What is difference between singular and plural verbs
by Yogi P - October 21, 2023
Difference between Singular and Plural Verbs | Singular vs Plural Verbs
The first and most common difficulty English language learners come across is the difference between singular and plural verbs. To know when to use each of these verb forms, it’s essential to understand the nuances between the two.
Singular Verb
A singular verb is a verb that agrees to a single-subject noun or pronoun in the present tense and is used to express action in the third-person point of view. For example, the sentence, “He likes ice cream,” has a singular verb because the subject, “he,” is a singular noun.
Plural Verb
A plural verb is a verb that is used with a plural noun or pronoun to express action or being in the present tense. For example, the sentence “They are playing soccer” has a plural verb because the subject, “they,” is a plural noun.
Table Summarising Singular and Plural Verbs
| Word | Singular Verb | Plural Verb |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Agrees to a single-subject noun or pronoun in the present tense | Used with a plural noun or pronoun to express action or being in the present tense |
| Usage | Express action in the third-person point of view | Expresses action or being for plural subjects |
| Examples | He likes ice cream. | They are playing soccer. |
Subject-verb agreement is the fundamental principle governing the usage of singular and plural verbs. In essence, the verb must agree in number with its subject. This means that if the subject is singular, then the verb must also be singular. Conversely, if the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.
While subject-verb agreement may seem intuitive, there are a few instances where it can be tricky. For example, collective nouns such as “team”, “family”, and “class” can be either singular or plural depending on the context.
In general, if the collective noun is considered as a unit, a singular verb is used. However, if the members of the collective noun are considered to be acting independently, a plural verb is used.
Overview of difference between Singular and plural verbs
| Aspect | Singular Verb | Plural Verb |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Singular nouns or pronouns (e.g., he, she, it, the dog) | Plural nouns or pronouns (e.g., they, we, the dogs) |
| Verb Form | Singular verb forms (e.g., is, goes, has) | Plural verb forms (e.g., are, go, have) |
| Agreement | Verb agrees in number with a singular subject | Verb agrees in number with a plural subject |
| Examples | She is reading a book. | They are reading books. |
| Usage | Used when the subject is one person, thing, or entity | Used when the subject is more than one person, thing, or entity |
| Rule | Follows the subject-verb agreement rule for singular subjects | Follows the subject-verb agreement rule for plural subjects |
| Indicators | Subject is usually singular and may include words like “each,” “every,” “nobody,” “someone,” etc. | Subject is usually plural and may include words like “all,” “many,” “both,” etc. |
Activity to Enhance Understanding
To practice your understanding of the singular and plural verb forms, look out for examples in books or magazines. Using a highlighter, mark instances in which you come across singular or plural verbs and then identify the subject it is associated with.
Once you’re confident with your ability to distinguish between the two, you might challenge yourself to try substituting one form with the other to see if it still makes sense.
Conclusion
It’s important to note that understanding the difference between singular and plural verbs is essential for producing grammatically correct and communicatively accurate English. While the differences between the two forms may seem fine, getting them wrong can be quite telling and impact the overall meaning.
With enough practice and practice, however, you’ll be able to build the necessary skills needed to use these forms appropriately in conversation or writing.
