Subject-verb agreement auxiliary verbs may seem like a complex topic, but it`s actually a fundamental aspect of English grammar that`s essential to making cohesive and understandable sentences. Whether you`re a copy editor or a content creator, understanding auxiliary verbs and their relationship with subject-verb agreement is crucial to producing high-quality writing.

So, what are auxiliary verbs? These are verbs that are used in conjunction with other verbs to create different tenses, express modality, or form questions. They don`t have a meaning on their own without being paired with a main verb. Examples of auxiliary verbs include “be,” “have,” “do,” “will,” “might,” “could,” and “must.”

When using auxiliary verbs, it`s important to ensure that they agree with the subject of the sentence. The subject is the person or thing that the sentence is referring to, and the verb must match the subject both in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third).

For example, in the sentence “He is going to the store,” the subject is “he,” which is singular and in the third person. Therefore, the correct auxiliary verb to use is “is,” which also agrees with the singular third person subject.

Similarly, if the subject is plural, such as “they,” the auxiliary verb should also be plural. For instance, “They have been studying for their exams,” where “have” is the auxiliary verb indicating the present perfect tense, and agrees with the plural subject “they.”

It`s also important to pay attention to irregular verbs, such as “to be” and “to have,” which have unique forms in different tenses. In the past tense, “was” is used for singular subjects, while “were” is used for plural subjects. “Has” is used for singular subjects in the present perfect tense, while “have” is used for plural subjects.

However, some irregular verbs like “may,” “might,” and “should” don`t change form for different subjects and tenses.

In summary, auxiliary verbs are essential to creating various tenses and modality in English. When using them, it`s important to ensure that they agree with the subject of the sentence both in number and person. Practice and attention to irregular verbs will help you master subject-verb agreement auxiliary verbs and improve your writing skills.