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This presentation is
brought to you by
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2016 by Robin L.
Simmons.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Do I need an Or should I
s at the end leave the s
of the verb? off?
This presentation
covers maintaining
agreement
between subjects
and verbs.
A subject-verb agreement
item on an objective test
might look like this ...
Sample Item
The foods that provide
provide good
goodnutrition
nutritionisare
is
A BB
often the least tasty; a hamburger and fries,
The elephant
trumpets for a peanut.
elephant = singular subject
trumpets = singular verb
The elephants
trumpet for peanuts.
elephants = plural subject
trumpet = plural verb
In the present
tense, singular
verbs end in the suffix
s; plural verbs do
not.
Two [or mor e] singular
nouns joined by and make a
plur al subject.
Because theres no s at
the end of sit, you
know its a plural verb.
W hen each or ever y pr ecedes
two [or mor e] singular nouns
joined by and , you have a
singular subject.
Because there is an
s at the end of sit,
you know its a
singular verb.
I n t h i s s i t u at i o n , n o m at t e r
how m any s i n g u l a r n o u n s yo u
join with and, the subject is
sti l l s i n g u l a r.
X X X X Im a
vegetarian!
X X
Use caution with these three
c o n j u n c t i o n s : ei ther or ,
nei ther nor , a n d not onl y
but al s o .
As well as Including
Along with In addition to
Together with Especially
keeps
The squirrel as well as the pigeons keep an
eyeeye
an on on
Sammy,
Sammy,thethe
sneaky
sneaky
cat.cat.
Show me
what you
know.
Item 1
In the cabinet is
is the
arethe
the
tools
tools
tools
that
that
that
you
you
youwill
will
will
need
need
needto
toto
AA
unclog the bathroom sink; I have
have found
found that
that aa
B
plunger and a prayer often do do the
the trick.
trick.
C
A. are
B. has
C. does
D. No change is necessary.
Item 2
Here are the books that Thomas and Darlene
A
need for their research, and here is
is the
arethe
the
earplugs
earplugs
earplugs
BB
that youll require once they both doze
doze off
off in
in
C
boredom and start snoring.
A. is
B. are
C. dozes
D. No change is necessary.
Item 3
A. has
B. is
C. loves
loves
D. No change is necessary.
Item 4
looksforward
look
look forward
forwardto
toto
the
the
thefinal
final
final
exam;
exam;
exam;everyone
everyone
everyonehas
has
has
AA BB
exciting vacation plans that start start next
next Monday.
Monday.
C
A. looks
looks
B. have
C. starts
D. No change is necessary.
Item 5
At the pet store, each iguana, mouse, and gerbil
tries
try
try to
toto
climb
climb
climb
the
the
the
walls
walls
walls
of
ofof
its
itsits
glass
glass
glass
cage
cage
cage
while
while
while
AA
humans hoverhover outside
outside like
like giant
giant predators
predators who
who are
are
B C
ready to strike.
A. tries
tries
B. hovers
C. is
D. No change is necessary.
Item 6
A. hopes
hopes
B. bring
C. drips
D. No change is necessary.
Item 7
A. sleeps
sleeps
B. are
C. find
D. No change is necessary.
Item 8
Meryl, together with her friends Beatrice and Laverne,
plans aa daily
plans daily trip
trip for
for ice
ice cream,
cream, for
for these
these women
women
A
have discovered
have discovered that that the
the calories
calories is
is worth
are worth
worthseeing
seeing
seeing
B CC
Theo scoop their servings with his muscular arms.
A. plan
B. has
C. are
D. No change is necessary.
Item 9
A. is
B. are
C. need
need
D. No change is necessary.
Item 10
A. is
is
B. refuse
C. throw
D. No change is necessary.
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The End.
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