Subject Verb Agreement - Robert Lindblom Math & Science ...



Subject Verb Agreement

Review!—25 points

Explanation: This is meant to be a study tool for a major grammar quiz coming up and also to help you prepare for your final exam in January. Follow each set of directions below.

The S No-S Rule

Rule: (Explain the rule in your own words):

Examples: (Give at least 3 examples, one to show a singular subject with an –s verb, one to show a plural subject with a No-S verb, and one with a “to-be” verb)

1.

2.

3.

Practice

Directions: Put an S above the subject and correct the verb on the line provided. If it’s correct, write “Correct” on the line provided.

1. The Milky Way is the Earth’s home galaxy.

________________________

2. Our sun’s nine planets is located in the Milky Way.

________________________

3. The sun travel through space.

________________________

4. The planets revolves around the sun.

________________________

5. The solar system constantly move through space toward the constellation Hercules.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Words Between Subject and Verb

What do you do when a lot of words separate the subject and verb as in the following sentence?

The files of any computer (is, are) vulnerable to electronic-age thieves.

Practice: Find the five errors in subject-verb agreement in this paragraph. Change the verbs to agree with their subjects. Keep all verbs in present tense.

Computers on the Case

Private investigators like Kinsey Millhone often uses computers to help solve their cases. In the story “Full Circle” Kinsey is asked to investigate a young girl’s death in a car crash. A young man in a blue truck had shot the girl right before the accident. A news photo of the accident scene show the truck parked nearby. The license plate on the vehicle provide Kinsey with her first clue. Computerized records at the Department of Motor Vehicles helps her find the truck’s owner. One of the owners tell her a friend borrowed the truck the day of the murder, providing Kinsey with another lead.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Indefinite Pronoun Subjects

Write out the Following Indefinite Pronouns

|Type of Pronoun |Examples |Type of Verb |

|Singular | | |

| | | |

|Plural | | |

|Both | | |

Practice: Circle the correct verb for each sentence.

1. Each of the athletes (run, runs) effortlessly.

2. Several of the runners (is, are) exercising.

3. Neither of the women (is, are) ready to start.

4. Most of his routine (sound, sounds) familiar.

5. Most of his jokes (sound, sounds) familiar.

6. She said that no one in the office (leave, leaves) early.

Compound Subjects

The Rule for Subjects joined by “And”: Write out the rule:

The Rule for the Paired Conjunctions “Either…or”, “Neither…nor”, and “Not only…but also”: Write out the rule:

Practice: Choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses in each of the following sentences.

1. The coach and the player (was, were) surprised by the referee’s call.

2. Neither the quarterback nor the rest of the players (hear, hears) the referee’s whistle.

3. Either the principal or the cheerleaders (lead, leads) the student fight song.

4. The principal, the band director, and the gymnastics coach (was, were) proud of the half-time show.

5. Not only the teachers but also the principal (attend, attends) every game.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Trio of Problematic Subjects

* Collective Nouns

Rule:

Examples of Collective Nouns:

* Nouns Ending in “S”

Rule:

Examples of Nouns Ending in “S”:

*Titles, Amounts, and Time

Rule:

Example sentence including a Title:

Example sentence including Amount:

Example sentence including Time:

Practice:

Circle the answer that best fixes the sentence. If nothing is wrong with the sentence, circle “NO CHANGE.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Inverted Sentences and Questions

Fill in the chart with Examples

|Questions | |

|Beginning with here or there | |

|Beginning with a phrase | |

Practice Directions: Put an S above the subject and correct the verb on the line provided. If it’s correct, write “Correct” on the line provided.

1. Here are a list of addresses.

_____________________

2. Is there any green apples in that basket?

____________________

3. There are my notebooks.

____________________

4. Under several cars darts the cat.

____________________

Mixed Review

Directions: In the paragraphs below, circle any incorrect verbs. Rewrite the correct verbs above them.

Careers in Forensics

Forensics, the science of crime solving, are an important and exciting field. There is more opportunities within this profession for people with varied backgrounds than you might expect.

Movies and television shows always seems to focus on chemists and doctors working in crime labs and morgues. However, specialists in other branches of science, such as geology and botany, also works on cases, analyzing soil, mud, pollen, and other physical evidence at a crime scene.

Psychologists and psychiatrists is also called in to help the police capture or evaluate suspects, especially in cases of murder and other serious crimes. A specially trained photographer record information at the crime scene. Anyone who witnesses a crime talk to forensic artists to help them create pictures of suspects.

A Letter

Dear Ms. Beck,

Your appearances on TV Trial is always a pleasure to watch. In my opinion, your comments and explanations about DNA evidence has been particularly informative. While doing research for a school report on this subject, I recently has come across a puzzling question. Here, briefly, is the facts that I do not understand.

On the one hand, according to my reading, identical twins has the same DNA. On the other hand, also according to my reading, identical twins’ fingerprints are different. Is this true? If so, how is it possible? Don’t DNA determine our physical characteristics, including our fingerprints?

Any information or research tips you can offer is sure to be helpful. Thank you so much for your time and your advice.

-----------------------

The museum security staff are sure that Louvre

1

employees are involved in the Mona Lisa theft. Ordinarily, the museum carpenter, Vincenzo Perugia, would be a prime suspect. His right-hand fingerprints are already on record. Forensics offer

2

little help in this case, however. The team have

2 3

found a thumbprint at the crime scene, but it is from

3

Perugia’s left hand.

While this investigation is ongoing, Mysteries

4

of Sherlock Holmes have been taken from the

4

Library of Congress. One hundred thousand dollars

5

are the reward for finding the thieves. Fifty years

5 6

are the maximum sentence for stealing a

6

masterpiece.

1. A. NO CHANGE

B. The museum security staff is sure

C. The museum security staff were sure

D. The museum security staff have been sure

2. A. NO CHANGE

B. Forensics offering little help in this case

C. Forensics offers little help in this case

D. Forensics were offering little help in this case.

3. A. NO CHANGE

B. The team finds

C. The team find

D. The team are finding

4. A. NO CHANGE

B. Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes were taken

C. Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes are being taken

D. Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes has been taken

5. A. NO CHANGE

B. One hundred thousand dollars is the reward

C. One hundred thousand dollars were the reward

D. One hundred thousand dollars have been the reward

6. A. NO CHANGE

B. Fifty years have been the maximum sentence

C. Fifty years is the maximum sentence

D. Fifty years were the maximum sentence

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