Subject is the
person/people/thing(s) that do the activity.
I, you, they, we, she, he, it, my dad and my mom, Linda, Sussi, Linda
and Sussi, the bank, the flight schedule, etc.
Verb is a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming
the main part of the predicate of a sentence.
KINDS OF VERB
1.
ACTION
VERB
•
Also known
as MAIN VERB.
•
Action
verbs are words that express action (give, eat, walk, etc.) or possession
(have, own, etc.).
•
Action
verbs can be either transitive (with object) or intransitive (without object).
Example:
- Laurissa raises her hand. (kkt)
- Abdus
gave Becky the pencil. (kkt)
- Laurissa
rises slowly from her seat. (kki)
- He was
pontificating about art and history. (kki)
2.
LINKING VERBS
A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence to a noun or adjective
that renames or describes the subject.
To Be: is, am, are, was, were
Example:
Lisa is in love with Jason.
We were there!
I am happy
Verb: seem, appear, become, grow, remain, get,
prove, turn, look, sound, smell, taste, feel.
Example:
She looks pale.
I feel happy
That sounds great!
Your cook smells good.
3.
HELPING
VERBS
Helping verbs are used before action or linking verbs to convey
additional information regarding aspects of possibility (can, could, etc.) or
time (was, did, has, etc.)
MODALS always function as Helping Verbs.
MODALS: can, could, may, might, shall, will, ought to, should, would.
Examples:
- Tejois (helping verb) going (main verb) to Florida.
- The
trip might (helping verb) be (main verb) dangerous.
- Tanya
could learn to fly helicopters. (Couldhelps the main verb, learn.)
- Janine
will drive to Idaho tomorrow. (Will
helps the main verb, drive.)
“Subject Verb Agreement”
1.
Subjects
and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the
background of the concept.
Examples:
The dog
growls when it is angry.
The dogs growl when
they are angry.
2.
Don’t get
confused by the words that come between the subject and verb; they
do not affect agreement.
Examples:
The dog, who is
chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.
3.
Prepositional
phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect
agreement.
Examples:
The colors of the
rainbow are beautiful.
4.
When
sentences start with “there” or “here,” the subject will always be placed
after the verb, so care needs to be taken to
identify it correctly.
Examples:
There is a problem with the
balance sheet. Here are the papers you requested.
5.
If two
subjects are joined by and, they typically require a plural verb form.
Examples:
The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.
6.
The verb
is singular if the two subjects separated by and refer to the same
person or thing.
Examples:
Red beans and rice is
my mom's favorite dish.
7.
If one of
the words each, every, or no comes before the subject, the verb is
singular.
Examples:
No smoking or
drinking is allowed.
Every man and woman
is required to check in.
8.
If the
subjects are both singular and are connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor,
either/or, and not only/but also the verb is singular.
Examples:
Jessica or
Christian is to blame for the accident.
9.
The only
time when the object of the preposition decides plural or singular verb forms
is when noun and pronoun subjects like some, half, none, more, all, etc. are followed by a
prepositional phrase. In these sentences, the object of the preposition
determines the form of the verb.
Examples:
All of the chicken is gone.
All of the chickens
are gone.
10.
The
singular verb form is usually used for units of measurement or time.
Examples:
Four quartsof
oil was required to get the car running.
11.
If the
subjects are both plural and are connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, the verb is plural.
Examples:
Dogs and cats are
both available at the pound.
12.
If one
subject is singular and one plural and the words are connected by the words or,
nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, you use the verb form of
the subject that is nearest the verb.
Examples:
Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo.
Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.
13.
Indefinite
pronouns (everything, anything, everyone, someone, somebody, nothing, etc)
typically take singular verbs.
Examples:
Everybody wants to be
loved.
Everything is gonna
be alright.
14.
Except for
the pronouns (few, many, several, both, all, some) that always take the plural form.
Examples:
Few were left alive
after the flood.
Several students
understand the material.
15.
If two
infinitives are separated by and they take the plural form of the verb.
Examples:
To walk and to chew
gum require great skill.
16.
When
gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular verb
form of the verb; but, when they are linked by and,
they take the plural form.
Examples:
Standing in the water
was a bad idea.
Swimming in the ocean
and playing drums are my
hobbies.
17.
Collective
nouns like family, committee, herd, senate, class, crowd, etc. usually take a
singular verb form.
Examples:
The herd is stampeding.
Cooper family always
attends the annual party.
18.
Titles of
books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular and take a singular
verb.
Examples:
The Burbs is a movie
starring Tom Hanks.
Harry Potter has
reached Top 3 Best Seller books.
