Common Grammatical Errors

1
Common Grammatical Errors

• Lets all agree to agree, shall we?

2
Subject-Verb Agreement (pg 578)

• One of the most common types of subject-verb
  disagreement has to do with the nouns
  numberwhether the noun is singular or plural.
  For example
• The student loves grammar.
• The students love grammar.
• You wouldnt SAY The students loves grammar.
  This is the sort of mistake people make when
  theyre in a hurry. PROOFREAD.

3
Intervening Phrases and Clauses

• When an extra phrase is between the subject and
  verb, the verb will still agree with the main
  subject. For example
• The homework assignment copied by my friends was
  wrong.
• The verb is was. The noun closest to that verb
  is pluralbut friends is not the subject of the
  sentence. Assignment is the subjectand its
  singular.

4
Find a partner!

• Turn to Exercise 1 on page 580. Identify the
  correct verbs for these ten sentences.
• You have three minutes.
• GO!

5
Indefinite Pronouns (pg 581)

• Some indefinite pronouns (everyone, one,
  somebody, neither, etc.) are always singular.
• Some pronouns (both, few, many, etc.) are plural.
• Some can be either. Once again, it depends on how
  theyre used. (Are you sensing a theme here?)

6
Indefinite Pronouns, cont.

• To see if an indefinite pronoun like all, none,
  or most is singular or plural, look at the
  antecedent.
• All of the papers received As.
• All refers to papers, which is plural.
• Most of the work is done.
• Most refers to work, which is singular.

7
Compound Subjects

• A compound subject is two or more subjects that
  are joined by a conjunction and have the same
  verb.
• If the conjunction combines the ideas, the verb
  usually becomes plural.
• Nathan and Zach are having Reeses Pieces
  Blizzards.
• Because Nathan and Zach are added together by
  and, the verb is plural.

8
Compound Subjects, cont.

• Single subjects joined by or or nor take a
  singular verb, because they are still distinct
  from each other and not functioning as a unit.
• Neither Jenny nor Meghan is likely to blow off
  her homework.
• Nor leaves Jenny and Meghan as separate
  individuals, so they are SINGULAR.

9
More Compound Subjects!

• When the compound subject using or or nor
  mixes a singular with a plural, the verb agrees
  with the noun closest to it.
• Neither Mrs. Gillespie nor her yearbook classes
  plan to order Chinese food.
• If it the word order switches, so does the verb.
• Neither her yearbook classes nor Mrs. Gillespie
  plans to order Chinese food.

10
Partner up!

• Review A on page 153 asks you to evaluate the
  subject-verb agreement of ten sentences. If the
  verb doesnt agree, write down the correct verb
  on your paper.
• Hint only ONE sentence is correct.
• You have three minutes.
• GO!

11
Special Circumstances

• Inverted syntax We are used to the subject
  coming before the verb. When it comes after the
  verb, you still have to check for agreement.
• Wheres the coats?
• NOOOOOO!!!!!! Coats are plural.
• Where are the coats?

12
More Special Circumstances

• Collective nouns Look at the sentence. If the
  sentence is referring to the group a whole, its
  singular. If its referring to the group in terms
  of the individuals, then its plural.
• An enthusiastic audience is the best kind.
• The audience are taking their seats.

13
Still More Special Circumstances

• Number, fraction, and amount nouns Once again,
  look at how its used. If its a single unit,
  its singular. If theyre discrete parts, its
  plural.
• Five pages is a long assignment!
• Five pages are required for your essay.
• In the first sentence, assignment makes the
  five pages one unit. In the second, they are
  individual little measures of torment.

14
Partners!

• Exercise 3 on page 586 asks you to first identify
  the subject of the verb in parentheses and then
  choose the verb that agrees with the number of
  the subject.
• GO!

15
Antecedent-Pronoun Agreement

• A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in
• Number (singular or plural)
• Gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter)
• Person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd)

16
Compound Antecedents

• If the antecedent is joined by and, the pronoun
  will be plural.
• John and Chris washed their jerseys after
  practice.
• If the antecedent is joined by or or nor, the
  pronoun will be singular.
• Neither John nor Chris washed his jersey after
  practice.
• Does this sound familiar? It should

17
Partners Again!

• Exercise 5 on page 596 asks you to choose the
  correct pronoun to match these antecedents.
• GO!

18
Special Circumstances

• apply to pronouns in EXACTLY the same way that
  they apply to verbs! Youve already learned this!
  Lets review
• Collectives can be singular or plural
• Plural nouns functioning as a unit take singular
  pronouns, but if the sections are being
  considered individually, a plural pronoun is
  used.
• Dont worry. We have examples.

19

• An enthusiastic audience is the best kind. It
  really helps the performers to do their best.
• The audience are turning their cell phones and
  pagers completely off before the show.
• Five pages is a long assignment! Im not sure
  Ill be able to do that!
• Five pages are required for my essay. I have no
  idea how Im going to fill them!

20
This ones on your own

• Review E on page 600 asks you to write sentences
  with specific guidelines. Make sure to keep
  everything in agreement!
• Good luck!
• GO!