Past Tense Verbs
by: Chelsea Pruitt
Subject-Verb Agreement
by: Chelsea Pruitt
By: Marijah Adams
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| Marijah Adams is a tutor in the OCCC Communications Lab |
Every sentence must have a subject (noun) which is a person, place, thing, or idea.
Ex: Rachel loves to do the Macarena.
Who loves to do the Macarena?
Ex: Rachel loves to do the Macarena.
Ex: Rachel loves to do the Macarena.
Who loves to do the Macarena?
Ex: Rachel loves to do the Macarena.
What is a verb?
Every sentence must also have a verb which says what the subject is doing. There are two types of verbs, action verbs and linking verbs.
Every sentence must also have a verb which says what the subject is doing. There are two types of verbs, action verbs and linking verbs.
What is an action verb?
An action verb is exactly what it says; it is a word that performs an action, such as: swim, dance, jump, run, sleep, slap, yell, cry, etc.
Ex: Brandon dances in front of the mirror when he is alone.
An action verb is exactly what it says; it is a word that performs an action, such as: swim, dance, jump, run, sleep, slap, yell, cry, etc.
Ex: Brandon dances in front of the mirror when he is alone.
What does Brandon do?
Ex: Brandon dances in front of the mirror when he is alone.
What is a linking verb?
A linking verb connects the subject to something that is being said about the subject, such as: am, is, are, was, were, seem, become, etc.
Ex: Brandon dances in front of the mirror when he is alone.
What is a linking verb?
A linking verb connects the subject to something that is being said about the subject, such as: am, is, are, was, were, seem, become, etc.
Ex: Amin is never going to make any money with his degree.
What is connecting the subject to the statement?
Ex: Amin is never going to make any money with his degree.
What is a subject-verb agreement?
One must get a subject and a verb to agree in order for the sentence to be coherent:
What is connecting the subject to the statement?
Ex: Amin is never going to make any money with his degree.
What is a subject-verb agreement?
One must get a subject and a verb to agree in order for the sentence to be coherent:
Ex: Lydia cries when she watches movies.
Note how Lydia is a singular subject and cries is a singular verb. If the sentence said: Lydia cry when she watches movies. then there would be no agreement because the subject is singular and the verb is plural.
By now you might be asking yourself, Self, how can I tell singular and plural subjects and verbs apart? If the subject is singular, then the verb must be singular as well. Please note what is called the S anomaly—all singular action verbs end in S when discussing present tense. The s is either on the subject or the verb, but never on both. However, the S anomaly is non-existent when discussing past tense.
Present tense:
Ex: Spencer likes to correct people’s grammar a lot.
Ex: Spencer likes to correct people’s grammar a lot.
Spencer is the singular, present subject. Likes is the singular, present action verb.
Ex: The Communication’s Lab employees like grammar!
Ex: The Communication’s Lab employees like grammar!
Employees is the plural subject. Like is the plural action verb.
Past tense:
Ex: Kasey forgot to make green bean casserole for the meeting, and Marijah was very disappointed.
Ex: Kasey forgot to make green bean casserole for the meeting, and Marijah was very disappointed.
Kasey is a singular subject, but forgot is a past tense verb so the rule does not apply. Marijah is a singular subject, but was is a linking verb, so the rule also does not apply.
Indefinite pronouns can really throw people off. Indefinite pronouns can be singular, plural, or both and can also express quantity.
Indefinite pronouns can really throw people off. Indefinite pronouns can be singular, plural, or both and can also express quantity.
Singular: another, anybody, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, little much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone, something.
Plural: both, few, many, others, several
Singular or plural: all, any, more, most, none, some
Ex: No one jumps on the bed.
Plural: both, few, many, others, several
Singular or plural: all, any, more, most, none, some
Ex: No one jumps on the bed.
No one is the singular indefinite pronoun, and jumps in the singular action verb.
Ex: Both were caught at the scene.
Both is the plural indefinite pronoun, and were is the plural linking verb.
Ex: None of them are welcome.
