Subject Verb Agreement Chapter 5 A verb should

Subject Verb Agreement Chapter 5

A verb should agree in number with its subject. �Singular �A word that refers to one person, place, thing, or idea. �He washes the dishes. (He is a singular subject so washes agrees. ) �Plural �A word that refers to more that on person, place, thing, or idea. Video child Singular I thief herself �They wash the dishes. (They is a plural subject, so wash Plural Videos children we thieves agrees. ) themselves

Singular and Plural �A singular noun �NO S on the end of it �Dog, cat, building �A singular verb �Can have an S on the end of it. �Attracts, holds, walks, attends �A plural noun �Can have an S on the end of it. �Dogs, Cats, buildings �A plural verb �Normally no S on the end of it �Sing, graduate, laugh

Choose the correct verb �People (walks, walk) �House (has stood, have stood) �Cattle (is running, are running) �Result(is, are) �Women (seems, seem) �Children (sings, sing) �To whisper (is, are) �Phoebe (reads, read)

Answers �People (walks, walk) �House (has stood, have stood) �Cattle (is running, are running) �Result(is, are) �Women (seems, seem) �Children (sings, sing) �To whisper (is, are) �Phoebe (reads, read)

The number of the subject usually is not determined by a word in a phrase or clause following the subject. �The apartments across the street do not have balconies. � Do have agrees with apartments, not street. �The planes pulling up to the gate were purchased by a movie company. �Were purchased agrees with planes, not gate. � Eli, one of my friends, was late. �Was agrees with Eli, not friends. �The movie that I saw two weeks ago was reviewed in today’s paper. �Was reviewed agrees with movie, not weeks.

Words in phrases �As well as, along with, together with, and in addition to are compound prepositions. Words in phrases beginning with compound prepositions do not affect the number of the subject or verb. �Example: Anne, together with her cousins, is backpacking in Nevada.

A negative construction following the subject does not change the number of the subject �Carl, not Juan and I, (is doing, are doing) the artwork �Singular subject: Carl �Singular Verb: is doing �Burt, not Anne and Laura, (has, have) borrowed the bicycle pump. �Singular subject: Burt �Singular Verb: has

Practice �These pictures (show, shows) how noodles are prepared. �SHOW �First, the noodle maker (roll, rolls) out the dough as thin as possible. �ROLLS �Then, the cook (slice, slices) the folded layers. �SLICES

Practice (cont. ) �Next, the strands of noodles (is, are) separated and dusted with flour to prevent sticking. �ARE �After the noodles have dried a little, they (go, goes) into boiling water or broth to cook. �GO �The Japanese (enjoy, enjoys) noodles made from either wheat flour, or buckwheat flour.

Practice (cont) �A dish of cooked noodles mixed with sauce, broth, fish, or vegetables (makes, make) a popular lunch. �MAKES �Noodle shops all over Japan (serves, serve) a variety of noodle dishes. �SERVE �These shops often (resemble, resembles) fast -food restaurants in the United States. �RESEMBLE

Identify the subject and choose the correct verb. � A heaping basket of turnip greens (was, were) sitting on the counter. �Subject : basket �Verb: Was � The cost of two new snow tires (was, were) more than I had expected. �Subject: cost �Verb: was � The community college course on collecting stamps always (attracts, attract) many people. �Subject: course �Verb: attracts