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VI. Subject/Verb and Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

VI. Subject/Verb and Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement. A. Subject/Verb Agreement. When the Subject is made up of two or more nouns connected by the word “AND”, use a plural verb. Susan and her friends are at the fair.

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VI. Subject/Verb and Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

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  1. VI. Subject/Verb and Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

  2. A. Subject/Verb Agreement • When the Subject is made up of two or more nouns connected by the word “AND”, use a plural verb. • Susanand her friends are at the fair. • When two or more singular nouns are connected by “OR” or “NOR”, use a singular verb. • Neither the book nor the pen is in the drawer. • When a singular and a plural noun are connected by “OR” or “NOR”, the verb should agree with the one CLOSEST to it. • My mom or my aunts call my grandma every day. • My aunts or my mom calls my grandma every day.

  3. Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb. • One of the boxes is open. • The people who listen to Madonna are few. • The teacher, unlike her students, likes grammar. • Tricky singular words: each, each one, neither, everyone, everybody, anyone, anybody, nobody, somebody, someone, no one. They require singular verbs. • Each of these hot dogs is juicy. • Everybody knows Mr. Jones. • Eitheris correct.

  4. Special Cases • Nouns like civics, mathematics, dollars, and newsrequire singular verbs. • Dollars:singular when referring to the amount of money, plural when referring to the dollars themselves. • Nouns like scissorsand trousersrequire plural verbs. • In sentences that begin with “There is…” or “There are…”, the verb agrees with what follows the verb. • There aremany questions. • There is a question.

  5. Collective Nouns: words that imply more than one person but are considered singular and require a singular verb. (group, team, committee, class, family) • The team runs during practice. • The committee decides how to proceed. UNLESS…you are talking about all of the members of the team, faculty, etc…then you use a plural verb. • The team run in their new shoes. • The committee decidehow they will proceed. • Expressions such as “with,” “together with,” “including,” “accompanied by,” ”in addition to,” or “as well” do not change the number of the subject. • The President, accompanied by his wife, is traveling to India. • All of the books, including yours, are in that box.

  6. B. Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement 1. Number a. Singular noun needs a singular pronoun, plural noun needs a plural pronoun • If a student parks in the parking lot, he or she needs a parking permit hanging from his or her mirror. • If studentspark in the parking lot, they need a parking permit hanging in their mirrors. • Tricky words: everybody, anybody, anyone, each, neither, nobody, someone, a person, etc.—are singular

  7. 2. Person • Don’t switch between first, second, and third • When a person comes to class, he or she should have his or her homework ready. • NOT: When a person comes to class, you should have your homework ready. 3. Refer clearly to a specific noun. • Don’t be vague or ambitious • NOT: Although the motorcycle hit the tree, it was not damaged. (Is "it" the motorcycle or the tree?) • NOT: I don't think they should show violence on TV. (Who are "they"?) • NOT: Vacation is coming soon, which is nice. (What is nice, the vacation or the fact that it is coming soon?)

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