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CHAPTER 7
164
Diagnostic Test: What Do You Know?
Choose the letter of the best revision for each underlined group of words.
S-V AGREEMENT
B. Most of us immediately is D. Correct as is
thinking 5. A. A team were not
C. Most of us will immediately B. A team is not
thinks C. A team cannot
D. Correct as is D. Correct as is
2. A. Five basketball players is 6. A. Either animals or humans
making up one kind of team. is making
B. Five basketball players B. Either animals or humans
make up one kind of team. does make
C. Five basketball players has C. Either animals or humans
made up one kind of team. make
D. Correct as is D. Correct as is
3. A. Orchestras and rock bands 7. A. Many people was working
has to use B. Many people has worked
B. Orchestras and rock bands C. Many people work
use D. Correct as is
C. Orchestras and rock bands
used 8. A. Doesnt teams all unites
D. Correct as is B. Dont teams all unite
C. Dont teams all unites
4. A. At an accident scene is D. Correct as is
paramedics
B. At an accident scene has
been paramedics
Verb Phrases
In a verb phrase, it is the first helping verb that agrees
with the subject. A verb phrase is made up of a main verb
and one or more helping verbs.
AGREE
Miles Davis has led groups in performance.
SINGULAR VERB
AGREE
His music is becoming legendary.
AGREE
Even the soloists are playing with a musical team.
S-V AGREEMENT
pronouns I and you.
My mom doesnt
like our band.
SINGULAR VERB:
does+not=doesnt
My friends dont
I dont play alone often.
understand why.
PLURAL VERB: do+not=dont
DRAFT REVISION
Our band is always Our band is always
arguing. The guitar player arguing. The guitar players
wants to break up. want to break up.
S-V AGREEMENT
or nor, the verb should agree with the part closest to it.
REES
AG
A professional or volunteers serve on emergency teams.
REES
AG
Volunteers or a professional serves on emergency teams.
When you revise your writing, you may decide to change the
order of compound subjects to make a sentence sound more
natural. If the subjects are joined by or or nor, make sure that
the verb agrees with the new order.
Traffic problems or bad weather interferes with rescue
operations.
Bad weather or traffic problems interfere with rescue
operations.
important service.
9. Sometimes fatally injured victims or dead bodies is
recovered from the rising waters.
10. But these brave men and women has also saved many
lives.
For a SELF-CHECK and more practice, see the EXERCISE BANK, p. 286.
:00 P.M.
ca ll , Oct. 15, 3
Distress the
len into
d a wo ma n has fal ka ya ks or
A man an er . Ei th er two
on Riv n Brady a
nd
Big Thomps m is sing. Susa scue.
a r e ng th e re
one kayak o or di na ti
nez is c xpected.
Juan Marti m s o r fog are e
s to r
Heavy rain
S-V AGREEMENT
PLURAL SUBJECT
Members of the Russian and
American space programs
pose together aboard Mir.
PLURAL VERB
3 Practice and Apply
CHAPTER 7
Teamwork in Space
1. The benefits from a space program (is, are) unpredictable.
2. Tension between the Soviet Union and the United States
(was, were) a major reason for Mirs construction.
3. However, the result of this experiment (is, are) greater
cooperation among nations.
4. The abandonment of Mir (has, have) become necessary
due to mechanical problems.
5. Scientists and engineers from many nations (is, are)
building Mirs replacement.
6. Space buffs throughout the world eagerly (awaits, await)
its completion.
7. Labs within space stations (provides, provide) great
places for science experiments.
8. The astronauts aboard a space station (depends,
depend) heavily on their support team back home.
9. A ground crew at the mission control center (oversees,
oversee) every mission.
10. Together, government agencies and private companies
(makes, make) space flight possible.
For a SELF-CHECK and more practice, see the EXERCISE BANK, p. 286.
Indefinite Pronouns
Singular another anybody anyone
anything each either
everybody everyone everything
neither nobody no one
S-V AGREEMENT
nothing one somebody
someone something
Plural both few many several
Singular or Plural all any most none some
173
Singular or Plural?
The indefinite pronouns all, any, most, none, and some can be
either singular or plural. When you use one of these words as
a subject, think about the noun it refers to. If the noun is
singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.
