Verb Agreement after That

When it comes to writing, ensuring consistency in verb agreement is crucial to maintaining clarity and professionalism. One area where writers often struggle is with verb agreement after the word “that”. In this article, we will explore this common grammatical issue and provide tips on how to use verb agreement after “that” correctly.

First, let`s define what we mean by verb agreement. Simply put, verb agreement refers to making sure that the tense of the verb matches the subject of the sentence. For example, in the sentence “She runs,” the verb “runs” agrees with the subject “she” in both tense (present) and number (singular).

When it comes to using “that” in a sentence, the most common issue writers run into is determining whether to use a singular or plural verb afterward. The rule of thumb is to make the verb agree with the nearest noun or pronoun. Let`s look at some examples to illustrate this point:

– Incorrect: The team that are playing tonight are from out of town.

– Correct: The team that is playing tonight is from out of town.

In the first example, the writer mistakenly used a plural verb (“are”) after “that” when referring to a singular noun (“team”). The correct verb to use in this case is “is” to match the singular subject.

Here`s another example:

– Incorrect: The group of volunteers that was helping out yesterday, they were all very dedicated.

– Correct: The group of volunteers that was helping out yesterday was very dedicated.

In this example, the writer incorrectly used a plural pronoun (“they”) after “that” when referring to a singular noun phrase (“the group”). The correct way to phrase this sentence is to either use a singular pronoun (“it”) or re-write the sentence to include a plural subject (“The volunteers who were helping out yesterday were all very dedicated”).

In some cases, determining verb agreement after “that” can be trickier. For example, consider this sentence:

– The number of people who have been affected by the hurricane and that are in need of assistance is staggering.

In this case, we need to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb after “that”. The nearest noun is “assistance”, which is singular, so the verb should be singular as well. Therefore, the correct way to write this sentence is:

– The number of people who have been affected by the hurricane and that is in need of assistance is staggering.

By paying attention to verb agreement after “that”, we can prevent grammatical errors that can undermine the credibility of our writing. Remember to always make the verb agree with the nearest noun or pronoun, and don`t be afraid to re-write a sentence if necessary to avoid confusion. With practice, using verb agreement after “that” correctly will become second nature.