Download GSP – Grammar 3 person singular with regular verbs

GSP – Grammar
3rd person singular with regular verbs
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Nouns are singular or plural and so to are verbs – this means they have to match
when a verb is used alongside a noun.
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This is especially easy to get wrong with the array of reporting verbs we use in
academic work.
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This can be confusing because we are used to verbs being action/feeling words
to tell us what something or someone is doing or feeling.
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This becomes important as ‘it’ (as a neutral subject pronoun) is used a good
deal in academic work. It always takes the 3rd person singular addition of an –s.
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Even reporting verbs have to match the implied ‘number’ of the noun they go
with. This is called subject-verb agreement.
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All sentences have a verb and a subject.
So we tend to be used to these forms of sentence:
He plays play badminton.
Every horse eats hay.
The course starts in September.
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But we sometimes forget about more ‘abstract’ forms that still need the added –s.
My car needs a new tyre.
The hatred grows amongst rival groups.
The report closes with key recommendations.
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This equates to reporting and discussing authors and research or covering events
in your writing. For example;
Smith and Khan state... (they state) but Smith states... (he/she or even ‘it’
referring to the research).
Academic Skills Advice service
www.brad.ac.uk/academic-skills/