None refers to them, so it is a plural indefinite pronoun, and are is the plural linking verb.
Ex: Some of the chair was ripped.
Some refers to chair, so it is a singular indefinite pronoun, and was is the singular linking verb.
Using the words and/or to link subjects together can get kind of tricky. When using and, the two subjects join together to become plural. However, when using or, the last subject determines whether or not the subject is plural.
Ex: Nick and Tonja love to talk together.
Ex: Both were caught at the scene.
Both is the plural indefinite pronoun, and were is the plural linking verb.
Ex: None of them are welcome.
None refers to them, so it is a plural indefinite pronoun, and are is the plural linking verb.
Ex: Some of the chair was ripped.
Some refers to chair, so it is a singular indefinite pronoun, and was is the singular linking verb.
Using the words and/or to link subjects together can get kind of tricky. When using and, the two subjects join together to become plural. However, when using or, the last subject determines whether or not the subject is plural.
Ex: Nick and Tonja love to talk together.
Nick and Tonja join and become plural, so the verb love is plural.
Ex: Charlton or James was giggling at work.
Since there is an or, the verb is determined by the last subject. James is singular, so was is singular as well.
Ex: Chelsea or the boys were running amuck.
Chelsea is singular, but since the boys comes after or, the verb were plural.
Another very confusing concept is the prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase is a set of words that consists of a preposition (before, about, for, from, toward, after, etc.) and the object, and it can act as an adjective (describes a noun) or adverb (describes a verb).
Ex: Charlton or James was giggling at work.
Since there is an or, the verb is determined by the last subject. James is singular, so was is singular as well.
Ex: Chelsea or the boys were running amuck.
Chelsea is singular, but since the boys comes after or, the verb were plural.
Another very confusing concept is the prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase is a set of words that consists of a preposition (before, about, for, from, toward, after, etc.) and the object, and it can act as an adjective (describes a noun) or adverb (describes a verb).
REMEMBER, the object of the preposition cannot be the subject of the sentence.
Ex: The women at the front desk are Marva and Kathy.
Ex: The women at the front desk are Marva and Kathy.
at the front desk describes the women, but front desk isn’t the subject.
Ex: Beau, along with the students of OCCC, loves hanging out in the conversation pit.
along with the students of OCCC and in the conversation pit begin with prepositions, and they are not necessary to the sentence remaining complete:
Ex: Beau loves hanging out.
1. They went to the store.
2. Jesse and Robert go to school.
3. The car goes vroom!
Underline the verbs in the following examples and label them as linking or action.
1. Eduardo is a very nice boy.
2. Reusable coffee mugs are planet savers.
3. They like to rock and roll all night and party every day.
Determine whether the subject verb agreements are correct or show any changes needed to make a correct sentence.
1. Who want tutoring?
2. I cannot wait for Spring Break!
3. The book or the homework assignments is due on Tuesday.
Determine whether the subject verb agreements are correct or show any changes needed to make them correct sentences.
1. Many is on the field.
2. Nobody thinks on the ice rink.
3. All are welcome.
Ex: Beau, along with the students of OCCC, loves hanging out in the conversation pit.
along with the students of OCCC and in the conversation pit begin with prepositions, and they are not necessary to the sentence remaining complete:
Ex: Beau loves hanging out.
Subject-Verb Agreement Worksheet
Underline the subjects in the following examples and label them as singular or plural.1. They went to the store.
2. Jesse and Robert go to school.
3. The car goes vroom!
Underline the verbs in the following examples and label them as linking or action.
1. Eduardo is a very nice boy.
2. Reusable coffee mugs are planet savers.
3. They like to rock and roll all night and party every day.
Determine whether the subject verb agreements are correct or show any changes needed to make a correct sentence.
1. Who want tutoring?
2. I cannot wait for Spring Break!
3. The book or the homework assignments is due on Tuesday.
Determine whether the subject verb agreements are correct or show any changes needed to make them correct sentences.
