Noun-verb disagreement, also known as subject-verb disagreement, is a common grammatical error that can affect the readability and clarity of your writing. This error occurs when the subject and the verb in a sentence do not agree in number, either in singular or plural form. In other words, when a singular subject is paired with a plural verb or vice versa, it results in noun-verb disagreement.

Identifying noun-verb disagreement is essential as it can alter the meaning of a sentence. For instance, “The group of students were studying” is incorrect because the subject “group” is singular while the verb “were” is plural. The correct sentence should be, “The group of students was studying.”

To avoid noun-verb disagreement, you must ensure that the subject and verb in your sentence match in number. For example, “The boy runs to school every day.” In this sentence, the subject “boy” is singular, and the verb “runs” is also singular, making it a grammatically correct sentence.

The most common cause of noun-verb disagreement is the presence of intervening words or phrases. For example, “The book, as well as the pen, were on the table.” In this sentence, the subject “book” is singular, but because of the phrase “as well as the pen,” the verb “were” becomes plural. To correct this sentence, you should write, “The book, as well as the pen, was on the table.”

Another case of noun-verb disagreement occurs when the subject is a collective noun, such as “team,” “group,” or “family.” In such cases, whether to use a singular or plural verb depends on the context of the sentence. For example, “The team is playing well today” or “The team are playing well today” are both correct, depending on whether you want to emphasize the team as a single unit or as individuals.

In conclusion, noun-verb disagreement is a common grammatical error that occurs when the subject and verb in a sentence do not agree in number. To avoid this error, you must ensure that the subject and verb match in number. Careful attention to the rules of subject-verb agreement can significantly improve the clarity and readability of your writing.