GRAMMAR: ENGLISH IISpring 2012

1) Subject-verb agreement 2) Noun, verb, & prepositional phrase 3) Modifiers: Dangling & Misplaced4) Pronoun-antecedent agreement 5) Shifts in Tense & Voice

8/20 Grammar #1

Subject-verb agreement

*A singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb.

Examples A bike and a scooter (is, are) my means of

getting around until I get a car.

The principal, along with a bunch of teachers, (is, are) getting ready for a snow day.

RULES1. If subjects are joined by and, they are

considered plural.Ex. The quarterback and the coach are having a conference.

2. If subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the closer subjectEx: Either the actors or the director is at fault. Ex: Either the director or the actors are at fault.

Someone Somebody Each Either one Everyone Anyone

Apparently, the SAT testing service considers none as a singular word only. However, according to Merriam Webster's Dictionary of English Usage, "Clearly none has been both singular and plural since Old English and still is. The notion that it is singular only is a myth of unknown origin that appears to have arisen in the 19th century. If in context it seems like a singular to you, use a singular verb; if it seems like a plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond serious criticism" (p. 664).

Indefinite pronouns - SINGULAR

None? Singular or Plural?

None of us ( is / are ) going to see Transformers 3.

1. Three-quarters of the students (is, are) against the detention policy. 

2. Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator (is, are) going to have to make a decision. 

3. Either the chief administrator in this hospital or the physicians (is, are) going to have to make a decision.

4. Kara Cannon, together with her teammates, (present, presents) a formidable opponent on the basketball court.  

5. Everyone selected to serve on this jury (has, have) to be willing to give up a lot of time.

1. Are

2. Is

3. Are

4. Presents

5. Has

2/6 Grammar #2

Noun, verb, & prepositional phrases

1. What is a noun?

2. What is a verb?

3. What is a preposition?

1. A word which refers to a thing, person, or idea

2. word that denotes an action, occurrence, or state of existence

3. words that help describe something's location or other information

Preposition examples about above across after against along among around at before

behind below beneath beside between by down during except for

from in in front

of inside instead

of into like near of

off on onto on top of out of outside over past since through

to toward under undernea

th until up upon with within without

N, V, or P?

1. Table2. In3. Around4. Swimming5. Friendship6. Google

Phrase

such as leafy vegetables in sickness and in health on one’s personality for a long time

Phrase – a group of words that is missing a subject or

a verb or both; always a dependent clause.

Prepositional phrase – consists of a preposition & it’s object

Can remove Prep phrase, sentence still makes sense

Examples At home In time for dinner About what we need Underneath the school Error?

Where are the Prep Phrases?7. The book on the bathroom floor is

swollen from shower steam.

8. The sweet potatoes in the vegetable bin are green with mold.

9. The note from Beverly confessed that she had eaten the leftover pizza.

4/3

Dangling & Misplaced Modifiers

What is a modifier?

words or phrases that modify something else

What’s the difference between these two sentences? I almost failed every art class I took. I failed almost every art class I took.

I ate only vegetables. I only ate vegetables.

Children who laugh rarely are shy.

Fix1. Covered in wildflowers, Timmy was struck by

the beauty of the hill.

2. Hiking the trail, the birds chirped loudly.

3. For sale: An antique desk suitable for a lady with thick legs and large drawers.

4. When purchasing a cellular phone, the wide variety of calling plans and features overwhelms many people

4/9 Do Now #4

Pronoun-antecedent agreement

A substitute for a noun

Examples: He / She It Them They

The noun that the pronoun refers to

Pronoun Antecedent

I like SpongeBob SquarePants; it is a good show.

Jake naturally attracted all of the ladies; he was known for making them go crazy.

pronoun

antecedent

antecedentantecedent

pronounpronoun

What’s wrong here? During early rehearsals, an actor may forget

their lines.

Vicky and Alicia swam ( her / their ) best times on Friday.

Some of the sugar fell out of ( its / their ) bag. Everyone had (his or her / their ) own

Snickers bar.

Pronoun-Antecedent disagreement!

Each Either/

neither One No one Nobody Nothing Anyone

Anybody Anything Someone Somebody Something Everyone Everybody Everything

Several Few Both Many Others

Singular Plural

Pronouns and antecedents must agree in number!

