TEAS Tutoring: English 3
If you are answering a question that is asking you to identify the subject and verb: What is the rule for sentences with "as well as"?
"As well as" does NOT impact the verb used 1. ALWAYS Get rid of the "as well as" part of the sentence -You can completely disregard "as well as"
A collective noun ALWAYS gets replaced with the word ______ as long as the group is operating as a unit
"It" and use is the plural verb that complements it
If part of the group disagrees, or there are differences within the group, the members must be separated as there is now more than one group... replace the group with the word _________
"They" -They are no longer an entire group, there are multiple groups now
What should we *ALWAYS scan for* when reading a sentence based on subject-verb agreement?
1. "As well as" 2. "and" 3. "or" / "Nor" 4. Quantity/Quantification words 5. Plural quantitative words 6. Group or collective nouns
Important to remember: you cannot have a sentence with multiple subjects without the word "and"...... so words combining subjects (ex: with) is a lot like saying "as well as" and is a distraction. 1. What is the Distraction phrase? 2. What is the subject? Example: The lady with her dogs walks every morning.
1. with her dogs 2. The lady
2) Which of the following sentences contains an example of correct subject-verb agreement? a) My sister or my brother is picking me up from school today. b) Neither my mom nor I are attending the concert. c) Mary and Tom is arriving around 5 o'clock this evening. d) Each of the girls play the piano well.
A
4) Which of the following sentences has correct subject-verb agreement? a) When the cafeteria serves lime gelatin for lunch, each of the children asks for more. b) As the car lurches forward, every one of the passengers brace for impact. c) Because the bus broke down on the way, the group of swimmers are late to the meet. d) The family of four miss the flight because there was not enough parking at the airport.
A
5) I hope that the choir in the front row sits down soon; I cannot see the concert because ______ blocking my view. a) It is b) They are c) Their d) Its
A (Its is possessive and "the choir" does not posses the front row)
What is the correct subject verb agreement? The committee cannot agree/agrees upon the vote
Agree -Replace the committee with they
Where will you find quantification words?
Almost always in the beginning of a sentence
What is a collective noun?
Any noun that automatically refers to a group or people or things that is closely related to it and is a unit (so it takes a singular verb)
Which verb is correct: These scissors is/are dull
Are
Which verb is correct: Those trousers is/are made of wool
Are
3) Which of the following sentences provides an example of correct subject-verb agreement? a) The group of children are ecstatic that Santa is coming to visit. b) The family, after hearing the weather report, agree to postpone the trip. c) The committee, upon reviewing the budget, votes to increase sales tax. d) The couple decide to leave the restaurant after waiting more than an hour to be seated.
C
Dollars are often used instead of rubles in Russia
Correct: "Dollars" means multiple things (pleural)
Five dollars is a lot of money
Correct: "Five dollars" is one quantity
Six dollars is enough
Correct: "Six dollars" is one quantity
The news is on at six
Correct: "The news" is singular, its one thing, -there is no such thing as the new
My mathematics class is at seven
Correct: "mathematics class" is singular, its one thing -there is no such thing as a mathematic class
1) Which of the following sentences contains a correct example of subject-verb agreement? a) One of the children are hungry. b) The coach, as well as her team, are nervous about the game. c) Either of the options are correct. d) The lady with her dogs walks every morning.
D
What are some examples of collective nouns?
Family Group Team Class Committee Choir Couple Bouquet Crew
Which is the correct verb? Every one of the fraternity members had/has his own set of prejudices
Has QW: Every - she
Which is the correct verb? Everyone in the fraternity has/had his own set of prejudices
Has QW: Everyone = she
If you have a singular subject, in order to help determine the proper verb usage, you can interchange it with?
He, She, or It
If there is a quantification word, we can regard the subject as ______________ in order to decide the verb usage
He, she, it *Causes the subject to be singular
*What is the rule for sentences with "Or"/ "Nor"?* Either or Neither nor
If there is a "Nor" / "Or" the verb agrees with the nearest subject to it!!! -Will have at least 2 subjects in these sentences -Find your verb first, then find closest subject & disregard the other subject
What is the correct subject verb agreement? The crew is/are preparing to dock the ship
Is -Replace the crew with "It"
Which is the correct verb? Each of these hotdogs are/is juicy
Is QW: Each - she
Which is the correct verb? Either Are/is correct
Is QW: Either - she
What is the correct subject verb agreement? A thousand bushels is/are a good yield
Is -Replace A thousand bushels with "It" -Regarded as a unit, a yield
What is the correct subject verb agreement? The committee agree/agrees upon the vote
It Agrees -Replace the committee with it
What is the correct subject verb agreement? The committee disagree/disagrees with the council
It Disagrees -Replace the committee with "It" -Committee regarded as a unit
What is the rule for sentences with "and"?
It will NEVER get disregarded, and will ALWAYS compiles subjects together & turns it into "They"
*What is the contraction form of the word it?*
It's - meaning it is
*What is the possessive form of the word it?*
Its
Phrases with "as well as" are often surrounded by commas, which means?
Its extraneous and can be completely removed!! ***Also means you cannot pick your subject or verb from that phrase/section!!
Which is the correct verb? Everybody know/knows Mr. Jones
Knows QW: Everybody - she
What is the correct subject verb agreement? A bouquet of yellow roses lend/lends color and fragrance to a room
Lends -Replace a bouquet of yellow roses with "It"
Which is the correct verb? Neither likes/like the friends of the other
Likes QW: Neither = she
Do phrases between the subject and verb change anything?
