Transcript Subject/verb agreement

SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT
Day 1
Rules 1-4
BASIC RULE
• Subject-verb agreement is when the number and case of the
noun has to match the number and case of the verb.
• Singular noun = singular verb
• Plural noun = plural verb
SUBJECT/VERB
• Subject – person, place,
thing – a noun
• Verb – an action or state of
being
What is a subject’s job in a
sentence?
What is a verb’s job in a
sentence?
RAINY DAY MAN – JAMES TAYLOR
Now rainy day man, he don't like sunshine,
he don't chase rainbows, he don't need good times, no.
What do you notice about the sentences?
PRESENT TENSE
• In the present tense, singular verbs add a suffix -s (or –es/-ies,
depending on the original word ending).
• Plural verbs ≠ suffix –s
AGREEMENT IN A NUTSHELL
The elephant
trumpets for a peanut.
elephant = singular subject
trumpets = singular verb
The elephants
trumpet for peanuts.
elephants = plural subject
trumpet = plural verb
EXAMPLES
Singular
Plural
Stands
Stand
Looks
Look
Stares
Stare
Runs
Run
Cries
Cry
RULE 1
• The subject will come before a phrase beginning with of.
• Ex: The members of the choir are very happy with the
performance.
• Ex: The causes of this disease are bad diet and a lack of
exercise.
RULE 2: BEWARE INTERRUPTING PHRASES.
• As well as
• Including
• Along with
• In addition to
• Together with
• Especially
The squirrel as well as the pigeons keep
keeps
an eye on Sammy, the sneaky cat.
At first, the sentence might sound right, but it is completely wrong!
RULE 3: WHEN EACH OR EVERY
PRECEDES TWO [OR MORE] SINGULAR
NOUNS JOINED BY AND, YOU HAVE A
SINGULAR SUBJECT.
Every chicken wing and pork rib sits
untouched on Ruth’s plate.
Note: Because there is an s at the end of sit, you
know it is a singular verb.
IN THIS SITUATION, NO MATTER HOW
MANY SINGULAR NOUNS YOU JOIN WITH
AND, THE SUBJECT IS STILL SINGULAR.
Every chicken wing, pork rib, slice of pepperoni pizza,
hotdog, hamburger, steak, and fried shrimp sits
untouched on Ruth’s plate.
X X X X
X X
Check the verb! What letter is at the end? Every is always singular!
THESE INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
ARE ALWAYS SINGULAR [EVEN
WHEN THEY SEEM PLURAL].
•
Each, either, neither
•
Anyone, anybody, anything
•
Everyone, everybody, everything
•
No one, nobody, nothing
•
Someone, somebody, something
Everyone on Earth =
more than one
person—billions of
people, in fact.
The word everyone,
however, is still
singular.
RULE 4
• Collective nouns such as group, jury, family, audience, or
population, the verb is usually singular.
• Ex: The team is getting angry with the umpire for making bad calls.
• Ex: The crowd is getting excited.
Each fork, spoon, and knife are
arescarred
is
scarred
scarredfrom
from
fromthe
the
the
AA
disposal since Drew refuses
refusesto
tocheck
checkthe
thedrain
drain
B
before he throws
throwsthe
theswitch.
switch.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
is
is
refuse
throw
No change is necessary.
Meryl, together with her friends Beatrice and
Laverne,
plans aa daily
plans
daily trip
trip for
forice
ice cream,
cream,for
forthese
these women
women
A
have discovered
have
discovered that
that the
the calories
calories is
isworth
are
worth
worth
seeing
seeing
seeing
B
C
C
Theo scoop their servings with his muscular arms.
A.
B.
C.
D.
plan
has
are
No change is necessary.
At the pet store, each iguana, mouse, and gerbil
tries
try
try
to
toto
climb
climb
climb
the
the
the
walls
walls
walls
of
ofof
its
itsits
glass
glass
glass
cage
cage
cage
while
while
while
AA
humans hover
hover outside
outside like
like giant
giant predators
predators who
who
are
are
B
C
ready to strike.
A.
B.
C.
D.
tries
tries
hovers
is
No change is necessary.
