Grammar Basics: Part 2

1. Subject/Verb Agreement/Tricky Words Grammar Basics: Part 2

2. Make sure the subject agrees with the verb • The girl[singular subject] reads [singular verb] mystery stories. • The girls [plural subject] read [plural verb] mystery stories. • Tonya[singular subject] is [singular verb] asleep. • Tonya and her friends [plural subject] are [plural verb].

3. Don’t be confused by plural words that come after the verb. • Wrong: My biggest problemare the many incomplete homework assignments I need to finish. • Right: My biggest problem [singular subject] is[singular verb] the many incomplete homework assignments I need to finish.

4. Don’t be confused by plural words that come between a singular subject and verb • Wrong: The topic of these four books are horses. • Right: The topic[singular subject] of these four books is[singular verb] horses. • Wrong: Each of the bikeshave new tires. • Right: Each[singular subject] of the bikes has[singular verb] new tires.

5. Don’t be confused by subjects that come at the end of the sentence. • Wrong: Standing at the back of the room was my parents. • Helpful tip: Switch sentence around: My parents werestanding at the back of the room. • Right: Standing at the back of the room were[plural verb] my parents[plural subject]. • Wrong: At the end of most of our team’s games come victory’s sweetness. • Right: At the end of most of our team’s games comes[singular verb] victory’s sweetness[singular subject].

6. Don’t be confused by phrases such as along with, together with, accompanied by, as well as, including, and in addition to. • Wrong:Tenita, as well as Ping, play basketball well. • Right:Tenita[singular subject], as well as Ping, plays[singular verb] basketball well. • Wrong: Broccoli, in addition to squash and all other vegetables, are good for you. • Right:Broccoli, [singular subject], in addition to squash and all other vegetables, is[singular verb] good for you.

7. Collective Nouns: Amounts and Numbers • A collective noun denotes a group of something: a family, herd, team, majority, etc. Even though the noun suggests more than one person it can be singular or plural depending on how it is used in the sentence. • This class [singular subject] is [singular verb] in session. (The class is referring to the whole, so it is a singular unit .) • The class [plural subject] are [plural subject] taking their test. (The class, in this context, refers to each individual taking their test and is plural.) • Wrong: The juryare returning with their decision. (Juries always operate as a whole when they make decisions.) • Right: The jury [singular subject] is [singular verb] returning with its decision.

8. Numbers • Ten dollars [singular subject] is [singular verb] the entry fee. (Ten dollars is considered one amount of money). • Six months [singular subject] is[singular verb] needed to complete the assignment. (Six months, in this sentence, is considered one unit of time). • Ten dollars [plural subject] were[plural verb] tucked under my bed. (Each individual bill is counted as the subject making it a plural subject.) • Six months [plural subject] have [plural verb] passed since the assignment. ( In this context, six months is considered six individual months).

9. Everybody, Anybody and Everybody • Wrong: Every one of the members of both basketball teams are here. • Right: Every one [singular subject] of the members of both basketball teams is[singular verb] here. • Even though these words represent plural subjects, they are grammatically singular.

10. Tricky Words: Effect/Affect • Effect as a noun=the result or outcome of something. • If you don’t wear your bicycle helmet, the effect could be very bad. • Effect as a verb=to cause or to bring something into being. • The teacher tried to effecta change in the students’ study.

11. Affect • Affect as a noun: emotions (a very rarely used word except by psychologists) • The child’s affect was very disturbed after she saw the scary movie. • Affect as a verb: to influence something • The movie didn’t affect me as much as it did my little sister.

12. When to use effect… • If it’s a noun you need, always choose effect (unless you’re a psychologist talking about emotions). • Scary movies have a bad effect on many kids. • My apology didn’t have the effect I thought it would have.

13. When to use affect… • If it’s a verb you need, affect is the right choice 90 percent of the time. • To be sure, substitute the words cause and influence, and see which is better. • Affect=Influence Effect=Cause • Right: Too much rainy weather affects [influences] my mood; it makes me grumpy. • Right: Too much rainy weather from the hurricane effected [caused] flooding and beach erosion.

14. Other Tricky Words… • All right or Alright? A lot and alot? • Alrightis not a word. You may see it a lot, but it does not exist. Alot is also not a word. • Wrong: It is not alrightto write this way. • Right: It is all right to write this way. • Wrong: This is a goof that students make alot. • Right: This is a goof that students make a lot.

15. References • Elliot, R. (2006). Painless Grammar. New York: Barron’s.