Transcript singular verbs - bookerenglish1

Grammar
Goodies
Subject Verb
Agreement
• Singular subjects need
singular verbs.
• Plural subjects need plural
verbs.
Basic Rule
Present and Past Tense
Using Adjectives
and Adverbs
Correctly
Recognizing Adjectives & Adverbs
• Many words have both an adjective and adverb form
Adjective
Adverb
Happy kids
Playing happily
Smooth rock
Running smoothly
Good night
Eating Well
Efficient workers
Working efficiently
Casual dress
Dressing casually
Quick meeting
Talking quickly
hopeful children
Waiting hopefully
Real butter
Really hot
• Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns
• These words are all adjectives
•
A hot day
•
A happy camper
•
A silly twit
•
•
A big, bloody mess (both “big” and “bloody” modify “mess”)
She is creative (“creative” is a subject complement that
follows the linking verb “is”)
A boring course (present participle used as an adjective
•
What are adjectives?
•
•
•
•
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs
Many adverbs end with ly
Many adverbs answer the question “How?”
These are adverbs
• Eating quickly (modifying a verb)
• Trying very hard (modifying an adverb)
• A really big show (modifying an adjective)
So what are adverbs?
• Before using any of these words, check to see if they add
anything to the sentence
•
•
•
•
•
•
Really, very, absolutely, extremely, quite, actually, somewhat, rather
I am really happy to see you
Grammar is very boring
You are absolutely correct
Her language was extremely crude
You are quite intelligent
• Context will help you decide whether to retain the underlined
words
• Keep them only if they add to the meaning
• Bill Gates is very rich. I hope he gives me some money.
• Most college instructors are poor; their students are very poor.
• Note: the terms “good success” and “real good success” have
been reserved for sports broadcasters; do not use them
Don’t use needless adverbs
Types of
Transition Words
and Phrases…
Transitions
of
Addition
• Common Words
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
And
Also
Besides
Too
First
Next
Last
•
1.
2.
3.
Power Terms
Moreover
Furthermore
In Addition
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Simple Contrast
But
Yet
Still
Even so
Instead
Otherwise
Regardless
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Complex Contrast
Although
At the same time
Despite that
In contrast
In spite of
Nevertheless
Notwithstanding
On the other hand
Transitions of Contrast
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Simple Example
For example
For instance
Indeed
In fact
Of course
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Complex Example
As an illustration
In other words
In short
That is
To illustrate
Transitions of Example
Practicing Transitions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
In addition,
Likewise,
Even so,
For instance,
In general,
Finally,
Write sentences using the above transitional words and
phrases.
Apostrophes…
•
Even when a singular noun already ends in -s, you must still
add an apostrophe and an -s to form the possessive.
•
The class’s test scores were high.
•
Oscar Lewis’s article was interesting, but I disagree with much
of what he said.
Tip!
• Lincoln Universities mascot is the lion.
• Lincoln University’s mascot is the lion.

My next clients appointment is at 1:00.

My next client’s appointment is at 1:00.
Singular Possessive
• All three agencies directors are coming.
• All three agencies’ directors are coming.

Those students excuses are unbelievable.

Those students’ excuses are unbelievable.
Plural Possessive
• Don’t make a word possessive when it really is just a plain
old plural.
X did well.
plain old plural
The students’
The students’ success was well
deserved.
possessive
Here’s the Common
Mistake!!
’
There are two uses for apostrophes.
1. To form contractions.
• do + not = don’t
2. To show possession or ownership.
• Jean’s essay was good.
Using Apostrophes
Do not use contractions in formal writing. Always
write the words out.
Informal:
Experts don’t agree on why people can’t seem to
stick to their diets.
Formal:
Experts do not agree on why people cannot seem
to stick to their diets.
Contractions and Formal
Writing
Homophones are words
that sound alike but have
different spellings and
meanings.
Homophones
Homophones
For example, there is a pear that
is good to eat. I use a pair of
gloves because I have two hands.
Pay attention to see how the following
homophones are spelled.
they’re there their
• They’re going to be last
if they don’t hurry.
• The books are right
there.
• Halloween is their
favorite holiday.
through threw
• We are swimming
through the water.
• She threw the ball to her
brother.
two too to
• The baby has two new
teeth.
• I have too much
homework!
• Astronauts went to the
moon.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
eight
choose
wait
sun
main
need
new
pair
You’re a homophone expert!
For the words listed above write the
homophone.