As a professional, it`s essential to recognize grammatical errors that affect the search engine optimization of any written content. In this article, we`ll focus on subject-verb agreement and explore the correct usage of “neither the computers” in a sentence.
Subject-verb agreement is crucial in writing. It refers to the agreement between the subject and the verb, where the verb should agree with the number of the subject. When the subject is singular, the verb should be singular, and when the subject is plural, the verb should be plural too.
In some cases, the sentence structure can be complicated, making it challenging to determine the subject and verb. When using a negative word, the sentence can become tricky to structure, leading to confusion. One of the tricky words in this scenario is “neither.”
“Neither” is a negative word that introduces two options, and the verb that follows it should correspond with the second option. For example, in the sentence “Neither the computers nor the printer was working,” the verb “was” agrees with the printer, the second option.
Here are some examples of correct and incorrect usage of “neither the computers” in a sentence:
Correct: Neither the computers nor the printer is working correctly.
Incorrect: Neither the computers nor the printer are working correctly.
In the example above, “neither the computers” is not the subject that determines the verb`s number. Instead, the verb should agree with the second option, “the printer,” which is singular, hence the use of “is” instead of “are.”
Correct: Neither the computers nor the printer needs replacement.
Incorrect: Neither the computers nor the printer need replacement.
In this example, “neither the computers nor the printer” is the subject. However, the verb should correspond with the singular noun, “the printer,” hence the use of “needs” instead of “need.”
In conclusion, subject-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of writing, and using negative words such as “neither” can make the structure of a sentence challenging to decipher. To ensure proper usage of “neither the computers” in a sentence, identify the subject that determines the verb`s number and ensure the verb agrees with it. By doing so, you not only write grammatically correct sentences but can also optimize your content for Search Engine Optimization.
