GRAMMAR PACKET ONE

GRAMMAR PACKET ONE

HELPING VERBS

+ Helpers – verbs that help the main verb

ex. Richie is trying to stack the bales of hay.

Have has had do does did may must might can could would

should will shall is are was

were be being been

LINKING VERBS are helping verbs without an action verb.

He is a nice person.

Practice D and E

Prepositions

Verbs that end in S are singular

Bobby was, She has, Mary is, Sam swings, Sally falls, Ms. Boley tells, Jenna writes, Marley drops, Shelly types her paper.

Verb

Agreement

2. Verbs that do not end in S are plural.

We are, They were, Jack and Susan have, The Riders fight, The writers write, The painters paint a beautiful mural.

3. Subjects –There is no set rule.

toys P wheel S goose S men P mice P

lights P geese P couple S computers P

Exercise K

Preposition – shows a relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word. Often gives direction (preposition bank on page 3) List some!

4. Singular subjects require SINGULAR verbs.

ex. The rug IS very dirty.

ex. Each student EATS his lunch on the bus.

*Every one of the students ________ his own lunch on the bus.

4. Verb – the action of the sentence; what happens

ex. Tonya gave a speech to the crowd.

5. Plural subjects require PLURAL verbs.

ex. Rocks ARE studied in geology class.

ex. The mice LIVE in the hole in the wall.

The dog are sitting in the yard.

Is this correct?

7. Phrases like together with, as well as, accompanied by, in addition to, and including do not usually affect the number of the subject.

ex. The captain, as well as the coaches, was disappointed in the referee’s call.

ex. Mr. Douglas, together with his two sons, has gone fishing.

9. The following words are usually singular: each, either, neither, one, everyone, everybody, no one, nobody, anyone, someone, somebody.

prepositional phrase - starts with a preposition -ends with a noun or pronoun

10. The following words are plural: few, several, both, many

ex. Several of the club members were absent.

ex. Few of my family look like me.

Helping Verbs

Linking Verbs

Action Verbs

11. The following words are sometimes singular and sometimes plural: some, none, any, all, most. Look in the prepositional phrase to see how it is used.

ex. Some of the cake was burned.

ex. Some of the cakes were burned.

ex. All of the tree was covered with leaves.

ex. All of the trees were covered with leaves.

ex. Some of the money was stolen. (quantity, lump sum)

ex. Some of the dimes were stolen. (number, several individual things)

12. Most compound subjects joined by and are PLURAL and take a PLURAL verb

S and S = P P and P = P S and P = P

ex. A truck and a sedan were in the ditch.

ex. Trucks and cars are priced alike.

ex. The walls and the ceiling are beautifully decorated.

ex. Stan and William sit beside each other.

13. When a compound subject is considered as a unit, not as two distinct things, it takes a SINGULAR verb.

ex. Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite.

ex. Macaroni and cheese was the first dish I could make.

Exercises M and P

ex. The girl sat on the roof.

in the house, under the stairs, through the window, up your nose

Every one of the dogs (is, are) sitting in the yard.

Step 1. Find the prep. phrase

2. Find the subject

16. Collective Noun – a word that represents a group.

faculty, class, jury, crowd, team, family, crew

+ usually takes a singular verb.

ex. The class is voting on the new president.

+ can sometimes be acting as individuals; then it will require a plural verb.

ex. The family have agreed among themselves to stick together through the tough times.

14. When two subjects, regardless whether they are singular or plural, are joined by or or nor, the verb agrees with the subject that is closest to the verb.

S or P = P P or S = S P or P = P S or S = S

ex. Either the judge or the lawyers are wrong.

ex. Either the lawyers or the judge is wrong.

18. The title of a book, a story, a work of art, albums, songs, etc. takes a singular verb.

ex. Lives of the Poets was published in the 18th century.

ex. Either Lucille or Mildred (has, have) a dress like that.

ex. Neither Don nor Russell (wants, want) the job.

Ex. My teacher nor my classmates (is, are) very nice.

17. Words stating amount (time, money, measurements, weight, volume, fractions) are usually singular .

ex. Three years in a strange land seems like a long time

ex. Ten dollars is not enough.

ex. Three fourths of the money has been recovered.

+ Words stating amount may sometimes be affected in number by a plural word in the phrase which follows them.

ex. Three fourths of his losses have been recovered.

19. A few nouns, although plural in form, take singular verbs. mumps, physics, economics

15. Every and Many a before a word or series of words require a singular verb.

ex. Every man, woman, and child was asked to contribute.

ex. Many a college student wishes to return to the easy days of high school.

20. This and that take a singular verb.

These and those take a plural verb.

Exercises O and Q

Exercises T, U, and X

Subjects-the doer of the action

The dog chased the rabbit.

+ Subjects cannot be in a prepositional phrase

Each of the players will hit a double.

Of is a preposition!!!!!!

UNDERSTOOD YOU

subject that is not written in the sentence but is understood to be there.

ex. Go open the door.

At noon we got in the line at the box office.

+ There/Here are not subjects. Just a place holder

ex. There were three apples on the tree.

What is subject? Preposition?

What are the prepositions?

What is the subject?