Pronoun verb agreement can be a tricky aspect of the English language to master. However, it is an essential component of effective communication, particularly in written form. As a copy editor, one effective tool that I have found to help writers improve their pronoun verb agreement skills is the pronoun verb agreement game.
The pronoun verb agreement game is a fun and interactive tool that can help writers improve their understanding and application of this grammar rule. The game involves identifying and correcting errors in pronoun verb agreement in a given sentence or paragraph.
To play the game, the writer must first identify the subject of the sentence. The subject is the person or thing that the sentence is about. Once the subject is identified, the writer must choose the correct verb form that matches the subject in number and person.
For example, let`s consider the following sentence: “The dog barks loudly.” In this sentence, the subject is the dog. Therefore, the correct verb form is “barks” because it agrees with the singular subject.
However, if the sentence were to read, “The dogs bark loudly,” the correct verb form would be “bark” because it agrees with the plural subject.
The pronoun verb agreement game also involves identifying and correcting errors in agreement between pronouns and their antecedents. An antecedent is the word that a pronoun replaces in a sentence. For example, in the sentence “John went to the store, and he bought some milk,” “John” is the antecedent of “he.”
To ensure proper pronoun verb agreement, the writer must choose the correct pronoun form that agrees with the antecedent in gender, number, and person. For example, in the sentence “The teacher handed out the test to each student, and they began to take it,” the pronoun “they” does not agree with the singular antecedent “each student.” Therefore, the correct pronoun form would be “he or she” or “they” if the writer intends to refer to all the students.
The pronoun verb agreement game can be an effective way to improve one`s understanding and application of this grammar rule. By identifying and correcting errors in pronoun verb agreement, writers can ensure that their writing is clear and effective in communicating their intended message. As a copy editor, I highly recommend playing this game as a fun and engaging way to learn and practice this important aspect of the English language.