Academic English Workshop 0910s2 Subject Verb Agreement

CC2040 Academic English workshop (Health Care) 2009-2010 Session 2 – Common ESL Errors 1 (Subject-Verb Agreement) Wience Lai

[email protected] 3746-0170 HHB 1630

Part A: Diagnostic Test • Some sentences in the given text are not correct. In groups, identify the mistake and write the correct form of verb in the space provided. Put a “√” if no mistake is found.

Part B: Key Points Review (Subject-verb agreement) Basic principle: • In English, subjects and verbs must agree in person (first/second/third) and number (singular/plural).

Part B: Key Points Review (Subject-verb agreement) Remember the following rules when you write: SUBJECT-VERB SEPARATION. When the verb is not immediately preceded by the subject, make sure the verb agrees with the subject, not the intervening nouns and/or prepositional phrases, of the sentence. For example, the girl in red pants is my younger sister. SUBJECT-VERB INVERSION. In questions and in inverted sentences like those starting with Here and There, the verb agrees with the subject that follows. For example, there are over 15 tutorial schools in our neighborhood.

Part B: Key Points Review (Subject-verb agreement) COMPOUND SUBJECT (1). Plural verbs are needed where two subjects are conjoined by And. For example, meanness and selfishness are qualities that repel most people. COMPOUND SUBJECT (2). When two subjects are joined by Either…Or, Neither…Nor, the verb agrees with nearest subject. For example, either Jack or I am responsible for chairing the coming marketing meeting.

Part B: Key Points Review (Subject-verb agreement)

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS. • Indefinite pronouns that end with -body, -one, or -thing (e.g. somebody, someone, something) always take a singular verb. • Similarly, the indefinite pronouns each, either, neither take a singular verb. • However, the indefinite pronouns both, few, many, and several always take a plural verb. For example, although many have signed up for the marathon, nobody was seen at the race. COLLECTIVE NOUNS. • Collective nouns like committee, class, crew, family, staff , etc. take a singular verb when the group is regarded as a unit; • they take plural verbs if individual members of the group are considered as acting independently. For example, the committee are uncertain of what to do next. (The members of the committee are…)

Part B: Key Points Review (Subject-verb agreement) VERBAL NOUNS AND NOUN CLAUSES. Verbal nouns (i.e., gerunds and gerund phrases, infinitives and infinitive phrases) and noun clauses used as subjects always take a singular verb. For example, that Gillian won a scholarship to study in Japan is an opportunity envied by others. PLURAL FORM NOUNS. Some nouns are plural only in form; they take a singular verb. Examples include economics, mathematics, means, measles, mumps, news, physics, AIDS , etc.

Subject-verb agreement Circle the correct form of the verb in parentheses. 1. Misconceptions about apes like the gorilla (has, have) turned a relatively peaceful animal into a terrifying monster. 2. In my opinion, a few slices of pepperoni pizza (make, makes) a great evening.

The prepositional phrase that comes between the 3. Here (is, are) thethe notesverb from yesterday’s lecture. subject and does not anthropology affect subject-verb 4. At the very bottom of the grocery list (was, were) an item that agreement. meant a trip all the way back to aisle one.

A verb agrees with its subject even when the verb comes before the subject e.g. in a clause beginning with here or there, or in a question. 10/05/09

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2.2 Verbs 5. Not only the assistant managers but also the secretary (know, knows) that the company is folding. 6. Either the trash can or those socks (smell, smells) horrible.

When subjects are joined by either . . . or, neither . nor, not onlyFrance, . . . but also, agrees 7. .In.eighteenth-century makeup andthe high verb heels (was, were) worn men. withbythe subject closer to the verb. A compound subject resulting from joining two

8. Neither of those hairstyles (suit, suits) the shape of your face. and generally takes a plural verb. 10.subjects One of thesewith earrings (fall, falls) constantly off my ear.

9. Both of the puppies (is, are) cute in their own ways.

Indefinite pronouns such as neither, either, one, someone, everybody, anything , nothing always take singular verbs. 10/05/09 Both always takes a EAS0708Wk13(WL) plural verb.

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For more details about subject-verb agreement, see Langan, 2008, pp. 350354.

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Part C: Concept Boosting Exercises

Exercise C1 Identify and underline the subjects and the main verbs in the following sentences. 1. For people who have asthma, strenuous exercise can be fatal. 2. My friend, who will get his PhD degree this month, wonders why finding a job outside the academia is so difficult. 3. That Sherry took her life last month devastated everyone within her group. 4. Being able to listen to others is an important quality of a successful social worker. 5. Among the important qualities of being a successful fashion designer is the courage to explore new things. 6. When a divorce happens, either a betrayal or financial issues are often the cause.

Part C: Concept Boosting Exercises Exercise C2 The following paragraphs contain subject-verb agreement errors. (1) Read through the paragraphs. (2) Underline only the subjects related to the mistakes found. (3) Correct the errors found, if any. Some sentences are error-free.

References Langan, J. (2008). English skills for academic studies. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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