1. Many is on the field.
2. Nobody thinks on the ice rink.
3. All are welcome.
Sentence Fragments
by: Beau Lewis
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| Beau Lewis is a tutor in the OCCC Communications Lab |
How to make a complete sentence:
Subject + Verb + Complete Thought = Complete Sentence
A fragment occurs when one of the elements (subject, verb, complete thought) is missing.
Exercise:
Write CS next to Complete Sentences and SF next to Sentence Fragments
1.The girl yelled, “Wolf!”.
2.Dad came to kill the wolf.
3.Didn't bring his gun though.
4.So, he went back to the house.
5.And got his gun.
6.His little girl cries when the wolf comes.
7.He nabs some tissue.
8.He finds his girl but not the wolf.
9.Never does.
10.How could he?
11. There is no wolf.
12.Never was.
13.He'll never know.
14.Doesn't matter to him.
15.The girl knows though.
16.She'll do it again next week.
17.Unless he finds out.
18.Ethos on the table.
19.It did not need to be won, but it can be lost.
20.But lost its not.
21.Indeed, why would someone lie about a wolf?
Run-on Sentences
by: James Williams
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| James Williams is a tutor in the OCCC Communications Lab. |
A run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more independent clauses are joined without appropriate punctuation. A run-on sentence has nothing to do with the length of a sentence.
Example: She walked I ran.
There are three ways to avoid run-on sentences.
1. We can use a period between the two independent clauses.
Example: I used to think writing papers was hard. I know they aren’t that difficult.
2. We can add a conjunction to the comma to create a coordinating conjunction.
Example: I always waited until the last minute, and I never prepared an outline.
3. We can use a semicolon to join the two independent clauses.
Example: I never worry about writing papers anymore; writing papers is easy.
You can identify run-ons by turning them into questions.
Run-on: I never worry about writing papers anymore writing papers is easy.
Question: Do I ever worry about writing papers writing papers is easy?
By making them questions, you see that there is more than one complete concept in this sentence.
Revised Question: Do I ever worry about writings papers? Is writing papers easy?
Correct: I never worry about writing papers anymore. Writing papers is easy.
In the following sentence, can you identify the run-on sentence and correct it?
During the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, many animals were killed many people were put out of work due to the conditions of the water.
Question: ?
Correct Sentence: ?
UNC Writing Center. "Run-Ons." University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2007. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
by: Charlton Rigsby
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Charlton Rigsby is a tutor in the OCCC Communications Lab. |
Example: We saw the play yesterday.
Adverb phrases serve the same purpose and use groups of more than one word.
Example: We saw the play on Thursday.
Adverb clauses are similar to adverbs and adverb phrases; however, adverbial clauses contain a subject and a full verb.
Example: We saw the play before we left for the weekend.
Many adverb clauses are introduced by Subordination Conjunctions like "although", "so that", and "because." This is a good way to recognize adverbial clauses.
You Do It.
Choose the correct subordinating conjunction to fill the space at the beginning of the adverb clause.1. We keep our car in the garage, _______ it will not be stolen.
a) Since
b) So that
c) Although
d) After
2. You should date your boyfriend/girlfriend for a while ______ you pop the question.
a) Because
b) So that
c) Even though
d) Before
3. You should not drive _______ you drink alcohol.
a) If
b) In order that
c) Even though
d) After
Choose which type of adverb clause the following sentences are.
1. You may get hurt if you go to a Tea Party gathering.
a) Condition
b) Purpose
c) Time
2. Hockey players wear lots of protective clothing in order that they do not get hurt.
a) Concession
b) Purpose
c) Place
3. Although Hondas are not Hummers, they are still good vehicles.
a) Cause
b) Condition
c) Concession
English Language Centre. “Study Zone: Level 410 Grammar Topics.” Study Zone. University of Victoria, 2008. Web. 7 Nov. 2010.
by: Spencer Stephens
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Spencer Stephens is a tutor in the Communications Lab and has a bachelor's degree in English from Oklahoma Christian University. |
Adjectives are words that describe a person, place or thing. So, in the sentence:
I caught a big, red fish.NOTE that big and red are both adjectives because they describe fish.
