Chapter 20 Grammar

Pairing Verbs with Singular and Plural Subjects

Many sentences have subjects and verbs that appear side by side. The subjects in these sentences are often clearly singular or plural, and they clearly determine the needed verb form.

Matching Subjects and Verbs That Are Separated by Other Words

When words fall between a subject and verb, the singular/plural state of the subject is sometimes confusing. Always make sure you are matching the verb to the subject and not to one of the words between the two.

Joining Plural Verbs to Compound or Double Subjects

Compound subjects joined by the word “and” are plural since there is more than one of them. Double subjects joined by “or” or “nor” match to a verb based on the status of the subject closest to the verb.

Pairing Singular Verbs with Titles and Collective Subjects

Regardless of the singular or plural nature of the words within a title, the title is considered one unit; thus it is a singular noun. Similarly, collective nounsA noun that includes two or more persons or things but is considered singular because it represents one group or one unit (e.g., audience)., such as “committee,” function as singular nouns regardless of how many people or things might actually make up the collective noun.

Teaming Singular Verbs with Indefinite Subjects

Whether an indefinite subject is singular or plural depends on whether the indefinite nounA noun that can be singular sometimes and plural other times. has a singular or plural meaning on its own or based on the rest of the sentence.

Choosing Verbs When the Subject Comes after the Verb

The standard sentence format in English presents the subject before the verb. In reversed sentences, you need to find the subject and then make sure it matches the verb. To find the subject, fill the following blank with the verb and then ask the question of yourself: who or what _____?

Deciding If Relative Pronouns Take a Singular or Plural Verb

Relative pronounsA pronoun that is singular or plural based on the pronoun’s antecedent (e.g., who, that)., such as who, which, that, and one of, are singular or plural based on the pronoun’s antecedentA noun or pronoun that is represented by a pronoun.. You have to look at the antecedent of the relative clause to know whether to use a singular or plural verb.

Matching Singular Subjects to Gerunds and Infinitives

GerundsNoun form of a verb created by adding -ing to the base verb (e.g., laughing). are nouns formed by adding -ing to a verb. Gerunds can combine with other words to form gerund phrases, which function as subjects in sentences. Gerund phrases are always considered singular.

InfinitivesNoun form of a verb created by adding to before the base verb (e.g., to laugh). are the “to” forms of verbs, such as to run and to sing. Infinitives can be joined with other words to form an infinitive phrase. These phrases can serve as the subject of a sentence. Like gerund phrases, infinitive phrases are always singular.

Recognizing Singular Subjects That Look Plural and Then Choosing a Verb

Some subjects appear plural when they are actually singular. Some of these same subjects are plural in certain situations, so you have to pay close attention to the whole sentence.

Using Irregular Verbs Correctly

Since the present tense of irregular verbs is almost always the same as the base and since the present participle is almost always a form of “to be” + the base + -ing, those two columns are not included in this table. Take note of some underlying patterns in the other three main verb forms for each set of irregular verbs.

Check out Table 15.1 "Verb Tenses for the Regular Verb “Look” and the Irregular Verb “Eat”" in Chapter 15 "Sentence Building", Section 15.2 "Choosing Appropriate Verb Tenses" for an overview of how to use these verb forms.

Handling Specific Problematic Verbs

Some verbs are especially problematic either because their meanings are confused or because some of their forms sound alike. Handle these verbs by knowing which ones give you trouble and then focusing on the conjugation of those specific verbs. Some of these most commonly troublesome verbs are in the following table. You need to know two key verb types to read this table: transitiveA type of verb that acts on a direct object (e.g., “He hit the ball”). (when an object receives the action of the verb; in other words, something is done to something) and intransitiveA type of verb that does not take a direct object (e.g., “He laughs”). (a verb that does not act on an object).

Adding -s and -es for the Third Person

Many verbs require the addition of -s or -es when used in the third-person singular present tense. Although these verbs are slightly different from the present tense form of the verb, they are not considered a separate verb form.

Using Verb Tenses Accurately and Completely

Verb tenses allow you to attach timing to sentences you write and say. To make your meaning clear, you need to choose the correct tense for the timing and you need to be sure to include all the needed words for that tense.

Matching Infinitives and Participles to Verb Tenses

Verbals are words formed from verbs that function as other parts of speech. One type of verbals, gerunds (laughing, eating), always function as nouns (e.g., “Laughing is good for you”). Present, past, and present perfect participles are verbals that function as adjectives (e.g., “The sound of laughing children always cheered him up,” “The sight of the broken tricycle left in the rain made him gloomy”). Infinitives (to laugh, to have eaten) are another main type of verbals that function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. When using any of these verbals, make sure you match the tense of the verb in the sentence.

Tips for Avoiding Pronoun Case Problems

• If you have trouble choosing between “I” and “me” in compound subject and object situations, remove the other subject or object, and try “I” or “me” alone.

  Example: Which of these two choices are correct?

  At Bryce Canyon, Carol took thirty pictures of Anna and I.

  OR

  At Bryce Canyon, Carol took thirty pictures of Anna and me.

  Test: At Bryce Canyon, Carol took thirty pictures of (I, me).

  Result: Since the correct choice alone is “me,” the correct choice within the compound object is also “me”—At Bryce Canyon, Carol took thirty pictures of Anna and me.

