Transcript of Subject-Verb Agreement Chapter 16. Agreement of Subject and Verb A verb should agree in number with...
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- Subject-Verb Agreement Chapter 16
- Slide 2
- Agreement of Subject and Verb A verb should agree in number
with its subject. A word that refers to one person, place, or
thing, or idea is singular in number. A word that refers to more
than one is plural in number. Ex: Singular Video, child, I thief,
herself Ex: Plural Videos, children, we thieves, themselves
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- Agreement of Subject and Verb cont. 1)Singular subjects take
singular verbs. Emily attends college. That boy delivers
newspapers. 2)Plural subjects take plural verbs. They attend
college. Those boys deliver newspapers. Note: in a verb phrase, the
first helping (auxiliary) verb agrees its number with the subject.
Emily is attending college. They are attending college.
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- Agreement of Subject and Verb cont. 3)The number of a subject
usually is not determined by a word in a phrase or clause following
the subject. Singular: A book of poems is on the shelf. (The
prepositional phrase of poems does not affect the number of the
subject book.) Plural: The dinosaurs from the Jurassic Period
include the Seismosaurus. (The prepositional phrase from the
Jurassic Period does not affect the number of the subject
dinosaurs.) 4)A negative construction following the subject does
not change the number of the subject. Ex: Carl, not Juan and I, is
doing the artwork.
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- Indefinite Pronouns Indefinite Pronouns: refer to a person, a
place, a thing, or an idea that may or may not be specifically
named. Has anyone loaded the van? Some of the campsites are vacant.
Please pack everything we will need for camping. All of the space
in the back seat is filled. Some indefinite pronouns are singular,
others are plural. Certain indefinite pronouns may be either
singular or plural, depending on how they are used.
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- Indefinite Pronouns cont. anybody anyone anything each either
everybody everyone everything neither nobody no one nothing one
somebody someone something 2)The following indefinite pronouns are
plural: both few many several Note: Either and neither can be used
as adjectives and correlative conjunctions as well as indefinite
pronouns. When either word is used as an adjective or a correlative
conjunction, it cannot be the subject of a sentence. Carefully
identify the subject when you are deciding what form of a verb to
use. 1)The following indefinite pronouns are singular:
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- Indefinite Pronouns cont. 3)The following indefinite pronouns
may be either singular or plural, depending on how they are used:
all, any, more, most, none, and some These pronouns are singular
when they refer to a singular words, and are plural when they refer
to plural words. Singular: Most of the job was finished. Plural:
Most of the jobs were finished. Singular: None of the test was
difficult. Plural: None of the tests were difficult.
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- Compound Subjects Compound Subject: consists of two or more
subjects that are joined by a conjunction and that have the same
verb 1)Subjects joined by and generally take a plural verb. Raven
and she like hiking. Her brother, her uncle, and her cousin are
teachers. Both the scout and the counselor were helpful guides.
Note: subjects joined by and that name only one person, place,
thing, or idea take singular verbs. Singular compound nouns
containing and also take singular verbs. Ex: The clubs secretary
and treasurer was Edward. (one person) Ex. The bed and breakfast
down the street is always reserved weeks in advance. (one place to
stay)
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- Compound Subjects cont. 2)Singular subject joined by or or nor
take a singular verb. Plural subjects joined by or or nor take a
plural verb. Mark or Dave knows the address. Neither our phone nor
our doorbell was working. Do the Wilsons or the Campbells live
there? 3)When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by
or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearer the verb. Either
Harry or his aunts are planning the activities for the beach party.
Neither the potatoes or the roast is done.
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- Special Problems in Subject-Verb Agreement
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- Problems in S-V Agreement 1)Collective nouns may be either
singular or plural, depending on their meaning in a sentence
Collective Nouns: a noun whose singular form names a group It is
singular when it refers to the group as a unit Plural when it
refers to the individual members or parts of the group Singular:
The class had met its substitute teacher. (the class as a unit)
Plural: The class were disagreeing with one another about the
answers. (the class as individuals) A page of commonly used
collective nouns can be found on p.522
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- Problems in S-V Agreement cont. 2)A verb agrees with its
subject but not necessarily with a predicate nominative. The main
ingredient in salsa is tomatoes. Tomatoes are the main ingredient
in salsa. 3)When the subject follows the verb, find the subject and
make sure that the verb agrees with it. Singular: Here is a set of
keys. Plural: Here are the keys. Note: a contraction such as heres,
hows, theres, whats, or wheres includes the singular verb is or
has. Use such a contraction only when a singular subject follows
it.
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- Problems in S-V Agreement cont. 4)An expression of an amount (a
measurement, a percentage, or a fraction, for example) may be
singular or plural, depending on how it is used. An expression or
amount is: Singular when the amount is thought of as a unit Plural
when the amount is thought of as separate parts Examples: Singular:
Fifteen dollars was the price. (one price) Plural: Fifteen dollars
were torn. (separate dollar bills)
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- 4) An expression of an amount cont. A fraction or a percentage
is: Singular when it refers to a singular word and plural when it
refers to a plural word Singular: Nine tenths [or Ninety percent]
of the student body is present today. Plural: Nine tenths [or
Ninety percent] of the students are present today. Generally, a
measurement (such as length, weight, capacity, or area) is
singular. Nine square feet equals one square yard. Three cups of
flour is what the recipe requires. Note: in the expression the
number of, number takes a singular verb. In the expression a number
of, number takes a plural verb. The number of female athletes is
growing. A number of girls like strenuous sports.
