you know that interrupting phrases can often cause confusion and errors in subject-verb agreement? In this article, we will discuss what interrupting phrases are and how they can affect subject-verb agreement.
What are Interrupting Phrases?
Interrupting phrases, also known as parenthetical phrases, are phrases that interrupt the flow of a sentence. They are usually enclosed in commas or parentheses and provide extra information about the subject or verb in the sentence. Examples of interrupting phrases include:
– However,
– In fact,
– On the other hand,
– As a matter of fact,
– By the way,
Interrupting phrases can be tricky to handle, as they can change the meaning of a sentence and affect its grammatical structure.
How do Interrupting Phrases Affect Subject-Verb Agreement?
Interrupting phrases can cause confusion in subject-verb agreement because they can make it difficult to locate the subject of a sentence. When an interrupting phrase is inserted into a sentence, it can disrupt the natural order of the sentence and make it harder to identify the subject. As a result, the verb in the sentence may not agree with the subject.
For example, take this sentence:
The dog, along with his owners, enjoy running in the park.
The subject of the sentence is “dog,” and the verb should agree with it. However, the interrupting phrase “along with his owners” separates the subject and verb and makes it harder to identify the subject. The verb “enjoy” should be changed to “enjoys” to agree with the singular subject “dog.”
Another example is:
My sister, as well as her friends, were at the party.
In this sentence, the interrupting phrase “as well as her friends” makes it harder to identify the subject. The verb “were” should be changed to “was” to agree with the singular subject “sister.”
How to Handle Interrupting Phrases in Subject-Verb Agreement?
To avoid errors in subject-verb agreement caused by interrupting phrases, it is important to identify the subject of a sentence correctly. One way to do this is to remove the interrupting phrase from the sentence and identify the subject and verb first. Then, add the interrupting phrase back in and make sure it does not affect the agreement between the subject and verb.
For example:
My sister were at the party.
The subject of the sentence is “sister,” and the verb should be “was” to agree with the singular subject. Adding the interrupting phrase “as well as her friends” back in, we get:
My sister, as well as her friends, was at the party.
In this revised sentence, the subject and verb now agree correctly.
In conclusion, interrupting phrases can cause confusion and errors in subject-verb agreement. It is important to identify the subject of a sentence correctly and handle the interrupting phrase carefully to ensure correct grammar. By following these tips, you will be able to write clear and grammatically correct sentences.
