Subject-verb agreement and the passive voice are two important concepts in English grammar. Subject-verb agreement refers to the matching of the subject and verb in a sentence, while passive voice refers to the structure of sentence in which the subject receives the action rather than performing it. When these two concepts are combined, it can sometimes lead to confusion and errors in writing.

Let`s start with a brief explanation of subject-verb agreement. In a sentence, the subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about. The verb is the word that shows the action or state of being of the subject. In order for a sentence to be grammatically correct, the subject and verb must agree in number. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural as well.

For example, “The cat chases the mouse” is a correct sentence because the singular subject, “cat,” matches the singular verb, “chases.” On the other hand, “The cats chase the mouse” is also correct because the plural subject, “cats,” matches the plural verb, “chase.”

Now let`s move on to the passive voice. In a passive sentence, the subject is being acted upon rather than performing the action. Passive voice can be useful in certain situations, such as when the performer of the action is unknown or unimportant. However, it can also make a sentence wordy and unclear.

For example, “The cake was eaten by the dog” is a passive sentence because the subject, “cake,” is receiving the action, “was eaten.” In contrast, “The dog ate the cake” is an active sentence because the subject, “dog,” is performing the action, “ate.”

When combining subject-verb agreement and passive voice, there are some common errors to watch out for. One such error is when the subject is plural, but the verb is singular in a passive sentence. For example, “The books was read by the students” is incorrect because the plural subject, “books,” should be matched with the plural verb, “were read.”

Another error is when the subject is singular, but the verb is plural in a passive sentence. For example, “The book were read by the student” is incorrect because the singular subject, “book,” should be matched with the singular verb, “was read.”

In conclusion, subject-verb agreement and passive voice are both important concepts in English grammar. When combining them, it`s important to ensure that the subject and verb agree in number, and that the structure of the sentence is clear and concise. By paying attention to these factors, copy editors can ensure that their writing is grammatically correct and effective at conveying its intended meaning.