Final answer:
Subject/verb agreement requires singular subjects to have singular verbs, and plural subjects to have plural verbs. Errors commonly occur when phrases between the subject and verb mislead the writer into using an incorrect verb form. Techniques for identifying the subject include ignoring intervening prepositional phrases and being aware of collective nouns that take singular verbs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Subject/Verb Agreement
In English grammar, it is crucial to ensure that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number. This means that singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs. A common error occurs when a long phrase or clause separates the subject from the verb, potentially leading to confusion about the correct form of the verb.
A technique to identify the subject is to disregard prepositional phrases that come between the subject and verb. For example: The play [with such true witticisms and parables] comes highly recommended. The subject here is 'the play,' which is singular, so the singular verb 'comes' is used, not 'come.'
It is also helpful to be aware of the few exceptions to the rule, such as with certain collective nouns like 'mathematics' or 'civics,' which always take the singular form of the verb.