Download Fragments,Verbs,Pronouns

Sentence Fragments,
Verb Agreement,
and Pronoun Agreement
Chapters 7, 9, 10 & 11
Chapter 7 Sentence Fragments
Couple of ways in which a sentence could
be a fragment
Could be lacking either a subject or a
predicate
It could have a subordinating element and
clearly indicates that the thought is
incomplete
Sentence Fragments – examples
What kind of fragments are these
sentences?
A tall, distinguished-looking gentleman standing
on the corner in the pouring rain.
Because I had heard all that I wanted to hear
and did not intend to be bored any longer
Standing in the pouring rain and shielding
himself from the deluge with a large umbrella
Although she had been well recommended by
her former employers
Permissible Fragments
Some of the acceptable fragments include
The sooner, the better.
Anything by that.
Same as before
Ouch!
Yes.
Tickets, please!
Not so!
No!
Chapter 9 – Subject Verb Agreement
 The verb in any clause
must agree with its
subject in person and
number
 By person, we mean first
person (I), second person
(you) and third person
(s/he).
 By number we mean
singular (s/he) or plural
(they)
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement
 What is the subject in this sentence?
The evidence that they submitted to the judges was
convincing.
the evidence
 Watch for intervening expressions, or really
anything that modifies the subject.
 What is the subject in this sentence? What is the
correct verb?
A list of eligible candidates [was/were] posted on the
bulletin board.
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement
What is the subject in this sentence?
There is in many countries much unrest today.
Unrest
“there,” “where” can not ever be the subject
of a sentence
What for the verb preceding the subject.
What is the subject in this sentence? What
is the correct verb?
Where [are/is] Bob and his friends going?
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement –
Indefinite Pronouns
 The following indefinite pronouns, adjectives are
singular
Either
Neither
Each
Every
Everybody
Anybody
Everyone
Anyone
 None may be either singular or plural, although
plural is more common
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement –
compound subjects
If a subject is joined by and, it requires a
plural verb.
UNLESS the joined subject is actually the
same person or thing.
If a subject is joined by or or nor, then the
verb agrees in number and person with
the nearest one.
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement –
compound subjects
 What is the subject and correct verb in these
sentences?
Where [are/is] the bracelets and beads?
Either the coach or the player [was/were] at fault.
My friend and coworker Mr Klausner [plays/play] soccer.
Neither my sisters nor I [am/are] going.
Neither the cat nor the kittens [have/has] been fed.
Neither the kittens nor the cat [have/has] been fed.
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement – Nouns plural and
singular in meaning
Singular
Plural
News
Gymnastics
Ethics
Tactics
Economics
Trousers
Physics
Scissors
Mathematics
Athletics
Gallows
Tidings
Mumps, Measles
Acoustics
Shambles
Riches
Whereabouts
Barracks
Plural nouns denoting a mass, a quantity,
or a number as a unit (ex. dollars, bushels)
Phrases involving addition, multiplication,
subtraction and division
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement –
Determining Modifiers
All, some, and percentage are determined
by the number of the noun in the
prepositional phrase
Some of the pie is missing
Some of the pies are missing
Number is determined by its article.
A number of students were at the art exhibit
The number of students was small.
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement
 To be verbs: The verb agrees with the subject
and not the predicate nominative
The only fruit now [is/are] peaches
Peaches [are/is] the only fruit now.
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement –
Relative Pronouns
 If a relative pronoun (who, which or that) is the
subject, the verb agrees with the antecedent of
the pronoun (the word it refers to).
 This is the student who [is/are] to be promoted
 These are the students who [are/is] to be
promoted.
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement
Collective Nouns: these nouns are
singular in form but plural in meaning.
They include team, class, committee,
crowd, and crew.
Chapt 9 Subject Verb Agreement
 Nouns with foreign
plurals: some nouns
retain their forms from
their languages.
Singular
Plural
Alumnus
Alumni
Medium
Media
Crisis
Crises
Aquarium
Aquariums/Aquari
a
Criterion
Criterions/Criteria
Datum
Data
Radius
Radii
Stimulus
Stimuli
Syllabus
Syllabi
Chapt 10 Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
Singular in form
Plural in form
Each
Either
Every
Neither
Anyone
Anybody
Everyone
Everybody
Someone
Somebody
No one
Nobody
Collective Nouns singular in meaning
Collective Nouns plural in meaning
Chapt 10 Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
Each of the girls has [her/their] own car.
The team has elected Ian as [its/their]
captain.
Does everyone have [his/their] ticket?
The team quickly took [their/its] position on
the field.
Neither of the boys remembered [his/their]
poncho.