Conducting Agreement Judgment: A Guide for Effective Copy Editing
As a copy editor, one of the crucial tasks is to make sure that the writing is grammatically sound and adheres to the standard usage of language. This includes ensuring that subject-verb agreement is correctly maintained. Failure to do so can make the writing unclear and leave a negative impression on the reader. Therefore, it is important to conduct agreement judgment while editing, to ensure that the text is accurate and effective.
Agreement judgment refers to the process of ensuring that the verb matches the subject in number and person. For instance, a singular subject requires a singular verb, while a plural subject requires a plural verb. Similarly, the use of “is” is appropriate for the third-person singular, while “are” is suitable for the third-person plural.
Here are some tips for conducting agreement judgment:
1. Identify the subject: The first step in agreement judgment is to identify the subject of the sentence. The subject is the person or thing performing the action described in the sentence. It can be a noun, pronoun, or phrase.
2. Determine the verb form: Once you have identified the subject, you need to determine the verb form that agrees with it in number and person. If the subject is singular, the verb should be singular, while if it is plural, the verb should be plural.
3. Pay attention to irregular verbs: Some verbs do not follow the regular pattern of adding “-s” or “-es” to indicate the third-person singular. For instance, the verb “to be” has the forms “am,” “is,” and “are” depending on the subject. Similarly, the verb “to have” has the forms “has” and “have” for the third-person singular and plural, respectively.
4. Be consistent: Consistency in agreement judgment is important to maintain the coherence of the text. Use the same person and number throughout the writing, and avoid switching between singular and plural without a valid reason.
5. Check for subject-verb agreement in complex sentences: Complex sentences containing multiple clauses can be confusing. Therefore, it is important to ensure that each clause has subject-verb agreement. This includes checking for agreement with nouns and pronouns that may appear in subordinate clauses.
In conclusion, conducting agreement judgment during copy editing is an essential task, as it ensures that the writing is clear, concise, and grammatically accurate. By following the tips outlined above, you can effectively maintain subject-verb agreement and improve the readability of the text.