1. The Washington team was opportunistic; (it, they) took advantage of every break.

2. A person needs to see (his or her, their) dentist twice a year.

3. The committee members put (its, their) signatures on the document.

4. Each of these companies had (its, their) books audited.

5. If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, (he or she, you) has/have to know the rules of the game.

ANSWERS

1. It

2. His or Her

3. Their

4. Its

5. He or she

4/10

Shifts in Tense & Voice

What’s wrong with these sentences?

Sarah was ostracized by the rest of the cheerleaders. They believe that her behavior was an embarrassment to the entire team.

Sarah was ostracized by the rest of the cheerleaders. They believe that her behavior was an embarrassment to the entire team. Tense shift!

Verb ShiftJust don’t do it!

Read it aloud and check to make sure it works

Problem? When they stopped to ask for directions, the

gas station attendant's advice was so confusing that you could never find the restaurant where the reception was being held.

When they stopped to ask for directions, the gas station attendant's advice was so confusing that you could never find the restaurant where the reception was being held.

Voice Shift!

1. When the children turned on the TV, a buzzing sound was heard.

When the children turned on the TV, they heard a buzzing sound.

Active voicePassive voice

Active voice Active voice

Fix it1. Frequently, a person exercises to relieve stress. As a result, people sometimes become psychologically dependent on excessive exercising. 

Suggestion: Frequently, people exercise to relieve stress and, as a result, sometimes become psychologically dependent on excessive exercising.

2.  Off campus students should use the bus system because you get frustrated trying to park every day.

Fix itBy the time Paul arrived at the house it is too late. The

door was open, the light was on and his wife has disappeared. People are still walking home from work and the sidewalk in front of his house pulsed with a slow but steady stream of neighbors who stared at him as they passed. In the twilight the streetlamp’s glow casts dim and surreal highlights on the odd assortment of objects in his yard, the treadmill and the ten potted plants arranged in alphabetical order on the front walk. Looking back furtively over his shoulder as he folds the treadmill and secured its dangling electrical cord, Paul gives the impression of some agitation as he pushed the machine through the door and into the foyer of his home. One of the pots is an inch and a half out of alignment. Sighing, he nudged it into place and picked up a leaf that fell when the pot moved.

ANSWERS!By the time Paul arrived at the house it was too late.

The door was open, the light was on and his wife had disappeared. People were still walking home from work and the sidewalk in front of his house pulsed with a slow but steady stream of neighbors who stared at him as they passed. In the twilight the streetlamp’s glow cast dim and surreal highlights on the odd assortment of objects in his yard, the treadmill and the ten potted plants arranged in alphabetical order on the front walk. Looking back furtively over his shoulder as he folded the treadmill and secured its dangling electrical cord, Paul gave the impression of some agitation as he pushed the machine through the door and into the foyer of his home. One of the pots was an inch and a half out of alignment. Sighing, he nudged it into place and picked up a leaf that had fallen when the pot moved.

3/14 & 15 Do Now #11

Grammar Review

1. Modifiers: Dangling & Misplaced

2. Noun, verb, & prepositional phrase

3. Pronoun-antecedent agreement

4. Subject-verb agreement5. Shifts in Tense & Voice

Grammar mistakes #11. The two main goals of my life are to be

generous and to have no regrets. I hoped I could follow them forever.

2. If someone wants to play games, you must follow the rules.

Shifts in tense & voice

Grammar mistakes #21. Having finished writing the essay,

Facebook was immediately opened to brag.

2. She handed out brownies to children wrapped in Tupperware.

Modifiers: Dangling & Misplaced

Grammar mistakes #31. Through the skies, (soars/soar) the

fighter jets.

2. Everyone in the group (shouts/shout) when they see meteors in the sky.

Subject-verb agreement

Grammar mistakes #41. One of the students must give (their,

his) oral report tomorrow.

2. When someone has been drinking, (he or she, they) may drive poorly.

Pronoun-antecedent agreement

Noun, verb, prepositional phrasesNoun phrase?1. The penguin is the most feared animal in the

bird kingdom.

Prepositional phrase?2. She wanted to go to the movies.

Verb phrase?3. Chocolate should be served at room

temperature.

Word

beatificaestheticconvolutionillumineoblivionpedant

quarry

Definitionblessedly happyrelating to beauty and taste; artistic

a coiled shape or part

to light upthe state of being forgotten

someone who focuses unduly on the rules

hunted animals or others