Subject – verb agreement in your literature review

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When students stop making subject – verb agreement mistakes I will stop bleating on about them! Subject verb agreement is an easy thing to check for. Here are some typical student mistakes:

Smith (2007) point out that the real cost of motoring has fallen lover the last decade.

and

Harley et al (1995) argues that the cost of public transport has risen faster than the cost of travelling by car.

Of course the correct forms are:

Smith (2007) pointS out that the real cost of motoring has fallen lover the last decade.

and

Harley et al (1995) argue that the cost of public transport has risen faster than the cost of travelling by car.

When you were first learning English all those years ago didn’t you learn things like:

Mr Brown gets up at seven thirty and travels to work by car. ?

Now, the grammar is the same but all those years later many students are making the same mistake forgetting about the ‘third person s’ which is the bane of English teachers around the world. When you are editing your work circle the subject and circle the verb in each sentence. Do they agree??

If you not sure what the rules are take a look at this handy explanation about it all from the University of Melbourne.