Identify, then Fix
- Underline the subject
- If the subject is a noun phrase, reduce the subject down to its proper pronoun so that you can better match it with the verb.
- The amazingly bright Johnny = He
- Johnny and Tom=They
- The sisters and I=We
- My favorite lamp=It
- Circle the verb(s) that the subject 'acts on'
- Ignore every other word in sentence to test for agreement!
- Use chart on 198 for a visual aid/reminder (all regular, or typical, verbs will follow the top chart)
- Pay attention to sentences with multiple subjects
- 'and'= plural
- 'nor' or "'or'=verb must agree with the subject closest it (200)
- Collective nouns (where a group of people is referred to as one unit) such as jury, committee, crowd, and class are to be singular forms unless the idea in the sentence shows the individuals acting separately (see 201-202)
- indefinite pronouns are treated as singular (200)
- Who, which and that=agree with the antecedent
- antecedent sounds like 'ancestor,' and it means: the noun or pronoun that came before which the current one is supposed to refer to...
- A title of a work or company needs a singular verb, even if it sounds plural! (The Chicago Bears is my favorite team.)
- Treat gerund phrases (when -ing verbs are used at start) as singular nouns (Beginning with today...)
- ...and other special cases
Editing Your Essay (Student Volunteer! Then, on our own)
- Read your first two (the intro and first body) paragraphs backwards, diagramming each sentence for its subject (underline) and verb (circle).
- Make sure to reduce any noun-phrases into the appropriate pronoun, as it will help you understand how to agree .
- Make sure to then write the corrections above where you find a lack of agreement. Consult your Rules for Writers for extra help where unsure.
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