Subjectverb Agreement and Sentence Fragments

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Subject-verb Agreement and Sentence Fragments

• Do subjects and verbs have to agree? After all,
  they are only words!

We agree
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Whats wrong with these sentences?

• There is too many pictures on the wall.
• Or this one?
• Everybody but Julio want to go home.
• Or this one?
• All the people wants to win the lottery.

The subjects and verbs dont agree!
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How do we fix them?

• There are too many pictures on the wall.
• A plural subject goes with a plural verb.
• Everybody but Julio wants to go home.
• A singular subject goes with a singular verb.
• All the people plans to win the lottery.
• A plural subject goes with a plural verb.
• Now the subjects and verbs agree!

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To be correct, subjects and verbs must agree

• They must agree in NUMBER
• Singular subjects go with singular verbs.
• Everyone wants to win the lottery.
• Plural subjects go with plural verbs.
• All the players want to win the game.
• Number is always about Singular Plural

Verb
Subject
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What causes problems with S/V agreement?

• Words between the subject and the verb
• The shoes in the closet needs to be shined.
• In the closet is a prepositional phrase between
  the subject shoes and the verb need.
• To be correct, the verb should be need with no
  s
• The shoes in the closet need to be shined.
• Common Prepositions

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Verb before the subject

• Inside the garage are the shovel.
• Across the border is Reynosa and Progresso.
• Where is the instructions for the X-Box?

Shouldnt they be?

• Inside the garage is the shovel.
• Across the border are Reynosa and Progresso.
• Where are the instructions for the X-Box?

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Indefinite Pronouns
Nobody have a clue about what they are doing.
(should be has) Everything are ready for the
party. (should be is) Neither Fred, nor Ed, nor
Ted know the way. (should be knows)
All of them wants to go. (should be want)
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Compound Subjects

• Subjects joined by and usually take a plural
  verb.
• Diet and exercise is ways to be healthy. (should
  be are)
• Ambition and luck was Juans keys to success.
  (should be were)

Who, Which and That
If they stand for singular words, who, which and
that take singular verbs Rebecca is a person who
are very private. (should be is) If they stand
for plural words, who, which and that take plural
verbs Joel is one of those people who is very
private. (should be are)
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General Rules for checking subject / verb
agreement

• When you are trying to see if the subject and
  verb agree, leave out the part you dont need
• Everyone in the contest want to win.
• Everyone want to win. wrong! should be wants
• Now put the part back
• Everyone in the contest wants to win.
• Say the sentence to yourself out loud, if it
  doesnt sound right, there is a very good chance
  it is not right.

Correct Information
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Sentence Fragments
Prepared by Professors Paul Harris Rita
Perkins
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Sentence Fragments

• A sentence fragment is a group of words that is
  punctuated as a sentence but is not grammatically
  correct.
• A sentence fragment may lack a subject, a verb,
  or an independent clause.
• The wind velocity in hurricanes and monsoons.
• The winds raging in hurricanes and
  monsoons.

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Checking for Sentence Fragments

• Locate the subject.
• Locate the verb.
• Inspires many poets and song writers. (This lacks
  a subject.)
• The pleasant weather of May. (This lacks a verb.)

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Phrases Lack a Subject or Verb

• Verb phrase
• To take advantage of sunlight in photography.
• Prepositional phrase
• Within the eye of the hurricane.

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Phrases Lack a Subject or Verb

• Noun phrase
• Various theories for weather forecasting.
• Appositive phrase
• One popular weather topic, el Nino.

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Look for Subordinate Conjunctions

• A clause that begins with a subordinator (or
  dependent word) is a dependent clause.
• These examples are not independent clauses.
• If a tornado sweeps across the plains.
• Because snow is beautiful in the moonlight.

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Checking for Sentence Fragments

• Look for relative pronouns.
• Relative pronouns introduce clauses that modify
  nouns or pronouns (who, which, that).
• The instructor who argued against class
  cancellations for snow.
• RevisedThe instructor who argued against class
  cancellations for snow was very unrealistic.

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Relative Clause Fragments

• Although relative clause fragments have both a
  subject and a verb, they cannot stand alone.
• Bob who intends to buy a small tractor and a
  plow.
• Revised Bob, who intends to buy a small tractor
  and a plow, thinks he will earn money removing
  snow this winter.

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Correcting Sentence Fragments

• Combine the fragment with the sentence that
  precedes it or with the sentence that follows it.
• Dramatic weather conditions do not always cause
  disasters. But at times create beautiful
  situations as well.
• Correction Dramatic weather conditions do not
  always cause disasters but at times create
  beautiful situations.

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Revise Compound Predicate Fragments

• The jet stream can pull cold air down from
  Canada. Or bring warm air up from Mexico.
• The jet stream can pull cold air down from Canada
  or bring warm air up from Mexico.

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Correct Dependent Clause Fragments

• Dependent clause fragments begin with a
  subordinating conjunction (because, since,
  before).
• Although air traffic controllers regulate flight
  patterns.
• Corrected Although air traffic controllers
  regulate traffic patterns, they cannot control
  the weather.

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• Be aware of situations that can lead to sentence
  fragments.
• Examine a sentence that begins with a
  subordinating word.
• Because hail fell on the peach blossoms.
• Carefully select transitional words or phrases
  which introduce examples or a list.
• For example, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

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Sentence Fragments
Decide whether each sentence group is a correct
sentence or if it is a sentence fragment.
Fragment
My Aunt Marie being a good cook.
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Sentence Fragments
Decide whether each sentence group is a correct
sentence or if it is a sentence fragment.
Correct
She can spend hours reading a cook book.
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Sentence Fragments
Decide whether each sentence group is a correct
sentence or if it is a sentence fragment.
Although she says that she doesnt like to read.
Fragment
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Sentence Fragments
Decide whether each sentence group is a correct
sentence or if it is a sentence fragment.
Special desserts such as pecan pies, chocolate
cheesecakes, and pumpkin cake roll.
Fragment
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Sentence Fragments
Decide whether each sentence group is a correct
sentence or if it is a sentence fragment.
Aunt Maries desserts are not for those who are
watching their diet.
Correct
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Sentence Fragments
Decide whether each sentence group is a correct
sentence or if it is a sentence fragment.
Filled with cream and sugar, these delicacies
contain hundreds of calories.
Correct
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Sentence Fragments
Decide whether each sentence group is a correct
sentence or if it is a sentence fragment.
It often seems that any food item that
tastes good is fattening.
Correct
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Sentence Fragments
Decide whether each sentence group is a correct
sentence or if it is a sentence fragment.
For example, ice cream and chocolate cake.
Fragment
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Review of S-V Misfits and Fragments

• When the subject doesnt match the verb, it is a
  subject-verb mismatch.
• Each runner in the races are trying to win.
• Ryan and Tabby likes to eat chocolate cake.
• When the sentence is incomplete, it is called a
  sentence fragment.
• Is a good time to prepare for the final exam.
• Being in the right place at the right time.
• The End