As a professional, one of the most common errors I come across is the incorrect subject-verb agreement of ”has.” This error can easily be missed, but it can greatly impact the clarity and professionalism of your writing.
To start with, let`s review the basic rule of subject-verb agreement. In simple terms, the subject and verb of a sentence must agree in number. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. Likewise, if the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.
Now, let`s apply this rule to ”has.” ”Has” is the singular third-person present tense form of the verb ”have.” Therefore, it should only be used when the subject of the sentence is singular. For example:
– The cat has a mouse in its mouth.
– John has two children and a dog.
On the other hand, when the subject is plural, the correct form of ”have” should be used instead of ”has.” For example:
– The cats have chased the mice out of the house.
– John and his children have adopted a new puppy.
It`s important to note that although ”has” and ”have” are both present tense forms of the verb ”have,” they cannot be used interchangeably. Using ”has” when the subject is plural, or vice versa, is a clear indication of poor grammar and can cause confusion for the reader.
In conclusion, the subject-verb agreement of ”has” may seem like a small detail, but it can greatly affect the clarity and professionalism of your writing. Always check to make sure that ”has” is only used with singular subjects and ”have” is used with plural subjects. Your readers and your search engine rankings will thank you!