Years Subject Verb Agreement

When it comes to writing, one of the most important things to keep in mind is subject-verb agreement. This means that the subject of a sentence needs to agree with the verb in terms of tense and number. One area where this often gets overlooked is when talking about years.

Years are typically treated as singular nouns, meaning that they take a singular verb. For example, you might say «2019 was a good year» instead of «2019 were a good year». However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

If you`re talking about a specific set of years, you should always use plural verbs. For example, «The 2010s were a decade of change» is correct, while «The 2010s was a decade of change» is not. Similarly, if you`re talking about multiple years in the past, you should use plural verbs. For example, «The 1990s were a great time to be alive» is correct.

There are also some cases where you might use a singular verb when talking about years. For example, if you`re referring to a time period that spans multiple years but is generally considered to be a single entity, you can use a singular verb. For instance, you might say «The 1960s was a time of great social change» because the `60s are considered a single decade with a collective identity.

It`s also worth noting that some style guides recommend using hyphens when writing out a year as a modifier. For example, you might write «the 1990s-era music scene» instead of «the 1990s era music scene». This is a matter of preference, but it can make your writing look more polished and professional.

In summary, subject-verb agreement is an important part of writing, and it`s particularly important when discussing years. In most cases, years should be treated as singular nouns that take singular verbs, but there are exceptions when talking about multiple years or a time period that is considered a single entity. As with all things in writing, consistency is key, so make sure you`re using the same tense and number throughout your work.