• If you are confused about whether to use who or whom in a dependent clause, try isolating the clause that includes who or whom. Then reword the clause as a sentence and substitute a personal pronoun (subjective case: he, she, they; objective case: him, her, them) for who or whom. If he, she, or they sounds right, use who. If him, her, or them sounds right, use whom.

  Example: I don’t know (who, whom) to ask about where to stay at the Grand Tetons.

  Test: Possible rewording—I don’t know if I should ask (he, she, they, him, her, them).

  Result: Since him, her, or them are the choices that work, the correct choice in the first sentence is whom—I don’t know whom to ask about where to stay at the Grand Tetons.

• If you are confused about whether to use who or whom at the beginning of a sentence, think of an answer for the sentence using a personal pronoun. Then mimic the case of the answer pronoun in the original sentence.

  Example 1: (Who, Whom) is getting up at sunrise to watch the sun come up over these magnificent trees?

  Test: They will get up.

  Result: Since they is subjective case, you should use who, which is also subjective case.

  Example 2: (Who, Whom) did you ask to watch the fire?

  Test: I asked her to watch the fire.

  Result: Since her is objective case, you should use whom, which is also objective case.

• In casual usage, some words are sometimes left out, thus requiring a pronoun to do extra work. If you are confused about which pronoun case to use in these situations, think about how the sentence would be written if it were totally complete. Considering the whole sentence meaning should help clarify the pronoun choice.

  Example 1: Harry likes camping more than (her, she).

  Test: Harry likes camping more than she (likes camping).

  Result: The pronoun she is the subject of the assumed verb likes. So subjective case is needed.

  Example 2: Harry likes camping more than (her, she).

  Test: Harry likes camping more than (he likes) her.

  Result: The pronoun her is the object of the assumed verb likes. So objective case is needed.

• If you are unsure whether to use we and us before a noun or noun phrase, say the sentence without the noun or noun phrase in place. Whichever pronoun works without the noun or noun phrase is also the correct pronoun to use with the noun.

  Example 1: Even (us, we) people who like our creature comforts fall in love with nature when viewing the Grand Tetons.

  Test: Even we fall in love with nature when viewing the Grand Tetons.

  Result: Once people who like our creature comforts is dropped out, it becomes clear that the pronoun needs to be subjective case.

  Example 2: Don’t wait for (us, we) creature-comfort people to come up with a plan.

  Test: Don’t wait for us to come up with a plan.

  Result: Once creature-comfort people is dropped, it becomes clear that the pronoun needs to be objective case.

Using Adverbs to Modify Verbs, Adjectives, and Adverbs

Adverbs tell when, how, why, where, under what condition, to what degree, how often, and how much. Many adverbs end in -ly, but certainly not all them. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. In the following sentences, the adverbs are in bold font and the words they modify are in italic font.

1. About a quarter million bats leave Carlsbad Caverns nightly.

   When do they leave? nightly; modifies a verb

2. The bats flew above our heads.

   Where did they fly? above; modifies a verb

3. The bats are incredibly dense.

   To what degree are they dense? incredibly; modifies an adjective

4. Each little bat can change directions amazingly fast!

   How do they change directions? fast; modifies a verb

   AND To what degree do they change directions fast? amazingly; modifies an adverb

Using Adjectives to Modify Nouns and Pronouns

Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns and answer the questions what kind? how many? and which one? In the following sentences, the adjectives are in bold font and the words they modify are in italic font.

1. It takes crazy people to go to a cave at 4:00 a.m. to wait for the bats to leave!

   What kind of people? crazy ones; modifies a noun

2. A few bats seemed to circle above as the rest flew off.

   How many bats? a few; modifies a noun

3. That one almost got in my hair.

   Which one? that one; modifies a pronoun

Using Comparatives and Superlatives

Most adjectives and adverbs have three levels of intensity. The lowest level is the base, or positive, level, such as tall. The second level is the comparativeA word used to compare two things (e.g., taller, better). level (taller), and the top level is the superlativeA word used to compare three or more things (e.g., tallest, best). level (tallest). You use the base, or positive, level when you are talking about only one thing. You use the comparative level when you are comparing two things. The superlative level allows you to compare three or more things.

With short adjectives, the comparative and superlative are typically formed by adding -er and -est, respectively. If an adjective has three or more syllables, use the words more or less (comparative) and most or least (superlative) in front of the adjectives instead of adding suffixes. When you are unsure whether to add the suffix or a word, look up the word.

With adverbs, only a few of the shorter words form superlatives by adding the -er or -est suffixes. Rather, most of them use the addition of more or less and most or least.

Some adjectives and adverbs form superlatives in irregular patterns instead of using the -er or -est suffixes or adding more or less and most or least.

Avoiding Double Negatives

One negative word changes the meaning of a sentence to mean the opposite of what the sentence would mean without the negative word. Two negative words, on the other hand, cancel each other out, resulting in a double negative that returns the sentence to its original meaning. Because of the potential for confusion, double negatives are discouraged.

Using Good and Well and Bad and Badly Correctly

Two sets of adverbs and adjectives that are often used erroneously are good and well and bad and badly. The problem people usually have with these two words is that the adverb forms (well and badly) are often used in place of the adjective forms (good and bad) or vice versa. In addition, well can be used as an adjective meaning “healthy.” If you have problems with these two sets of words, it could help to keep the following chart taped to your computer until you change your habits with these words.