What is "subject-verb agreement"?

Subject-verb agreement refers to the grammatical rule that requires the subject of a sentence and the verb to match in number; that is, both must be singular or both must be plural. For instance, if the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular (e.g., "The dog barks"), and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well (e.g., "The dogs bark"). This agreement is essential for ensuring clarity and correctness in writing and speech.

Understanding this concept helps writers create sentences that are grammatically correct, as mismatched subjects and verbs can lead to confusion for the reader or listener. The other options focus on aspects that either misrepresent the rules of grammar or apply to different linguistic concepts, so they do not capture the essence of subject-verb agreement as accurately.