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Exercise 11: Subject-Verb Agreement

Choose the correct form of the verb in the following sentences.

 



1. Neither Bill nor Mary (is/are) going to the play tonight.

2. Anything (is/are) better than going to another movie tonight.

3. Skating (is/are) becoming more popular every day.

4. A number of reporters (was/were) at the conference yesterday.

5. Everybody who (has/have) a fever must go home immediately.

6. Your glasses (was/were) on the bureau last night.

7. There (was/were) some people at the meeting last night.

8. The committee (has/have) already reached a decision.

9. A pair of jeans (was/were) in the washing machine this morning.

10. Each student (has/have) answered the first three questions.

11. Either John or his wife (make/makes) breakfast each morning.

12. After she had perused the material, the secretary decided that every­thing (was/were) in order.

13. The crowd at the basketball game (was/were) wild with excitement.

14. A pack of wild dogs (has/have) frightened all the ducks away.

15. The jury (is/are) trying to reach a decision.

16. The army (has/have) eliminated this section of the training test.

17. The number of students who have withdrawn from class this quarter (is/are) appalling.

18. There (has/have) been too many interruptions in this class.

19. Every elementary school teacher (has/have) to take this examination.

20. Neither Jill nor her parents (has/have) seen this movie before.

 



7. Pronouns

There are five forms of pronouns in English: subject pronouns, comple­ment pronouns (object pronouns), possessive pronouns, possessive adjectives, and reflexive pronouns.

 



Subject pronouns: Subject pronouns occur in the subject position of a sentence or after the verb be. Study the following list of subject pronouns.

I we
you you he
she they
it

We have lived here for twenty years.

It was she who called you. (after the verb be)

She and I have seen this movie before.

George and I would like to leave now.

We students are going to have a party.

 



Note: We, you, and us can be followed directly by a noun. In the above sentence we students makes it more clear exactly who we refers to.

 



Complement pronouns: Complement pronouns occur in complement posi­tion or after prepositions unless the preposition introduces a new clause. Study the following list.

me us
you you
him  
her them
it  

Note:You and it are the same for subject or complement position. The others are different.

They called us on the telephone.

The teacher gave him a bad grade.

John told her a story.

The policeman was looking for him.

To us, it seems like a good bargain.

Mary is going to class with me.

 



However, remember that if the preposition introduces a new clause, the pronoun will be subject form because it is actually in the subject position of the second clause.

We will leave after he comes.

 



Possessive adjectives: Possessive adjectives are not the same as possessive pronouns. These simply modify, rather than replace, nouns; possessive pronouns replace nouns. Possessive forms indicate ownership. Study the following adjectives. Note:Possessive adjectives are used to refer to parts of a body.

my our
your his your
her their
its  

 

John is eating his dinner.

This is not my book.

The cat has injured its foot.

The boy broke his arm yesterday.

She forgot her homework this morning.

My food is cold.

 



Note: Its is not the same as It's. It's means it is.

 



Possessive pronouns: These pronouns cannot precede a noun. They are pronouns and thus replace the noun. The noun is understood from the context and is not repeated. Study the following pronouns.

Note: mine = my + noun; for example, my book

yours = your + noun; for example, your pen

hers - her + noun; for example, her dress

mine ours
yours yours
his  
hers theirs
its  

 

Note:His and its are the same whether they precede a noun or not.

 



Examples of possessive pronouns:

This is my book. - This is mine.

Your teacher is the same as his teacher. - Yours is the same as his.

Her dress is green and my dress is red. - Hers is green and mine is red.

Our books are heavy. - Ours are heavy.

Their coats are too small. - Theirs are too small.

I forgot my homework. - I forgot mine.

 



Reflexive pronouns: These pronouns usually follow the verb and indicate that the subject is both giving and receiving the action. Study the following list.

myself ourselves
yourself yourselves
himself  
herself themselves
itself  

Note: In the plural, the self changes to selves.

Note: Most forms are made by adding the suffix to the possessive adjective; however, himself, itself and themselves are made by ad­ding the suffix to the complement form. The forms hisself and theirselves are always incorrect.

Note: John bought him a new car. (him - another person)

John bought himself a new car. (himself - John)

 



Examples of reflexive pronouns:

I washed myself.

He sent the letter to himself.

She served herself in the cafeteria.

We hurt ourselves playing football.

They were talking among themselves.

You can see the difference for yourselves.

 



Reflexive pronouns can also be used for emphasis. This means that the subject did the action alone. In this case, it normally follows the subject.

I myself believe that the proposal is good.

He himself set out to break the long distance flying record.

She herself prepared the nine-course meal.

The students themselves decorated the room.

You yourself must do this homework.

John himself bought these gifts.

 



Note: by + reflexive pronoun can also mean alone.

John washed the dishes by himself - John washed the dishes alone.

 




Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1606


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