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- Problems in S-V Agreement cont. 5)When the relative pronoun
that, which, or who is the subject in an adjective clause, the verb
in the clause agrees with the word to which the relative pronoun
refers A corps de ballet is a group of ballet dancers that perform
together. The Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, who was part of an art
movement known as de Stijl, was fond of the colors red, yellow, and
blue. Note: When preceded buy one of + a plural word, the relative
pronoun takes a plural verb. When preceded by the only one of + a
plural word, the relative pronoun takes a singular verb. Singular:
Melba is the only one of those players who always tries her best.
Plural: Melba is one of those players who always try their
best.
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- Problems in S-V Agreement cont. 6)A subject preceded by every
or many a(n) takes a singular verb. Every parent and grandparent is
looking on proudly. Many a hopeful performer has gone to Broadway
in search of fame. 7)The contradictions dont and doesnt should
agree with their subjects. Use dont with the subjects I and you and
with all plural subjects. I dont have any paper. You dont need
special permission. The players dont seem nervous. Use doesnt with
all singular subjects except I and you. Doesnt it show up in the
picture? The tire doesnt have enough air.
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- Problems in S-V Agreement cont. 8)Some nouns that are plural in
form take singular verbs. A page of these can be found on p.528
Linguistics is the science of language News of the concerts
cancellation was disappointing to the band members. Note: Many
nouns ending in ics, (acoustics, athletics, ethics, politics, etc.)
may be singular or plural depending on how they are used.
Generally, such a noun takes a singular verb when the noun names a
science, system, or skill. The noun takes a plural verb when the
noun names qualities, activities, or individual items. Some nouns
that are plural in form but that refer to single items take plural
verbs. (Found on p.529) Are the scissors sharp enough? The pliers
seem to be missing.
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- Problems in S-V Agreement cont. 9)Even when plural in form, the
title of a creative work (such as a book, song, movie, or painting)
generally takes a singular verb. Majors and Minors is a collection
of Paul Laurence Dunbars poetry. (one book) 10) Even when plural in
form, the name of a country, a city, or an organization generally
takes a singular verb. The Solomon Islands has a population of
350,000. Is Grand Rapids smaller than Detroit?
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- Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent
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- A pronoun should agree in both number and gender with its
antecedent. 1)Use singular pronouns to refer to singular
antecedents. Use plural pronouns to refer to plural antecedents.
Singular: Richard Strauss composed many operas. Der Rosenkavalier
is perhaps his most famous. Plural: The mountain climbers believe
that they will reach the summit by Friday. 2)Some singular pronouns
indicate gender Does Margaret like her dance class/ Arturo is doing
his homework Because the car wouldnt start, it had to be
towed.
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- Indefinite Pronouns Indefinite pronouns agree with their
antecedents according to the following rules. 1)The indefinite
pronouns: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody,
everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one,
somebody, someone, and something are singular. 2)The indefinite
pronouns: both, few, many, and several are plural. 3)The indefinite
pronouns: all, any, more, most, none, and some may be singular or
plural, depending on how they are used in a sentence. Each of these
pronouns is singular when it refers to a singular word and is
plural when it refers to a plural word.
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- Compound Antecedents 1)Use a plural pronoun to refer to two or
more antecedent joined by and The guide and the ranger wrapped
their rain ponchos in their saddle rolls. Note: Antecedents joined
by and that name only one person, place, thing, or idea take a
singular pronoun. For dinner, Im preparing liver and onions. I
think youll enjoy it. 2)Use a singular pronoun to refer to two or
more singular antecedents joined by or or nor. 2)Neither Heidi nor
Beth took her umbrella with her.
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- Problems in Pronoun Antecedent Agreement 1)A collective noun is
singular when the noun refers to the group as a unit and plural
when the noun refers to the individual members or parts of the
group. 1)Singular: The orchestra was looking forward to performing
its rendition of Beethovens Pastoral Symphony. (Its is used because
the orchestra would perform the rendition as a unit.) 2)Plural: The
orchestra were tuning their instruments when the conductor arrived.
(Their is used because the members of the orchestra were tuning
separate instruments.)
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- Problems in Pronoun Antecedent Agreement cont. 2)An expression
of an amount (a measurement, a percentage, or a fraction, for
example) may take a singular or plural pronoun depending on how it
is used. Singular when the amount is thought of as a unit Plural
when the amount is thought of as separate parts. Singular: Two days
is a long time. It could seem like forever. (one time) Plural: Two
days (Monday and Friday) were especially cold and rainy. They were
so wet that baseball practice was cancelled. (two separate
days)
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- Problems in Pronoun Antecedent Agreement cont. A fraction or
percentage is: Singular when it refers to a singular word, and
plural when it refers to a plural word Singular: Nine tenths [or
Ninety percent] of the colony has returned to its usual routine.
Plural: Three tenths [or Thirty percent] of the ants have returned
to their usual routine. Generally, a measurement (such as a length,
weight, capacity, or area) is singular Nine square feet equals one
square yard. This is how much material you will need.
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- Problems in Pronoun Antecedent Agreement cont. 1)There are some
nouns that are in plural form, but they take singular pronouns.
There is a list on p.537. Ex. I have good news. Would you like to
hear it? 2)There are some nouns that are plural in form but that
refer to single items. They take plural pronouns. There is a list
on p.537 Ex. Marissa is looking for the scissors. Do you know where
they are? 3)Even when plural in form, the title of a creative work
(such as a book, song, movie, or painting) or the name of a
country, a city, or an organization generally takes a singular
pronoun. Ex. Have you read Thousand Cranes? It was written by
Yasunari Kawabata. 4)The number of a relative pronoun (such as
that, which, or who) is determined by the number of its antecedent.
Singular: Jessica, who always takes pride in her work, has been
appointed editor of the schools yearbook. Plural: All who want to
volunteer for the yearbook staff should raise their hands.