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The subject and verb must agree in NUMBER.
1=1
1 does not equal more than one
More than one = More than one
More than one does not equal 1
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A verb usually ends in –s or –es
Example:
A frog leaps.
Frog = one; leaps = one
An ecologist studies.
The boy learns about ecology
Judy plants seedlings.
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Ecologists study nature.
The boys learn about ecology.
Judy and Kim plant seedlings.
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Singular
I hike.
You hike.
He, she, or it hikes.
Plural
We hike.
You hike.
They hike.
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Exercise 1: ODD ONLY: turn the singular
subjects into plural subjects and make the
verbs agree.
Exercise 2: EVEN ONLY: write the correct verb
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Making the subject and verb agree is easy if
the verb follows the subject. Subject + Verb
HOWEVER, it is difficult if another noun
comes between the subject and verb.
Example:
The desert, except in the polar regions,
becomes very hot.
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The desert, except in the polar regions,
becomes very hot.
What about these?:
In the desert roam herds of camels.
There is a high mountain near the desert.
Here at the top are many damp rocks.
Inverted Sentences:
*In the desert roam herds of camels.
Usually begins with a prepositional phrase.
Subject follows the verb.
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Inverted Sentence beginning with THERE or HERE
Subject is after the verb, “there” or “here” are
not the subject.
There is a high mountain near the desert.
Here at the top are many damp rocks.
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In the desert roam herds of camels.
Herds of camels roam in the
desert.
There is a high mountain near the desert.
A high mountain there is near the
desert.
Here at the top are many damp rocks.
Many damp rocks are here at the
top.
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In some interrogative sentences, an auxiliary
verb comes before the subject. Look for the
subject between the auxiliary verb and the
main verb.
Do any deserts contain large animals?
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Deserts do contain any large animals.
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Exercise 3: ALL
Write the subject, verb, then correct if they
are in agreement or write the correct form of
the verb.
Exercise 4: EVEN
Write the correct form of the verb.
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Collective nouns name a group.
They are singular if it is used as a single group.
They are plural if each member of the group is
used.
Ex.
The team agrees to save papers. (one unit, sing.)
The team agree to store them in their homes.
(individual, plural)
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Like mathematics, news, etc. end in –s but
take a singular verb.
Other nouns that end in –s and name one
thing, such as trousers and pliers, take a
plural verb.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Mumps is a disease that is spread through
the air (singular).
Scissors are not practical or shredding paper.
(plural)
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A title of a book or work of art is considered
singular even if a noun within the title is
plural
Ex.
Recycling Successes is now a best-selling
book. (one book)
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Exercise 5 ALL
Write the subject, verb, then correct if they
are in agreement or write the correct form of
the verb.
Exercise 6 EVEN
Look for clues in the sentence (their, we, etc)
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Indefinite pronouns do not refer to a specific
person, place, or thing.
Some are singular. Some are plural
Indefinite Pronouns
Singular
Plural
Another
Everybody
No one
Both
Anybody
Everyone
Nothing
Few
Anyone
Everything
One
Many
Anything
Much
Somebody
Others
Each
Neither
Someone
Several
Either
Nobody
Something
 All
 Any
 Most
 None
 Some
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Remember how prepositional phrases don’t
help with most things we do in grammar?
They help with indefinite pronouns!!
If the object of the preposition is plural, the
verb is plural.
If the object of the preposition is singular, the
verb is singular
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Most of the forest lies to the east.
Most of those scientists study the process or
respiration.
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Some of her lawn is brown.
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Some of the ferns are large.
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Exercise 7: ALL
◦ With your partner
◦ Exercise 8: Even: independently!
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Compound subjects contain two or more
subjects for the same verb.
Plural and singular depend on how many
parts of the subject are joined.
If simple subjects are joined by and or both,
the verb is plural.
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New York, Denver, and London have smog.
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Both automobiles and factories create smog.
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Air inversion and the absence of wind aid the
conditions.
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The captain and leader of the air-testing
team is Joan.
When two or more subjects are joined by the
conjunctions or or nor, either/or, or
neither/nor, the verb agrees with the subject
closest to it.
The city or the state responds to complaints.
Either smoke or gases cause the smog.
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Exercise 9: ODD
Exercise 10: ALL