REFERS TO
2 Why It Matters in Writing
174
3 Practice and Apply
Guiding Lights
1. Everyone have heard of seeing-eye dogs.
2. Few knows the term hearing dogs.
3. All of these dogs alerts their owners to sounds of danger.
4. Several of the dog breeds is especially suited for work
with visually challenged people.
5. Some of the best dogs includes German shepherds,
Labrador retrievers, and golden retrievers.
6. Most of the states guarantees access rights to guide-dog
users.
7. No one in these states is allowed to keep people with
S-V AGREEMENT
dog guides from public places.
8. Everyone recognizes a seeing-eye dog by its special
harness and U-shaped handle.
9. Many knows that hearing dogs have a bright yellow or
orange collar and leash.
10. Both of the canine helpers gives visually challenged and
hearing-impaired people more independence.
For a SELF-CHECK and more practice, see the EXERCISE BANK, p. 287.
Questions
In many questions, the subject follows the verb or comes
between parts of the verb.
Does this goofball team ever win?
SINGULAR HELPING VERB SINGULAR SUBJECT
PLURAL HELPING VERB
Do both boys play on the team?
PLURAL SUBJECT
S-V AGREEMENT
from
CHAPTER 7
by Avi
When we got off the bridge, we were
in a small plaza.To the left was the
roadway, full of roaring cars. In front of
us, aside from the highway, there was nothing but In this sentence,
buildings. Only to the right were there trees. the subject is
North is that way, Max said, pointing toward the the plural noun
trees.We set off. trees. So the
verb, were, is
How come youre limping? Horse asked me. My foot also plural.
was killing me.All I said, though, was,How come you
keep rubbing your arm? Contraction
Im keeping the blood moving. youre is short
We approached the grove of trees.Wow, Horse for you are.
exclaimed.Country. . . . Contraction Im
is short for I am.
Hey, Max cried, sounding relieved,this is just like Both verbs
Brooklyn. agree with their
subjects.
UM
AC
L
Practice and Apply IT
E R AT UR
E
Dear Folks,
of the girls and I
What an experience! The rest
s. You wouldnt even
am having the time of our live
, along with the others,
S-V AGREEMENT
recognize your daughter. She
0 A.M. Then a team of
get up with the sunabout 5:0
ivities to do that day.
us meet and decides what act
seback riding, and bird
There is swimming, hiking, hor
watching to choose from.
orrow. I love using
Ceramics are scheduled for tom
the potters wheel.
r, so I may be home
My three weeks is almost ove
there.
even before this message get
Love,
Deanna
eral of my new friends
P.S. Oops, I almost forgot. Sev
spend the rest of the
is planning to come home and
summer with me.
B. WRITING: Journal
Write a journal entry describing an outdoor experience. Your
experience can be real or imaginary. Write your journal entry as
if the experience were in the present. Use correct subject-verb
agreement. Save your writing in your Working Portfolio.
Director
S-V AGREEMENT
trained were
B. Search and rescue dogs is B. A garment of natural fibers
being trained have been
C. Search and rescue dogs was C. A garment of natural fibers
being trained is
D. Correct as is D. Correct as is
2. A. There is two different types 6. A. Each of the dogs ignores
B. There was two different B. Each of the dogs was
types ignoring
C. There has been two C. Each of the dogs are ignoring
different types D. Correct as is
D. Correct as is 7. A. Air scent dogs and trailing
3. A. Some detect scent particles dogs searching
B. Some has detected scent B. Air scent dogs and trailing
particles dogs was searching
C. Some is detecting scent C. Air scent dogs and trailing
particles dogs search
D. Correct as is D. Correct as is
4. A. dogs on a search team 8. A. Doesnt dog and handler
follows teams trains
B. dogs on a search team is B. Dont dog and handler
following teams trained
C. dogs on a search team is to C. Dont dog and handler
follow teams train
D. Correct as is D. Correct as is
Our team wins the contest. Many people share in the victory.
One
for A
Indefinite Pronouns ll
If the indefinite pronoun is: Make the verb:
Question
Is the umpire ready? umpire is
Prepositional Phrase
Between Subject and Verb
S-V AGREEMENT
The batter, in the fans eyes,
looks mighty. batter looks
Helping Verb
Our players are winning. players are winning
The runner is scoring! runner is scoring