Subject-Verb Agreement: Navigating Plurals and Third-Person Usage
When writing, one of the most important aspects of maintaining clarity and coherence is ensuring that your subject and verb agree with each other. This article will delve into how to properly use the third-person plural subject "people" and the verb that goes with it, particularly when dealing with large numbers like "five million."
Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement is the rule that requires the subject and the verb of a sentence to match in number (singular or plural). This means that a singular subject demands a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb. However, there are exceptions and nuances, especially when dealing with collective nouns like "people."
Using "People" and Its Verb Conjugation
When you come across a sentence with the word "people," it is important to remember that "people" is always treated as a plural noun. Even if the number of people is one (e.g., "one person"), the verb must agree with the pronoun that represents "people." This is why a sentence like "One person lives in the town" is grammatically incorrect; it should read, "One person lives in the town." The correct form, however, shifts dramatically when you deal with multiple people.
Examples of Third-Person Plural Usage
Consider the following example:
Five million people live in the town.
In this sentence, the subject is "five million people," which is a plural noun. Therefore, the verb must be conjugated in the third-person plural form, and the correct verb to use is "live," not "lives." The reason is that "people" is inherently plural, regardless of the number involved.
General Guidelines and Tips
To ensure that your subject and verb agreements are correct, follow these general guidelines:
Identify the subject: Ensure that you are correctly identifying the subject of the sentence, especially when dealing with collective nouns like "people." Check the number: Determine if the subject is singular or plural. Remember, "people" is always plural. Use the correct verb form: Based on the subject's number, use the appropriate verb form. For "people," use the third-person plural form, which typically does not end with "s."Conclusion
Maintaining subject-verb agreement can seem challenging, but with practice and a clear understanding of the nuances, it becomes much easier. Whether you have one person or five million, always remember that "people" requires the third-person plural form of the verb. By keeping these principles in mind, you can write more coherent and grammatically sound sentences.