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Pronoun antecedent
And
Subject verb agreement…
YOU HAVE TO AGREE!
A singular subject demands a singular verb; a plural subject demands a
plural verb. That is the simple principle behind subject-verb agreement.
• Let’s create a sentence
using this rose as the
subject. Think of a rose
verb and create a
sentence. Make the
subject and verb agree.
• Let’s do the same with
these subjects.
Let’s identify the subjects and verbs in
these sentences.
The owl hoots in the dark night.
The owls hoot in the dark night
(on Valentines’ Day.)
Do two owls
hoot or
hoots?
Would you say,
One owl hoot…
Or
One owl hoots…?
Plural!!!
More than one!
• Nouns such as scissors,
tweezers, trousers, and
glasses require plural
verbs. (There are two parts
to these things.)
Singular! One! • Collective nouns are words
that imply more than one
Uno!
person but that are
considered singular and take
a singular verb, such as:
group, team, committee,
class, and family.
• Nouns such as civics,
mathematics, dollars,
measles, and news require
singular verbs. Jury and
Supreme Court is also
singular.
• The news is on at six.
• The jury is out.
• Expressions such as with,
together with, including,
accompanied by, in
Austen, together
with three
addition to, or as well do
friends,
not
change
the
number
of
want/wants to go
the subject. If the subject is
to the party.
singular, the verb is too.
Austen is the
subject – he is
single.
Austen WANTS to
go to the party.
Pronoun and antecedent
agreement.
Just like subjects and
verbs, pronouns and
antecedents must agree!
• A pronoun is a word that
stands in for a noun.
• The antecedent of a
pronoun is the word the
pronoun refers to.
antecedent
• Neither one of the players
slowed his pace.
pronoun
Here is where it gets tricky…
The words each, each one, either,
neither, everyone, everybody,
anybody, anyone, nobody,
somebody, someone, and no one
are singular indefinite
pronouns and require a
singular verb.
• THEY ARE ALWAYS SINGLE!
• (But they are happy that
way.)
Let’s try some indefinite pronouns.
Each owl hoots in the dark night.
Everybody hoots in the dark
night (on Valentines’ Day.)
Everybody is
always single!
Each is always
single!
Did you get
that????
Burn
these
words
into your
brain!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Each
each one
either
neither
everyone
everybody
anybody
anyone
nobody
somebody
someone
no one
Can you
believe
it?
Always
single!
Is the subject
countable?
• Some indefinite pronouns —
such as all, some — are singular
or plural depending on what
they're referring to. (Is the thing
referred to countable or not?) Be
careful choosing a verb to
accompany such pronouns.
• “It’s a miracle,” exclaimed Ms.
Weber, “all of the students
handed in their work on time!”
• Some of the beads are missing.
• Some of the water is gone.
When the subject of a sentence is
composed of two or more nouns or
pronouns connected by our little conjunction
Which one is closer?
and, use a plural verb. AND joins
friend
subjects!
•
She and her friends are at the fair.
When two or more singular nouns or
pronouns are connected by or or nor, use a
singular verb.
• The book or the pen is in the drawer
When parts of a subject are joined by or or
nor, the verb agrees with the nearer part.
• Neither the teacher nor the students know the
answer.
• The rabbits or the woodchucks have eaten my
lettuce.
• Neither the red marble nor the others are mine.