Cornell Notes Topic Chapter 8 Agreement

Transcription

1 Cornell Notes Topic Chapter 8 Agreement Questions/ Main Idea Details/Notes Number Agreement of Subject And Verb Problems in Agreement (phrases and clauses between subjects and verbs) Indefinite Pronouns Singular Indefinite Pronouns Plural Indefinite Pronouns Singular or Plural Indefinite Pronouns It is the form a word takes to indicate whether the word is singular or plural. When a word refers to one person, place, thing, or idea it is singular in number. When a word refers to more than one person, place, thing or idea, it is plural in number. A verb should always agree in number with its subject. Singular subjects take singular verbs. Plural subjects take plural verbs. In a verb phrase, the first helping verb agrees in number with the subject. The number of a subject is not changed by a phrase or clause following the subject. The pronouns that do not refer to a definite person, place, thing or idea. anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, nothing, no one, one, somebody, someone, something both, few, many, several all, any, more, most, none, and some They may be singular or plural depending on their meaning.

2 Compound Subjects Subjects joined by and usually take a plural verb. Most compound subjects joined by and name more than one person or thing and take plural verbs. A compound subject that names only one person or thing takes a singular verb. Singular subjects that are joined by or or nor take a singular verb. Plural subjects joined by or or nor take a plural verb. When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject nearer the verb. Other problems in Agreement When the subject follows the verb, find the subject and make sure the verb agrees with it. The contractions don t and doesn t should agree with their subjects. The word don t is a contraction for do not. Use don t with all plural subjects and with the pronouns I and you. The word doesn t is a contraction of does not. Use doesn t with all singular subjects except the pronouns I and you. Collective Nouns It may be either singular or plural, depending on its meaning in a sentence. The singular form names a group of persons, animal or things. It is singular when it refers to the group as a unit. It is plural when it refers to the individual parts or members of the group. Examples: army, assembly, audience, class, club, committee, crowd, family, fleet, flock, group, herd, public,

3 Subject-Verb Agreement swarm, team, troop 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. Some nouns that are plural in form take singular verbs. Example: These nouns take singular verbscivics, economics, electronics, genetics, gymnastics, linguistics, mathematics, news, molasses, physics, summons Some nouns that are plural in form and that name singular objects take plural verbs. Examples: binoculars, eyeglasses, Olympics, pants, pliers, scissors, shears, shorts, slacks Even when plural in form, the title of a creative work (such as city, or organization generally takes a singular verb. a book, song, movie, or painting) or the name of a country, city, or organization generally takes a singular verb. A verb agrees with its subject but not necessarily with a predicate nominative. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement A pronoun should agree in both number and gender with its antecedent. Some singular pronouns have forms that indicate gender. Masculine: he, him, his Feminine: she, her, hers Neuter: it, its (used for things or animals) Use a singular pronoun to refer to two or more singular antecedents joined by or or nor. Use a plural pronoun to refer to two or more antecedents joined by and.

4 Some indefinite pronouns are plural, some are singular, and some may be either. (1) Use a singular pronoun to refer to anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, and something. (2) The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many, and several. (3) The indefinite pronouns all, any, more, most, none, and some may be singular or plural, depending on their meaning in a sentence. Either a singular or plural pronoun may be used to refer to a collective noun, depending on the meaning of the sentence. An expression of an amount may take a singular or plural pronoun, depending on how the expression is used. Some nouns that are plural in form take singular pronouns. Examples: civics, economics, electronics, genetics, gymnastics, linguistics, mathematics, molasses, news, physics, summons Some nouns that are plural in form and that name singular objects take plural pronouns. Examples: binoculars, eyeglasses, Olympics, pants, pliers scissors, shears, shorts, slacks Use a singular pronoun to refer to the title of a creative work (such as a book, song, movie, or painting). Use a singular pronoun to refer to the name of a country, city or organization

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