II. What is an adjective clause?
An adjective clause is a clause or phrase that functions like an adjective. In the sentence:
The big, red fish that I caught was tasty.that I caught is an adjective clause because it describes fish.
III. Adjective clauses are sometimes mistaken for complete sentences.
For example:
He wanted the secret missile codes which the spy stole from the government.
The phrase starting with “which” is an adjective clause because it describes “codes.” If you said:
He wanted the secret missile codes. Which the spy stole from the government.it would be incorrect because adjective phrases are independent clauses and can’t stand on their own as complete sentences. An adjective clause by itself is a sentence fragment.
IV. Example Party!
The guy who called earlier is here.
Bill, the guy whose car I wrecked last year is a very forgiving friend.
I will never forget the day when I wrecked Bill’s car.
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
The secret missile codes that I stole turned out to be fake.V. Restrictive versus Non-restrictive
Adjective clauses can be restrictive or non-restrictive. If an adjective clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence, it is restrictive. So, in the sentence:
People who are lactose intolerant shouldn’t drink milk.the adjective clause is restrictive because the sentence “people shouldn’t drink milk” isn’t true. Often, non-restrictive adjective clauses should be separated from the rest of the sentence with commas, as in the sentence:
Amin, who usually dresses so well, looks kind of shabby today.VI. Which versus that in adjective clauses
Traditionally, which is used for nonrestrictive clauses, and that is used for nonrestrictive. Examples:
I threw out the milk that was expired.
I threw out the milk, which was expired.The first example is restrictive; the second is nonrestrictive.
Noun Clauses
by: Bethany Vander Schans
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Bethany Vander Schans is a tutor in the OCCC Communications Lab. |
A person, a place or an object
What is a noun clause?
It is a dependant clause working like a noun.
How does one use a noun clause?
We know that puppies are cute.
We do not know whether she has a puppy.
How does one teach noun clauses?
Noun clauses always contain certain words called noun clause markers (Fleming).
Examples of noun clause markers include:
that, if, whether, how, what, when, where, which, who, whom, whose, why, however, whatever, whenever, wherever, whichever, whoever, whomever.
"That" is unnecessary and can be excluded in most cases and if it is not the first
It is a dependant clause working like a noun.
How does one use a noun clause?
We know that puppies are cute.
We do not know whether she has a puppy.
How does one teach noun clauses?
Noun clauses always contain certain words called noun clause markers (Fleming).
Examples of noun clause markers include:
that, if, whether, how, what, when, where, which, who, whom, whose, why, however, whatever, whenever, wherever, whichever, whoever, whomever.
"That" is unnecessary and can be excluded in most cases and if it is not the first
word of the sentence (Fleming).
Example sentences:
Do you know to whom this belongs?
You may choose whichever you like.
Does she know what time the show begins?
Do you know how he got here so fast?
We can do whatever we want until dinner.
I can invite whomever I want.
Which way did he go?
To help students understand noun clauses repeat the above information. Then go over some sample sentences with them. After they have gained a better understanding, copy some sentences down and have them underline the noun clause in the sentence. Encourage them to practice by picking noun clauses out of sentences in their textbooks or other literature.
Fleming, John. “Noun Clauses.” DeAnza. Deanza College. August 28, 2005. Web.
Do you know to whom this belongs?
You may choose whichever you like.
Does she know what time the show begins?
Do you know how he got here so fast?
We can do whatever we want until dinner.
I can invite whomever I want.
Which way did he go?
To help students understand noun clauses repeat the above information. Then go over some sample sentences with them. After they have gained a better understanding, copy some sentences down and have them underline the noun clause in the sentence. Encourage them to practice by picking noun clauses out of sentences in their textbooks or other literature.
Fleming, John. “Noun Clauses.” DeAnza. Deanza College. August 28, 2005. Web.
Nov. 11,2010.
