Subject - Verb Agreement

Transcription

1 ubject erb Agreement.notebook ubject - erb Agreement ubjects and verbs must agree in number. Number refers to whether a word is singular or plural. ingular subjects take singular verbs. Example: The dog barks all night long. "dog" is singular; "barks" is singular (the singular verb has an "s" on the end) Plural subjects take plural verbs. Example: The dogs bark all night long. "dogs" is plural; "bark" is plural (the plural verb does not have an "s" on the end) 1

2 ubject erb Agreement.notebook ubject - erb Agreement Most verbs that end in "s" are singular. Most nouns that end in "s" or "es" are plural. There are some exceptions: Nouns like children, men, women, teeth, mice, geese, and many others are plural even though they don't end in "s." Just make sure that you use a plural verb with irregular plural nouns. Example: The mouse scurries across the floor. The mice scurry across the floor. 2

3 ubject erb Agreement.notebook erb Phrases In verb phrases, it is the first helping verb that agrees with the subject. (Remember that verb phrases are made up of a main verb and one or more helping verbs.) Refer to the chart below for the singular, plural, present and past tense forms for the helping verbs be, have, and do. ingular subjects be have do I am, was have, had do, did you are, were have, had do, did he, she, it (or singular noun) is, was has, had does, did Plural subjects we are, were have, had do, did you are, were have, had do, did they (or plural noun) are, were have, had do, did Remember that all three forms of the verb can form contractions with not: for example, wasn't, isn't, weren't, aren't, hasn't, haven't, doesn't and don't. Be mindful of the contraction you choose when making subjects and verbs agree. 3

4 ubject erb Agreement.notebook Most of the time, you don't even have to think about subject-verb agreement; what sounds correct often is. However, there are a few situations where you must be careful. Compound ubjects Inverted entences Prepositional Phrases Indefinite Pronouns 4

5 ubject erb Agreement.notebook Compound ubjects Two or more subjects in a sentence joined by one of these conjunctions: and, or, nor. Compound subjects joined with "and" require a plural verb. Ex: The park ranger and the camper see the bear. Compound subjects joined with "or" and "nor" require the verb to agree with the subject closer to it. Ex: The bear or the raccoons steal our food every night while we sleep. Ex: The raccoons or the bear steals our food every night while we sleep. 5

6 ubject erb Agreement.notebook Inverted entences The verb (or part of the verb) comes before the subject. 1. ometimes these sentences will begin with a prepositional phrase. Prepositional Phrase (In the ocean) live animals of many species. Prepositional Phrase Prepositional Phrase (Beside the desk) (on the floor) are the notebooks that you need. 2. ome sentences begin with "here" or "there." "Here" and "there" are NEER the subject of the sentence. There is the road into town. Here in the kitchen are the grapes and bananas you wanted. 3. Interrogative sentences (sentences that ask a question) often have the subject between the main verb and the helping verb. Be sure that the subject agrees with the helping verb. Do you want to keep these old CDs? Are they going to see a movie on Friday night? 6

7 ubject erb Agreement.notebook Prepositional phrases These sometimes come between the subject and the verb. Make sure that verb agrees with the subject, not the object of the preposition. ometimes it helps to mark out the prepositional phrase. Prepositional Phrase The books on the table belong to Eddie. Prepositional Phrase The classroom near the north stairs gets very cold in the winter. 7

8 ubject erb Agreement.notebook Indefinite Pronouns These are pronouns that don't refer to a specific person, place, thing, or idea. These indefinite pronouns are always singular: anybody anyone anything another everybody everyone everything one nobody no one nothing each somebody someone something either & neither Everyone enjoys playing dodgeball. No one sits at my desk except me. Everything in the classroom reeks of sweaty children. These indefinite pronouns are always plural: both few many several ones others Both of the girls play soccer on the weekends. everal of the books are old, dusty, and falling apart. Others in the play have small parts. 8

9 ubject erb Agreement.notebook Indefinite Pronouns These are pronouns that don't refer to a specific person, place, thing, or idea. These indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural: all any most none some It depends on what they refer to in the sentence. Most of the map has coffee spilled on it. - Most refers to map; map is singular, so most is singular. Most of the candy bars are melted. - Most refers to candy bars; candy bars is plural, so most is plural. All of the dogs have fleas. - All refers to dogs; dogs is plural, so all is plural. All of the sugar is gone. - All refers to sugar; sugar is singular, so all is singular. 9

