How Do Interrupting or Intervening Phrases and Clauses Affect Subject Verb Agreement

27 Set How Do Interrupting or Intervening Phrases and Clauses Affect Subject Verb Agreement

When crafting a sentence, it is essential to ensure that the subject and verb agree. However, sometimes, interrupting or intervening phrases and clauses can make determining subject-verb agreement a bit more challenging.

To understand how these phrases and clauses impact subject-verb agreement, we must first define what they are.

Intervening phrases are nonessential clauses that provide additional information but are not required for the sentence`s main meaning. For example, in the sentence, “The boy, who was wearing a blue shirt, played with his toys,” the phrase “who was wearing a blue shirt” is an intervening phrase.

Intervening clauses, on the other hand, are essential to the sentence`s meaning and cannot be removed without altering its significance. For instance, “I will not go to the party unless my friend comes with me” – “unless my friend comes with me” is an intervening clause.

Intervening phrases and clauses can affect subject-verb agreement in two ways. First, they can create distance between the subject and verb, making it easier to mistake the subject of the sentence. Secondly, these phrases and clauses may contain a singular or plural noun that can confuse the subject-verb agreement.

To avoid these issues, it is best to identify the sentence`s subject and ignore any intervening phrases or clauses. For example, “The dog, along with his toys, enjoys playing in the park” – Even though “along with his toys” is an intervening phrase, it does not impact subject-verb agreement. Therefore, the verb “enjoys” correctly agrees with the subject “dog.”

In conclusion, interrupting or intervening phrases and clauses can affect subject-verb agreement, but they do not need to cause confusion. It is essential to identify the sentence`s subject and ignore any intervening phrases or clauses to ensure proper subject-verb agreement. As a copy editor (or writer), taking extra care to understand these nuances is critical in producing high-quality content that correctly communicates the intended message while also adhering to best SEO practices.