Post on 04-Jun-2018
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MUET - GrammarSubject Verb Agreement
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EVERY VERB MUST AGREE
WITH ITS SUBJECT
SingularSubject
PluralVerb
PluralSubject
SingularVerb
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The Stupidity of
English Grammar To make a noun plural, we add-s
- Singular : girl
- Plural : girls
To make a verb plural, we take away -s.
- Singular : he talks- Plural : they talk
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Watch the Verb Endings!
Singular
I walk
You walk
He/She/It walk s
Joe walk s
The girl walk s
Plural
We walk
You walk
They walk
Joe and Maria walk
The girls walk
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Remember the THREE
irregular verbs:
DO
Singular Plural He does They do
HAVE She has They have
BE He is They are
She was They were
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Tip for Subject-Verb
Agreement
Generally, if the subject
doesntend inS, the verbwill.
If the subject doesend in
S, the verb wont.
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The girl dances.
No -s on
subject
-s on
verb
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The girls dance.
-s on
subject
No -s
on verb
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Compound subjects joined
by and If there are two or more subjects
joined by and,the subject must be
plural, so the verb will not get an s.
Example
Theboy and the girldance.
(= Theydance.)
No -s on
verb
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Compound subjects
joined by orIf there are two or more subjects joined
by or, the verb agrees with the part of
the subject closest to it.
Examples:
The professor or the students walkthe halls.The students or the professor walksthe
halls.
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Watch out for
Everybody Everybodylovesgrammar!
Everybodyunderstands subject-verb agreement.
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Possible Pitfalls
Sometimes, several words comebetween the subject and the verb.
The student, though she had lots ofproblems in other schools, f inds /f ind (?)
her new class easy.
The student, though she had lo ts of
prob lems in o ther schools, f indsher newclass easy.
The student f indsher new class easy.
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Possible Pitfalls
Sometimes, the subject will comeafterthe verb, in questions or when
sentence begins with there.ExamplesWhy ishefalling asleep?
Why aretheyfalling asleep?There isno excusefor such behavior.
There areno excusesfor such behavior.
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Possible Pitfalls
Relative Pronouns (who / which/ that)
can be either singular or plural,
depending on the word they refer to.
The student who workshard will succeed.
Thestudentswho workhard will succeed.
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How do I get this right?
First, identify whether or not you have
problems with subject/verb agreement.
If you dont have any problems with this,
dont worry about it!
If you do have problems Identify the verb. Ask who or what is doing it.
This will identify the subject. Say them together and make sure that they match in
terms of number.
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The subject and the verb are theskeleton of every sentence. Make
sure you fit those two importantparts together correctly!
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In the sentences below, do the
subjects & verbs agree?
1.They goes to the gym after class to work out.
2.Harry and his friends wants to see the new
movie coming out this weekend.
3.The cat who is meowing at my door wants in.
4.Neither the cat nor the dogs likes the new
food.
5.The mayor as well as his brothers are going tojail.
6.Nobody wants to dance.
7.The paper or the ruler are in the desk.
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uick TestDirections:In the items that follow, choose
the option that corrects an error in the
underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose
No change is necessary.
Show mewhatyou
know.
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Item 1
In the cabinet is the tools that you will need to
unclog the bathroom sink; I have found that a
plunger and a prayer often do the trick.
A.are
B.has
C.does
D.No change is necessary.
In the cabinet isthe tools that you will need to
A
unclog the bathroom sink; I havefound that a
Bplunger and a prayer often dothe trick.
C
A.are
B.has
C.does
D.No change is necessary.
In the cabinet arethe tools that you will need to
A
unclog the bathroom sink; I havefound that a
Bplunger and a prayer often dothe trick.
C
A.are
B.has
C.does
D.No change is necessary.
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Item 2
Here are the books that Thomas and Darlene
need for their research, and here is the earplugs
that youll require once they both doze off in
boredom and start snoring.
A.is
B.are
C.dozes
D.No change is necessary.
Here arethe books that Thomas and Darlene
A
need for their research, and here isthe earplugs
Bthat youll require once they both dozeoff in
C
boredom and start snoring.
A.is
B.are
C.dozes
D.No change is necessary.
Here arethe books that Thomas and Darlene
A
need for their research, and here arethe earplugs
Bthat youll require once they both dozeoff in
C
boredom and start snoring.
A.is
B.are
C.dozes
D.No change is necessary.
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Item 3
Jasmine and Rodney have decided to double the
number of cupcakes that they are baking since
everyone love moist cake and chocolate frosting.
A.hasB.is
C.loves
D.No change is necessary.
Jasmine and Rodney havedecided to double the
A
number of cupcakes that they arebaking since
Beveryone lovemoist cake and chocolate frosting.
