Subject Verb Agreement Delayed Subjects Examples

Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of good writing. It refers to the correct matching of the subject and the verb in a sentence. When the subject and the verb do not agree, it can cause confusion, and the sentence loses its meaning. In this article, we will focus on delayed subjects and provide some examples of how to handle them to ensure proper subject-verb agreement.

A delayed subject is a subject that appears after a long introductory clause or phrase. The introductory clause or phrase usually has a modifier or dependent clause before a subject appears. For instance, in the sentence “After finishing his homework, the boy went to bed,” the subject, “the boy,” appears after the introductory clause, “After finishing his homework.” In such a case, it is easy to make an error in subject-verb agreement.

Here are some examples of delayed subjects and how to handle them:

Example 1:

After running for three miles, (she) was exhausted.

In this sentence, the subject, “she,” is delayed as it appears after the introductory clause, “After running for three miles.” The verb needs to agree with the subject, which is “she.” Therefore, it should be written as follows:

After running for three miles, she was exhausted.

Example 2:

While watching the movie, (the audience) felt emotional.

In this sentence, “the audience” is the subject, but it appears after the long introductory clause, “While watching the movie.” The verb needs to agree with the subject, so the sentence should be revised to the following form:

While watching the movie, the audience felt emotional.

Example 3:

In the middle of the night, (the cat) suddenly started meowing.

In this sentence, the subject, “the cat,” is delayed as it appears after the introductory phrase, “In the middle of the night.” So, the sentence should be rewritten as follows:

In the middle of the night, the cat suddenly started meowing.

Example 4:

To get better grades, (studying) is important.

In this sentence, the subject is “studying,” but it appears after the introductory phrase, “To get better grades.” To correct it, the sentence should be written as follows:

To get better grades, studying is important.

Therefore, it is essential to ensure that there is proper subject-verb agreement in sentences with delayed subjects. The key is to identify the subject and ensure that the verb agrees with it, even if it appears after a long introductory clause or phrase. By doing that, you can avoid grammatical errors and ensure that your writing is clear and understandable.