Transcript Grammar and Conventions #2

AP Lang Grammar and
Conventions
Lesson 2: Subject-Verb agreement, Pronoun Reference
Source: Advanced Language and Literature, Shea, Golden, Balla 2016
Grammar and Conventions #2:
Subject-Verb Agreement – a verb must agree in number with its subject, regardless of
whether other words fall between them.
Example:
The cars – two Fords, a Lincoln, and a Nissan – were for sale in the lot down the street
The boys were the first group to finish their assignment.
Activity: What should the verb be? (pick one)
The group finished ____its/their_____ assignment.
Each dog and cat in the shelter __is/are___ well-cared for.
Either the dog or the kittens ____is/are____ up for adoption.
Neither the kittens nor the dogs ____is/are__ up for adoption.
The team wearing red uniforms ____control/controls___ the ball.
Grammar and Conventions #2:
Pronoun Reference – pronouns replace nouns; pronouns must be agree in number and be clear
in reference.
Pronoun – Antecedent agreement
Example: Because Tom wanted to build a time machine, he invested all of his money in it.
“he” and “his” replace Tom; “it” replaces time machine (Tom and time machine are
antecedents)
Activity: What is the problem with the pronoun and its antecedent in these sentences?
I wanted to bring a baby deer home, but my dad said they aren’t good domestic pets.
A person might want to skip breakfast, but they shouldn’t because it is an important meal.
Grammar and Conventions #2:
Pronoun Reference – pronouns replace nouns; referring to pronouns must be agree in number
and be clear in reference.
Indirect Pronoun Reference
Example: She read a review of the book that confused her.
Corrected: She read a review of the book, a work that confused her.
Grammar and Conventions #2:
Putting it all together….
In your journal:
Write an analysis paragraph about Hawthorne’s “The Minister’s Black Veil,”
examining the symbolic significance of the veil.
You must include:
- A sentence that demonstrates pronoun-antecedent agreement
- A sentence that demonstrates subject-verb agreement, using neither/nor
- A sentence that demonstrates a confusing pronoun reference. Then draw a line
through it, and write the clarifying, edited sentence next to it.
- At least TWO vocab words from this week that work in context.