Transcript document

Grammar & Mechanics
An easy diagnostic quiz.
Agreement
Subject & verb, pronoun & antecedent must
agree in number (plural or singular).
1. A computer and a modem
was/were missing.
were
Because a compound subject (computer +
modem) is plural, it requires a plural verb.
agreement
2. She was the only one of the programmers
who was/were at the meeting.
was
Because no matter how many programmers
were at the meeting, “she” (singular) is the
subject.
agreement
3. The manager, as well as the members of the
committee, is/are planning to demand more
pay.
is
Because phrases beginning with “as well as,” “along
with,” “no less than,” etc., don’t change the
number of the subject (“manager,” the subject,
remains singular).
agreement
4. Removing fonts increase/increases one’s
available RAM.
increases
Because the subject (“removing”) is singular.
Gerunds are always singular.
agreement
5. Neither the cheerleaders nor the yell leader
has/have any enthusiasm today.
has
Because in a “neither/nor,” “either/or”
construction, the verb takes its number from
the closest noun.
agreement
6. Neither of the men like/likes the idea.
likes
Because “neither of” is a shortened
“neither/nor” construction: “Neither this
man nor the other man likes the idea.”
agreement
7. The horrors of a class with Dr. Hirst
make/makes it a memorable experience.
make
Because the subject, “horrors,” is plural and
therefore takes a plural verb (“make”).
Pronoun case
Pronoun < pro, “for, in the place of” + nomen,
name.
A pronoun stands in for a noun (name of
something or someone).
Case < casus, “fall” = a falling or inflection of
a noun or pronoun.
Case Spellings, Personal Pronouns
Singular
Plural
Subjective
I
We
Posessive
My
Our
Objective
Me
Us
Case Spellings, Relative Pronoun “Who”
Singular
Plural
Subjective
Who
Who
Posessive
Whose
Whose
Objective
Whom
Whom
case
8. This is a problem for us/we Americans.
us
Because “for,” a preposition, takes an object,
and “us” is the objective case spelling for
the 1st person plural personal pronoun.
case
9. The letter began, “To
whoever/whomever it may
concern.”
whomever

Because “whomever” is the
object of the clause:
“It may concern X” (him, her,
whomever).
case
10. They gave Chester and I/me the
raspberry.
me
Because the verb “gave” is transitive and
takes an object--in this sentence, two
objects (“Chester” and “me.”)
If you missed this one, it’s because Mrs. Crabtree,
your 4th grade teacher, told you:
Never say “Johnny and ME. It’s Johnny and I!”
That’s true in a sentence like “Johnny and I
annoyed the shark.”
 But what about in the sentence: “The shark
attacked Johnny and me”?