Tyrone, as well as his cousins, hope
hopesthat
thatGrandma
Grandma
AA
brings her
brings
her famous
famous brownies
brownies and
and peach
peach pie
pie that
that
B
drip with
with generous
generous scoops
scoops of
of vanilla
vanilla ice
ice cream.
cream.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
hopes
hopes
bring
drips
No change is necessary.
RULE 5: TWO [OR MORE] SINGULAR NOUNS
JOINED BY AND MAKE A PLURAL SUBJECT.
The chicken wing and pork rib sit untouched on Ruth’s plate.
Because there is no s at the end of sit, you know it is a plural verb.
“AND” PLURAL RULES
• Ex: Dogs and cats love to have their ears
scratched.
• Ex: Cream cheese and tomato are delicious on a
bagel.
• The and is like an addition symbol. It makes a compound subject.
EXCEPTIONS TO RULE 5
• When the two objects connected by and refer or describe
the same thing.
• Ex: Breaking and entering is against the law.
• Ex: The bed and breakfast was charming.
RULE 6: USE CAUTION WITH THESE THREE
CONJUNCTIONS: EITHER … OR, NEITHER
… NOR, AND NOT ONLY … BUT ALSO.
Not only the boss
employees
but also
but
her
also their
boss wish
employees
wishes
the shift
the would
shift
would
end. end.
thewish
shift
would
end.
If you flip the sentence, the rule will be different!
Not only the employees but also the boss wishes the shift would end.
RULE 7: COLLECTIVE ADJECTIVES
• When an adjective describes a group of people, that group
has more than one person in it, so it is plural.
• Ex: The rich should always help the poor.
• Ex: The poor should be helped by the rich.
• Ex: The elderly should be respected.
• Ex: The young are protected by the old.
RULE 8: BEWARE INVERTED WORD
ORDER.
Here are
onions
you
need
chili.
is thethe
onions
you
need
forfor
thethe
chili.
In In
the
the
refrigerator
are
jalapeño
peppers
you
refrigerator
is the
is
jalapeño
thethe
jalapeño
peppers
peppers
you you
might want to add.
Here and there are NEVER subjects.
The subject will come after the verb.
Cross through prepositional phrases to find the real subject!
QUICK TEST
Directions: In the items that follow, choose
the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
“No change is necessary.”
ITEM 1
In the cabinet is
is the
are
the
the
tools
tools
tools
that
that
that
you
you
you
will
will
will
need
need
need
to
toto
AA
unclog the bathroom sink; I have
have found
found that
that aa
B
plunger and a prayer often do the trick.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
are
are
has
does
No change is necessary.
ITEM 2
Here are
are the
the books
books that
that Thomas
Thomas and
and Darlene
Darlene
A
need for their research, and here is
is the
are
the
the
earplugs
earplugs
earplugs
BB
that you’ll require once they both doze off in
C
boredom and start snoring.
A.
B.
B.
C.
D.
is
are
are
dozes
No change is necessary.
ITEM 3
Jasmine and Rodney have
have decided
decided to
to double
double the
the
A
number of cupcakes that they are
are baking
baking since
since
B
everyone love
love moist
loves
moist
moistcake
cake
cakeand
and
andchocolate
chocolate
chocolatefrosting.
frosting.
frosting.
C
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
has
is
loves
loves
No change is necessary.
ITEM 4
Not only those students but also their professor
looksforward
look
look
forward
forwardto
totothe
the
thefinal
final
finalexam;
exam;
exam;everyone
everyone
everyonehas
has
has
AA
BB
exciting vacation plans that start
startnext
nextMonday.
Monday.
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
looks
looks
have
starts
No change is necessary.
ITEM 5
Either the dogs or the cat sleep
sleepson
onthe
thebed
bedwhile
while
while
AA
everyone is
is out;
out; Lorraine
Lorraine always
always finds
findsan
an
B
C
indentation in the center of her comforter.
A.
B.
C.
D.
sleeps
sleeps
are
find
No change is necessary.
ITEM 6
The scissors are
are sharp,
sharp,so
so neither
neither the
the cousins
cousins nor
nor
A
Timmy is
is allowed
allowed to
to play
play with
with them,
them, even
even when
when
the
B
boys needs
needstoto
need
tofinish
finish
finishaaaschool
school
schoolproject.
project.
project.
C
C
A.
B.
C.
D.
is
are
need
No change is necessary.