C
A.hasB.is
C.loves
D.No change is necessary.
Jasmine and Rodney havedecided to double the
A
number of cupcakes that they arebaking since
Beveryone lovesmoist cake and chocolate frosting.
C
A.hasB.is
C.loves
D.No change is necessary.
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Item 4
Not only those students but also their professor
look forward to the final exam; everyone has
exciting vacation plans that start next Monday.
A.looksB.have
C.starts
D.No change is necessary.
Not only those students but also their professor
lookforward to the final exam; everyone has
A Bexciting vacation plans that startnext Monday.
C
A.looksB.have
C.starts
D.No change is necessary.
Not only those students but also their professor
looksforward to the final exam; everyone has
A Bexciting vacation plans that startnext Monday.
C
A.looksB.have
C.starts
D.No change is necessary.
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Item 5
At the pet store, each iguana, mouse, and gerbil
try to climb the walls of its glass cage while
humans hover outside like giant predators who are
ready to strike.
A.tries
B.hovers
C.is
D.No change is necessary.
At the pet store, each iguana, mouse, and gerbil
tryto climb the walls of its glass cage while
Ahumans hoveroutside like giant predators who are
B C
ready to strike.
A.tries
B.hovers
C.is
D.No change is necessary.
At the pet store, each iguana, mouse, and gerbil
triesto climb the walls of its glass cage while
Ahumans hoveroutside like giant predators who are
B C
ready to strike.
A.tries
B.hovers
C.is
D.No change is necessary.
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Item 6
Tyrone, as well as his cousins, hope that Grandma
brings her famous brownies and peach pie that
drip with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.
A.hopesB.bring
C.drips
D.No change is necessary.
Tyrone, as well as his cousins, hopethat Grandma
A
bringsher famous brownies and peach pie that
Bdripwith generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.
C
A.hopesB.bring
C.drips
D.No change is necessary.
Tyrone, as well as his cousins, hopesthat Grandma
A
bringsher famous brownies and peach pie that
Bdripwith generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.
C
A.hopesB.bring
C.drips
D.No change is necessary.
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Item 7
Either the dogs or the cat sleep on the bed while
everyone is out; Lorraine always finds an
indentation in the center of her comforter.
A.sleeps
B.are
C.find
D.No change is necessary.
Either the dogs or the cat sleepon the bed while
A
everyone isout; Lorraine always findsan
B Cindentation in the center of her comforter.
A.sleeps
B.are
C.find
D.No change is necessary.
Either the dogs or the cat sleepson the bed while
A
everyone isout; Lorraine always findsan
B Cindentation in the center of her comforter.
A.sleeps
B.are
C.find
D.No change is necessary.
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Item 8
Meryl, together with her friends Beatrice and Laverne,
plans a daily trip for ice cream, for these women
have discovered that the calories is worth seeing
Theo scoop their servings with his muscular arms.
A.plan
B.has
C.are
D.No change is necessary.
Meryl, together with her friends Beatrice and Laverne,
plansa daily trip for ice cream, for these women
A
havediscovered that the calories isworth seeing
B C
Theo scoop their servings with his muscular arms.
A.plan
B.has
C.are
D.No change is necessary.
Meryl, together with her friends Beatrice and Laverne,
plansa daily trip for ice cream, for these women
A
havediscovered that the calories areworth seeing
B C
Theo scoop their servings with his muscular arms.
A.plan
B.has
C.are
D.No change is necessary.
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Item 9
The scissors are sharp, so neither the cousins nor
Timmy is allowed to play with them, even when the
boys needs to finish a school project.
A.isB.are
C.need
D.No change is necessary.
The scissors aresharp, so neither the cousins nor
A
Timmy isallowed to play with them, even when the
Bboys needsto finish a school project.
C
A.isB.are
C.need
D.No change is necessary.
The scissors aresharp, so neither the cousins nor
A
Timmy isallowed to play with them, even when the
Bboys needto finish a school project.
C
A.isB.are
C.need
D.No change is necessary.
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Item 10
Each fork, spoon, and knife are scarred from the
disposal since Drew refuses to check the drain
before he throws the switch.
A.is
B.refuse
C.throw
D.No change is necessary.
Each fork, spoon, and knife arescarred from the
A
disposal since Drew refusesto check the drain
Bbefore he throwsthe switch.
C
A.is
B.refuse
C.throw
D.No change is necessary.
Each fork, spoon, and knife isscarred from the
A
disposal since Drew refusesto check the drain
Bbefore he throwsthe switch.
C
A.is
B.refuse
C.throw
D.No change is necessary.
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The End.
Badkitty!