Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of grammar that every writer must master to produce high-quality, error-free content. It is particularly critical when dealing with proper nouns, which are specific names of people, places, or things. Proper nouns must always be matched with the correct verb, and any inconsistencies could lead to confusion and a lack of clarity in the text.

Proper nouns, unlike common nouns, are unique identifiers and often serve as the main subject of a sentence. Therefore, it is essential to pay close attention to the agreement between the subject and the verb. For instance, in the sentence, „John is a renowned doctor,” the proper noun „John” is the subject, and the verb „is” agrees with it. If we were to change the subject to a plural noun, the verb would have to change too. For example, „The doctors are renowned professionals.”

Another crucial aspect of subject-verb agreement when dealing with proper nouns is ensuring that they are treated as singular or plural, depending on how they are used in the sentence. For example, „the team” is a singular noun, and so the verb must match it; thus, we say, „the team is playing its best game.” However, if we were to use the same noun as a group of individuals, for instance, „the team members,” we must treat it as a plural noun, and the verb must change too; thus, we say, „the team members are playing their best game.”

When dealing with compound proper nouns, it gets a bit more complicated. A compound proper noun is formed by combining two or more words to create a new name. These can be hyphenated or written as one word, depending on the preference of the writer or the style guide being used. For instance, „Los Angeles” is a compound proper noun, and the agreement should follow the same rules as a singular noun. Therefore, we say, „Los Angeles is a beautiful city.” However, when we refer to the two cities together, we must treat them as plural nouns, and the verb should follow suit; thus, we say, „Los Angeles and New York are bustling cities.”

In conclusion, proper noun-verb agreement is a crucial aspect of good writing that every writer must master. Proper nouns are unique identifiers and, therefore, require special attention and care when being used in a sentence. They must be treated as singular or plural nouns depending on the context, and compound proper nouns must also adhere to the same agreement rules as their respective singular or plural forms. By paying close attention to these rules, writers can create effective, clear, and error-free content that readers can easily understand.