10 ubject erb Agreement.notebook Try It! elect the correct form of the verb to complete the sentence. Then, check your answers (along with explanations) on the next 2 slides. 1. Boots or a warm hat (is, are) what you need for camping. 2. Both of the neighbors downstairs (was, were) home watching T. 3. Either my mother or the Jacksons are driving to the game. 4. I guess most of the families (was, were) watching the basketball game. 5. The map of the Rocky Mountains (is, are) in the car. 6. The roofs of the houses in the village (was, were) made of red tile. 7. Out in the pasture (is, are) a herd of dairy cattle. 8. Most of the game (was, were) very exciting. 9. (Have, Has) Danny or Ginny arrived yet? 10. Neither of the teams (was, were) really good enough to be in the playoffs. 11. The best of all the cellists in the orchestra (is, are) Julio. 12. Neither of my brothers (is, are) very athletic. 13. Down by the river (is, are) four boys fishing. 14. Each of them (seem, seems) anxious to begin the debate. 15. (Does, Do) Marta or Isabel know where to find the frying pan? 16. My choice of all the candidates (is, are) haron McKnight. 17. Everybody (is, are) taking different sides of the issue. 18. Here (is, are) the tents and the sleeping bags. 19. Anyone (is, are) welcome to come to the dance on Friday night. 20. Georgia and the Carolinas (is, are) known for their beautiful offshore islands. 10

11 ubject erb Agreement.notebook Answers and Explanations ubjects of sentences are underlined in red. 1. Boots or a warm hat (is, are) what you need for camping. Compound subject joined with "or" - verb agrees with the subject closest to it (hat). 2. Both of the neighbors downstairs (was, were) home watching T. "Both" is an indefinite pronoun that is always plural, so the verb must be plural. 3. Either my mother or the Jacksons (is, are) driving to the game. Compound subject joined with "or" - verb agrees with the subject closest to it (the Jacksons). 4. I guess most of the families (was, were) watching the basketball game. "Most" is an indefinite pronoun that can be singular or plural depending on what it refers to. It's referring to "families," which is plural, so "most" is plural. Remember that "families" is part of th prepositional phrase, so it can't be the subject. 5. The map of the Rocky Mountains (is, are) in the car. "Map" is singular, so the verb must be singular. Remember that "Rocky Mountains" is part of the prepositional phrase, so it can't be the subject. 6. The roofs of the houses in the village (was, were) made of red tile. "Roofs" is plural, so the verb must be plural. "Of the houses" and "in the village" are prepositional phrases and do not contain the subject. 7. Out in the pasture (is, are) a herd of dairy cattle. This sentence is inverted (the verb comes before the subject); "herd" is singular, so the verb is singular. 8. Most of the game (was, were) very exciting. "Most" refers to game, which is singular, so "most" is singular. (ee explanation for #4) 9. (Have, Has) Danny or Ginny arrived yet? This sentence is inverted (part of the verb comes before the subject; it also has a compound subject joined by "or." Make the verb agree with "Danny," the subject closest to the verb. 10. Neither of the teams (was, were) really good enough to be in the playoffs. "Neither" is an indefinite pronoun that is always singular. 11

12 ubject erb Agreement.notebook Answers and Explanations ubjects of sentences are underlined in red. 11. The best of all the cellists in the orchestra (is, are) Julio. "Best" is a singular subject of the sentence; the verb must be singular. "Of all the cellists" and "in the orchestra" are prepositional phrases and do not contain the subject. 12. Neither of my brothers (is, are) very athletic. "Neither" is an indefinite pronoun that is always singular, so the verb must be singular. 13. Down by the river (is, are) four boys fishing. This sentence is inverted. The subject comes after verb. "Boys" is plural, so the verb must be plural. 14. Each of them (seem, seems) anxious to begin the debate. "Each" is an indefinite pronoun that is always singular, so the verb must be singular. "Of them" is a prepositional phrase, so it can't contain the subject. 15. (Does, Do) Marta or Isabel know where to find the frying pan? This sentence has a compound subject joined with "or." The verb must agree with the subject closest to it (Marta). 16. My choice of all the candidates (is, are) haron McKnight. "Choice" is singular, so the verb must be singular. "Of all the candidates" is a prepositional phrase, so it can't contain the subject. 17. Everybody (is, are) taking different sides of the issue. "Everybody" is an indefinite pronoun that is always singular, so the verb must be singular. 18. Here (is, are) the tents and the sleeping bags. This sentence is in inverted order; it also has a compound subject. The verb should be plural to agree with the compound subject. 19. Anyone (is, are) welcome to come to the dance on Friday night. "Anyone" is an indefinite pronoun that is always singular, so the verb must be singular. 20. Georgia and the Carolinas (is, are) known for their beautiful offshore islands. This sentence has a compound subject joined with "and." The verb must be plural. 12

13 ubject erb Agreement.notebook May 13 7:49 PM 13