GRAMMATICAL SENTENCE â€“ ISSUES:SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

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Journalistic Writing MCM310

LECTURE 15

GRAMMATICAL SENTENCE ISSUES

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT:

G1-a

Make the verb agree with its subject not with a word that comes between.

The tulip in the pot on the balcony needs watering.

High levels of air pollution cause damage to the respiratory tract.

A good set of golf clubs costs about eight hundred dollars.

The governor, as well as his press secretary was shot.

G1-b

Treat most compound subject connected by and as plural.

Leon and Jan often jog together.

Jill's natural ability and here desire to help others have led to a career in the ministry.

With compound subjects connected by or, nor, make the verb agree with the part of the

G1-c

subject nearer to the verb.

A driver's license or credit card is required.

If a relative or neighbour is abusing a child, notify the police.

Neither the real estate agent nor her clients were able to find the house.

G1-d

Treat most indefinite pronouns as singular.

Everyone on the team supports the coach.

Each of the furrows has been seeded.

None of these trades requires a college education.

G1-e

Treat collective nouns as singular unless the meaning is clearly plural.

SINGULAR

The class respects the teacher.

PLURAL

The class are debating among themselves.

The scout troop meets in our basement on Tuesdays.

The young couple were arguing about politics while holding hands. (focus is on their

individualities)

G1-f

Make the verb agree with its subject even when the subject follows the verb.

There are surprisingly few children in our neighbourhood.

There were a social worker and a crew of twenty volunteers.

At the back of the room are a small aquarium and an enormous terrarium.

Journalistic Writing MCM310

G1-g Make the verb agree with its subject not with a subject complement.

· A tent and a sleeping bag is the required equipment.

A major force in toady's economy is women as earners, consumers, and investors.

G1-h

Who, which, and that take verbs that agree with their antecedents.

Take a suit that travels well.

Our ability to use language is one of the things that set us apart from animals.

Dr. Barker knew Frank was the only one of his sons who was responsible enough to handle the

estate.

G1-i

Words such as athletics, economics, mathematics, physics, statistics, measles, and news are

usually singular, despite their plural form.

Statistics is among the most difficult courses in our program.

G1-j

Titles of works and words mentioned as words are singular.

Lost Cities describes the discoveries of many ancient civilizations.

Controlled substance is a euphemism for illegal drugs.

PROBLEMS OF PRONOUNS:

G3-a

Make pronouns and antecedents agree.

SINGULAR

The doctor finished her rounds.

PLURAL

The doctors finished their rounds.

When someone has been drinking, he/she is more likely to speed.

Generic Nouns

Every runner must train rigorously if her or she wants [not they want] to excel.

A medical student must study hard if he/she wants to succeed.

Compound antecedents

Treat compound antecedents jointed by `and' as plural.

Joanne and John moved to the mountains, where they build a log cabin.

Either Aroma or Viola should receive first prize for his sculpture.

G3-b

Make pronoun references clear.

Ambiguous references

Ambiguous reference occurs when the pronoun could refer to two possible antecedents.

When Gloria set the pitcher on the glass-topped table, it broke. (What broke?)

Tom told James, that he had won the lottery. (Who won?)

Journalistic Writing MCM310

G1-c Use personal pronouns in the proper case.

Subjective case (I, we, you, he, she, it, they)

Sandra confessed that the artist was she.

Objective case (me, us, you, him, her, it, them)

Bruce found Tony and brought him home.

Alice gave me a surprise party.

Jessica wondered if the call was for her.

Joel ran away from home because his stepfather and he (him) had quarrelled.

Geoffrey went with my family and me (not I) to King's Dominion.

Appositives

At the drama festival, two actors, Christina and I (not me), were selected to do the last scene of

King Lear.

The reporter interviewed only two witnesses, the shopkeeper and me (not I).

We or us before a noun

We (not us) tenants would rather fight than move.

Comparisons with, than or as

My husband is six years older than I (not me).

We respected no other candidate as much as her (not she).

Subjects of infinitives

We expected Chris and him (not he) to win the doubles championship

Possessive case to modify a gerund

My father and mother always tolerated our (not us) talking after the lights were out.

G3-d

Use who and whom in the proper case.

In subordinate clauses

He tells that story to whoever (not whomever) will listen.

You will work with our senior engineers, whom (not who) you will meet later.

In questions

· Who (not whom) is responsible for this dastardly deed?

Whom (not who) did the committee select?

Source: Hacker, Dianna. `A Writer's Reference' Boston: St. Martin's Press. 1992.

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