As a copy editor, it is crucial to be knowledgeable about the different types of agreement errors that can occur in writing. Agreement errors can be detrimental to the clarity and professionalism of a piece of writing, and can ultimately affect the credibility of the writer.

Here are the most common types of agreement errors to be aware of:

Subject-Verb Agreement Errors:

One of the most common types of agreement errors is subject-verb agreement errors. This occurs when the subject and verb in a sentence do not match. For example:

Incorrect: The group of students is excited to go on their field trip.

Correct: The group of students are excited to go on their field trip.

In the incorrect sentence, the subject “group of students” is singular, while the verb “are” is plural, resulting in an agreement error. The correct sentence should use the plural verb “are” to match the plural noun “students.”

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Errors:

Pronoun-antecedent agreement errors occur when the pronoun used in a sentence does not agree with its antecedent, which is the noun it refers to. For example:

Incorrect: Each of the students brought their backpack to class.

Correct: Each of the students brought his or her backpack to class.

In the incorrect sentence, the pronoun “their” is plural, while the antecedent “each” is singular, resulting in an agreement error. The correct sentence should use the singular pronoun “his or her” to match the singular antecedent “each.”

Verb-Tense Agreement Errors:

Verb-tense agreement errors occur when the tense of the verb used in a sentence does not match the timeframe of the sentence. For example:

Incorrect: She will eat breakfast before she ate lunch.

Correct: She will eat breakfast before she eats lunch.

In the incorrect sentence, the verb “ate” is in the past tense, while the sentence is referring to future events, resulting in an agreement error. The correct sentence should use the present tense verb “eats” to match the future timeframe of the sentence.

In conclusion, agreement errors can significantly impact the quality of writing. As a copy editor, it is essential to be aware of subject-verb agreement errors, pronoun-antecedent agreement errors, and verb-tense agreement errors, and to correct them in order to ensure that the writing is clear and professional.