Identifying the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement is an essential skill for any copy editor. Subject-verb agreement refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb in a sentence. When a sentence has correct subject-verb agreement, it means that the subject and the verb are in agreement in terms of number and person.

To understand this better, let`s take an example. Consider the following sentence:

“The dogs runs in the park.”

In this sentence, the subject is “dogs,” which is plural, and the verb is “runs,” which is singular. This results in incorrect subject-verb agreement. The correct sentence would be:

“The dogs run in the park.”

In this sentence, the subject “dogs” is plural, and the verb “run” is also plural. This results in correct subject-verb agreement.

Here are a few tips to help identify sentences with correct subject-verb agreement:

1. Pay attention to the number of the subject: Whether the subject is singular or plural will dictate the form of the verb that follows.

2. Look for words that come between the subject and verb: Sometimes, words such as “or,” “nor,” “either,” or “neither” can confuse the subject-verb agreement. In such cases, it is essential to ensure that the verb agrees with the closest subject.

3. Consider the person of the subject: When the subject is in the first person (“I” or “we”), the verb must be in the first person form as well. Similarly, when the subject is in the second person (“you”), the verb must be in the second person form.

To further illustrate this, let`s take a look at some examples of sentences with correct subject-verb agreement:

“The cars are parked in the garage.”

In this sentence, the subject “cars” is plural, and the verb “are” is also plural, resulting in correct subject-verb agreement.

“The elephant in the zoo is eating hay.”

In this sentence, the subject “elephant” is singular, and the verb “is” is also singular, resulting in correct subject-verb agreement.

In conclusion, identifying sentences with correct subject-verb agreement is an important task for any copy editor. By paying attention to the number and person of the subject, as well as any intervening words, we can ensure that the verb agrees with the subject, resulting in a grammatically correct sentence.