11. This is the man who/whom I
told you about.
Whom
Split the sentence into its two
clauses:
This is the man.
I told you about the man.
The part that comes out (“the man”) when we
combine the clauses functions as the
OBJECT of the proposition “about.”
So in the sentence formed from combining the
two clauses, we must use the OBJECTIVE
form of the relative pronoun:
This is the man whom I told you
about.
Or,
This is the man about whom
I told you.
(Well ok, the Vulcan
about whom
I told you.)
12. You should see who/whom
is at the door.
Who
You should see [ X ].
[Someone is at the door].
Who is at the door.
You should see who is at the door.
13. We feel respect for
whoever/whomever is in charge.
We feel respect for [ X ].
“X” is indeed the object of “for,” but “X” is
an entire CLAUSE. It has a subject and a
predicate.
What will the relative pronoun replace in that
clause?
What is the function of what it replaces?
[ Someone--Fred, he, the policeman--is in
charge.]
Whoever is in charge.
We feel respect for whoever is in charge.
14. Who/whom does he think he
is?
Who
This is a bit trickier. The two clauses
are better seen this way:
Does he think [he is X]?
X =The Boss, Master, Attila the Hun.
X is a subject compliment, so it must be
expressed in subjective case (who).
Verb Forms
Irregular Verbs
To sit (intransitive)
Present
Past
Past Part.
Present Part.
sit
sat
sat
sitting
____________________________________
To set (transitive)
Present
Past
Past Part.
Present Part
set
set
set
setting
To lie (intransitive)
Present
Past
Past Part.
lie
lay
lain
Present Part.
lying
____________________________________
To lay (transitive)
Present
Past
Past Part.
Present Part
lay
laid
laid
laying
15. He sat/set the boy on the
chair a moment ago.
set
Transitive, past tense:
(He “put” the boy on the chair).
16. He had been laying/lying
there for an indeterminate length
of time.
Lying
Intransitive, past tense (He had been
reclining . . .”).
17. They lay/laid on the floor for
hours, recounting their woes.
Lay
Intransitive (I hope) and past tense.
Mood
English uses three moods:
Indicative:
He makes my day.
Imperative (Clint Eastwood’s mood):
Go ahead; make my day!
Subjunctive:
It’s vital that he make my day.
Indicative:
“Indicates” reality.
Imperative :
Commands.
Subjunctive:
Expresses wishes, the hypothetical,
contrary-to-fact conditions, demands,
things desired but not yet actualized.
Present indicative, “to make”
Singular
Plural
Person
1st
(I)
Make
(we) Make
2nd
(you) Make
(y’all) Make
3rd
(he) Makes
(she)
(it)
(they) Make
Present subjunctive, “to make”
Singular
Person
1st
Plural
(I)
2nd
(you) Make
(y’all) Make
3rd
(he) Make
(she)
(it)
(they) Make
Make
(we)
Make
Present Subjunctive, “to be”
Singular
Plural
Person
1st
(I)
2nd
(you) Be
(y’all) Be
3rd
(he) Be
(she)
(it)
(they) Be
Be
(we)
Be
18. It’s crucial that he be/is here
on time.
be
Present subjunctive, third person
19. If it was/were possible,
I’d marry you.
were
Past subjunctive. Contrary to fact.
20. They felt it important that he
make/makes the team.
Make
Present subjunctive. Situation is desired
but not yet realized (perhaps never will
become fact).
Word Usage
21. The effect/affect of the movie
was tremendous.
Effect
22. It effected/affected him
tremendously.
affected
23. But he turned it to good
effect/affect.
effect
Both words can function as a verb
or as a noun:
Verb
Noun
Affect (influence)
Affect (feeling, emotion,
disposition/mannerism)
Verb
Noun
Effect (cause)
Effect (result)
24. It’s hard to gain
acceptance/exceptance around
here.
acceptance
25. Safety is the
principle/principal factor in our
decisions.
principal
--First in order or importance
Sentence Sense
A. Sentence Fragment
B. Comma Splice
C. Fused or Run-together Sentence
D. Correct as Written
26. After the game he went home
but he found the apartment empty so
he ate a can of worms.
C. Fused or Run-together sentence
After the game (,) he went home,
but he found the apartment empty,
so he ate a can of worms.
27. He was ever watchful and
alert and ready for anything.
D. Correct as Written
28. His was no small problem;
but a huge one.
A. Sentence Fragment
His was no small problem,
but a huge one.
29. I want to buy that new Power
PC at the store, it is absolutely
the most gorgeous machine I
have ever seen.
B. Comma Splice
I want to buy that new Power PC at
the store; it is absolutely the most
gorgeous machine I have ever seen.
30. He had done the most important
thing already, he had bribed his
teacher as richly as possible.
B. Comma Splice
He had done the most important
thing already. He had bribed his
teacher as richly as possible.
Or of course:
 He
had done the most important
thing already; he had bribed his
teacher as richly as possible.
31. He could not make up his
mind; he could not, for that
matter, make up an excuse.
D. Correct as Written
Mechanics
Punctuation, capitalization,
underlining/italics,
abbreviations, etc.
32.
The long sought for solution had
arrived: get Don Jones, M.D, and
Joan Dunn, Ph.D, to do it!
The long-sought-for solution had
arrived: get Don Jones, M.D., and
Joan Dunn, Ph.D., to do it!
33.
The Oak tree we saw At Hornwort high
school had a sign nailed to it which
read, “Go West, young man”
The oak tree we saw at Hornwort High
School had a sign nailed to it which
read, “Go west, young man.”
34.
Its only a delusion, I can’t see why “The
Scarlet Letter” is any better than a
Detective novel.
It’s only a delusion; I can’t see why The
Scarlet Letter is any better than a
detective novel.
35.
We saw the film “whistling in the Rain”,
at the High School last Spring.
We saw the film Whistling in the Rain at
the high school last spring.
36.
“But why,” she asked, “Did the queen of
England want to meet a ‘yuppie’?”
“But why,” she asked, “did the Queen of
England want to meet a ‘yuppie’?”
38.
The two boy’s playthings were
scattered everywhere: what a mess
they had made!
The two boys’ playthings were
scattered everywhere; what a mess
they had made!
39.
I read a newspaper article entitled
A New Life for deadbeats.
I read a newspaper article entitled
“A New Life for Deadbeats.”
40.
Her never to be forgotten smile had
one “quaint message:” “Knoxville,
TN; love it or leave it”.
Her never-to-be-forgotten smile had
one quaint message: “Knoxville,
Tenn.; love it or leave it.”
41.
“did she say, ‘How are you’”?
“Did she say, ‘How are you?’”
42.
You can’t get rid of a “good
man”; so why even try?
You can’t get rid of a “good
man,” so why even try?
43.
I like Latin and Math, but I
loathe speech 205.
I like Latin and math, but I
loathe Speech 205.
44.
The president, the queen, and the
Pope joined the republican party
during world war II.
The President, the Queen, and the
Pope joined the Republican Party
during World War II.
45.
“I bought a sony radio,” said Joe,
“But it was’nt ‘made in japan’.”
“I bought a Sony radio,” said Joe,
“but it wasn’t ‘made in Japan.’”
46.
She wanted to stay with sheriff Snort,
however, that proved impossible.
She wanted to stay with Sheriff Snort;
however, that proved impossible.
47.
He boarded the good ship “northumberland”
and promptly began reading a poem entitled
“Disasters at sea”.
He boarded the good ship Northumberland
and promptly began reading a poem entitled
“Disasters at Sea.”
48.
A true renaissance man, he finished
his sculpture and proceeded to
write a poem in its honor.
A true Renaissance man, he finished
his sculpture and proceeded to
write a poem in its honor.
49.
In her haste however, she stepped on the
cat, Missy and alerted the entire
household.
In her haste, however, she stepped on the
cat, Missy, and alerted the entire
household.
50.
After a while they asked Mr. Greenpants the
gardener whether he knew anything about
guns, cars, boats or other mechanical
contraptions.
After a while they asked Mr. Greenpants, the
gardener, whether he knew anything about
guns, cars, boats, or other mechanical
contraptions.
So sharpen your skill with
grammar and mechanics–
OR ELSE!