Subject-verb agreement is a fundamental rule in grammar that states that the subject and verb in a sentence must agree in number. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well.
The rule may seem straightforward, but it can become tricky when dealing with certain countable nouns that are considered indefinite, such as “few.” In this article, we will delve into the complexities of subject-verb agreement when using “few” in a sentence.
Firstly, let`s define what “few” means. “Few” is a quantifier that means “not many” or “a small number of.” It is used to describe a countable noun. For example, “Few people attended the event” means that only a small number of people came to the event.
When using “few” in a sentence, the verb that follows must agree with the noun that it is referring to. If the noun is plural, the verb must be plural, and if the noun is singular, the verb must be singular.
For example, “Fewer people are attending the event this year” is correct because “people” is plural, and the verb “are” is also plural.
On the other hand, “Few of the attendees was satisfied with the food” is incorrect because “attendees” is plural, but the verb “was” is singular. The correct sentence should be “Few of the attendees were satisfied with the food” because “attendees” is plural, and the verb “were” is also plural.
It is essential to note that when using “few” in a sentence, the noun must always be plural. This is because “few” already implies that there is only a small number of the noun in question. Therefore, it would be incorrect to use “few” with a singular noun. For example, “Fewer books are on the shelf” is correct, but “Fewer book is on the shelf” is incorrect.
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement can be tricky when using “few” in a sentence, but it can be easily mastered with a little practice. Always remember to use a plural noun after “few” and ensure that the verb that follows agrees in number with the noun. By doing so, you can improve the grammar and readability of your writing, and boost your SEO ranking.