General rule
The verb of a sentence must agree in number and person with the subject, so that the language is clear and the writing is in accordance with the current rules of grammar. Watch:
1. They're fine. (incorrect)
2. They're just fine. (correct)
The subject “they” is in the 3rd person plural and requires a plural verb. This finding leaves the first sentence incorrect and the second correct.
First, we must observe who is the subject of the sentence, as well as analyze whether it is simple or composed.
simple subject it is one that has only one nucleus and, therefore, the agreement will be more direct. Let's see:
1. Is it over thereé my best friend.
2. Me said what they were to my house yesterday.
We have in the first sentence a simple subject “She”, which agrees in person (3rd person) and number (singular) with the verb “is”.
On Monday we have a period formed by two prayers: “I said” that “they came to my house yesterday”. “I” is in agreement in person and number with the verb “said” (1st person singular), as well as “they” and the verb “were” (3rd person plural).
Remember that time courseis the phrase that has one or more clauses, which can be simple, when it has a verb, or compound when it has more than one verb.
compound subject is one that has more than one nucleus and, therefore, the verb will be in the plural. Let's see:
1. Joana and Mariana left early in the morning.
2. Dogs and cats are very obedient animals.
In the first sentence, the subject is composed of two nuclei (Joana and Mariana), which, replaced by a pronoun, will be in the plural: Joana and Mariana = Elas. The pronoun “they” belongs to the third person plural, therefore, it requires a verb that agrees in number and person, as in the sentence under analysis: they left.
The same happens in the second clause: the compound subject “dogs and cats” is replaced by the pronoun “they”, which agrees with the verb are in person (3rd) and number (plural).
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
By Sabrina Vilarinho
Graduated in Letters
Brazil School Team
See more!
Verbal Concordance - Special cases of some verbs
Verbs that cause doubts and make us make mistakes!
Verbal and Nominal Agreement - Grammar - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
VILARINHO, Sabrina. "Verbal Agreement – General Rule"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/concordancia-verbal-regra-geral.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
