Subject-Adjective Agreement: How to Ensure Accuracy in Writing
Subject-adjective agreement refers to the grammatical rule that states an adjective must match its corresponding subject in terms of number, gender, and case. This agreement is essential in ensuring accuracy and clarity in writing, particularly in academic and professional settings.
In this article, we will explore the basics of subject-adjective agreement and provide some tips on how to avoid common pitfalls.
Number Agreement
The first aspect of subject-adjective agreement is number agreement, which determines whether the subject is singular or plural. Singular subjects take singular adjectives, while plural subjects take plural adjectives.
For example, consider the following sentence: „The cat is hungry.“ Here, „cat“ is singular, so the adjective „hungry“ is also singular. If we were to refer to multiple cats, we would say „The cats are hungry.“ In this case, „cats“ is plural, so the adjective must be plural as well.
Gender Agreement
Gender agreement refers to whether the subject is male, female, or neutral. Adjectives must agree with the gender of their corresponding subject.
For example, let`s consider the sentence: „The happy couple walked hand in hand.“ In this sentence, „couple“ is a neutral noun, so we use the gender-neutral adjective „happy.“ However, if the subject were „bride“ instead, we would use the feminine adjective „happy“ to match the subject`s gender.
Case Agreement
Case agreement applies to pronouns, which change their form based on their grammatical function in a sentence. Pronouns take different forms depending on whether they are the subject or object of the sentence.
For example, consider the sentence: „I am happy.“ Here, „I“ is the subject, so we use the subjective form of the pronoun. However, if we were to say „She makes me happy,“ we would use the objective form of the pronoun because „she“ is the subject of the sentence.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
While subject-adjective agreement is a basic grammatical rule, there are some common pitfalls to avoid. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
– Watch out for compound subjects: When there are two or more subjects in a sentence, you need to make sure the adjective agrees with the one closest to it. For example, „The dog and the cat are hungry“ takes a plural adjective because „cat“ is closer to the adjective.
– Don`t be misled by prepositional phrases: Prepositional phrases, such as „of the“ or „with the,“ can often make it difficult to identify the subject of the sentence. However, the subject is always the noun or pronoun doing the action.
– Use the right case for pronouns: Pronouns have different forms depending on whether they are the subject or object of a sentence. Make sure to use the correct form based on its grammatical function.
In conclusion, subject-adjective agreement is an important rule to follow in writing. By paying attention to number, gender, and case, we can ensure accuracy and clarity in our communication. By avoiding common pitfalls, we can produce writing that is grammatically correct and professional.