NO -Do not allow other phrases in between the subject and the verb to change the verb
Which words are used to mean "both" and how do they affect the verb?
None any all both more most some Love verb agrees with They/plural
Nouns like scissors, tweezers, trousers, and shears require __________ verbs
Plural verbs -because there's two parts to them
What is the rule for quantification words?
Quantitive words overrides what subject says and cause the verb to behave like he/she
Nouns that always exist in a plural form use ___________ verbs
Singular verbs
In most sentences, the verb is something we're not used to such as?
Something that is a state of being or a state of existence vs. a verb like run: go goes is have has was feel
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? The book, including all of the chapters in the first section, is boring.
Subject: Book Verb: is *Distraction* = "including all of the chapters in the first section" - remove it
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? All of the books, including yours, are in that box.
Subject: Books Verb: are *Distraction* = "including yours" remove it
What is the subject and the verb? Neither Juan nor Cameron is available
Subject: Cameron Verb: is
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? The team captain, as well as his players, is anxious
Subject: Captain Verb: is *Erase: as well as his players -Team captain is singular
What is the subject and the verb? Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations
Subject: Casey Verb: is
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? The chicken, as well as the turkey, was convinced they could fly if they tried hard enough
Subject: Chicken Verb: Was *Erase: as well as the turkey Chicken is singular
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? The coach, as well as his team, is nervous about the game
Subject: Coach Verb: is *Erase: as well as his team -Coach is singular
What is the subject and the verb? Bert or Ernie has to call Elmo ASAP
Subject: Ernie Verb: has
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? Gorge, as well as his children, is coming to the party
Subject: George Verb: is *Erase: as well as his children -George is singular
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? George and his children are coming to the party.
Subject: George and his children (They) Verb: are
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? One of the boxes is open.
Subject: One Verb: is *Distraction* = "Of the boxes" - remove it *One is a quantification word
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? The people who listen to that music are few.
Subject: People Verb: are *Distraction* = "who listen to that music" - remove it
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? The president, accompanied by his wife, is traveling to India
Subject: President Verb: is *Distraction* = "accompanied by his wife" - remove it
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? The chicken and the turkey were convinced they could fly if they tried hard enough.
Subject: The chicken and the turkey (They) Verb: were
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? The coach and his team are nervous about the game.
Subject: The coach and his team (They) Verb: are
What is the subject and verb in the sentence below? The woman with all the dogs walks down the street
Subject: Woman Verb: walks *Distraction* = "with all the dogs" - remove it
What is the subject and the verb? Neither his gossiping guppies nor his chastising chicken is worth the wait
Subject: chastising chicken Verb: is
What is the subject and the verb? My aunt or my cousins are arriving by train today
Subject: cousins Verb: are
What is the subject and the verb? Neither his chastising chicken, nor his gossiping guppies are worth the wait
Subject: gossiping guppies Verb: are
What is the subject and the verb? The boy or his friends run every day
Subject: his friends Verb: run
What is the subject and the verb? My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today
Subject: my uncle Verb: is
What is the subject and the verb? Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf
Subject: plates Verb: go
What is the subject and the verb? His friends or the boy runs every day
Subject: the boy Verb: runs
What is the subject and the verb? Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf
Subject; serving bowl Verb: goes
Which is the correct verb? Each of the rowers take/takes her turn at rowing
Takes QW: Each - she
Which is the correct verb? Each takes/take her turn at rowing
Takes QW: Each = she
What are some examples of nouns that always exist in a plural form?
The news Mathematics class Six dollars Dollars
Im order to make a decision about a SV agreement, what must you identify within a sentence?
The subject and the Verb
What is the rule if one subject is singular and one is plural?
The verb modifies the nearest subject
If you have a pleural subject, in order to help determine the proper verb usage, you can interchange it with?
They
The use of the word "and" compiles subjects together, meaning you can think of them as _________.
They *causes subjects to compound, taking plural verb
What is the correct subject verb agreement? The committee disagree/disagrees on the vote
They Disagree -replace the committee with "members/they" -discord in votes causes committee to be regarded as individuals
What is the correct subject verb agreement? The family have/has met their various obligations
They Have -Replace the family with "members/they" -"Various" causes us to regarding each individually
What do quantification words do?
They cause us to kind of ignore the actual subject.... Because *a quantity overrides the subject on how we use the verb-in terms of SV agreement*
What is the correct verb usage? Some of the dollar was/were spent
Verb: *Some = was *Dollar is singular
What is the correct verb usage? Some of the dollars was/were spent
Verb: were *Dollars is pleural
What is the correct subject verb agreement? A thousand bushels was/were created
Were -Replace A thousand bushels with "members/they" -Regarded separately, used as quantity, therefore as multiple
What is the correct subject verb agreement? Neither the television nor the radios work/works
Work
What is the correct subject verb agreement? Neither the radios nor the television work/works
Works
What words are quantification words? *Memorize all*
each either neither another anyone anything someone somebody something one everyone everybody everything no one nobody nothing
If there is discord within a group of collective nouns, it helps to replace the (group, family, committee, etc) with the word ___________ to test the verb use
members
Pleural subjects like scissors, tweezers, trousers, and shears are pleural words, and therefore, we need to use a __________ verb/s
pleural
None, All, or Both will cause a __________ usage
pleural usage; They
