F.

EXAM
NOTES
By Fakhriy A.
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Topic 1: Subject Verb Agreement

RULES FOR SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
1. verb must agree with its subject in number.
EX. : A book is on the table.
My books are on the table.
Exceptions to the Basic rule:
a. The first person pronoun I takes a plural verb (I go, I drive).
b. The basic form of the verb is used after certain main verbs such as watch, see, hear, feel,
help, let, and make. (He watched Ronaldo score the winning goal).

1.2. A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. This is a key rule for understanding
subjects. The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps most, subject-verb mistakes. Hasty
writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the
following sentence:
Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses lend colour and fragrance to the room.
Correct: A bouquet of yellow roses lends ……. (bouquet lends, not roses lend)

1.3 Two singular subjects connected by or, either/or, or neither/nor require a singular verb.
Examples:
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.

2. The number of a verb does not change when one or more phrases come between a verb
and its subject.
EX. : The box of grapes* from Saratoga Farms was delivered today.
Grapes is not the main noun. It’s a noun phrase.

3. The words here, there, and where are not subjects. They introduce a sentence in inverted
order. The verb must agree with the subject of a sentence.
EX. : Here is the package of letters.
Here are the packages of letters.
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4. A singular verb must be used with the singular indefinite pronouns; each, neither, either,
anyone, everyone, no one, someone, anybody, everybody, nobody, somebody, anything,
everything, nothing, and something.
EX. : Neither of the houses is worth much.
Everyone is bringing their own car.

5. Some indefinite pronouns — such as all, some — are singular or plural depending on what
they're referring to. (Is the thing referred to countable or not?) Be careful choosing a verb to
accompany such pronouns.

• Some of the beads are missing.

• Some of the water is gone.

On the other hand, there is one indefinite pronoun, none, that can be either singular or plural;
it often doesn't matter whether you use a singular or a plural verb — unless something else in
the sentence determines its number. (Writers generally think of none as meaning not any and
will choose a plural verb, as in "None of the engines are working," but when something else
makes us regard none as meaning not one, we want a singular verb, as in "None of the food
is fresh.")

• None of you claims responsibility for this incident?

• None of you claim responsibility for this incident?
• None of the students have done their homework. (In this last example, the
word their precludes the use of the singular verb.

6. Some subjects, although they appear plural, are singular in meaning and take a singular
verb.
EX. : The news seems more and more depressing every day.
Measles is the only childhood disease I haven’t had.
On the other hand, some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are nonetheless plural
and require a plural verb.
• My assets were wiped out in the depression.
• The average worker's earnings have gone up dramatically.
• Our thanks go to the workers who supported the union.

7. A singular verb is generally used after works denoting an amount (time, money,
measurement, weight, volume).
EX. : Three weeks is a long vacation.
Two grams was all the gold he got.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
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8. As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by
and.
Example: A car and a bike are my means of transportation.
But note these exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.
(In those sentences, breaking and entering and bed and breakfast are compound nouns.)
Phrases such as together with, as well as, and along with are not the same as and. The
phrase introduced by as well as or along with will modify the earlier word (mayor in this case),
but it does not compound the subjects (as the word and would do).
• The mayor as well as his brothers is going to prison. (no and)
• The mayor and his brothers are going to jail. (use and)
Parentheses are not part of the subject.

• Joe (and his trusty mutt) was always welcome.

9. The conjunction or does not conjoin (as and does): when nor or or is used the subject
closer to the verb determines the number of the verb. Whether the subject comes before or
after the verb doesn't matter; the proximity determines the number.
• Either my father or my brothers are going to sell the house.
• Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house.
• Are either my brothers or my father responsible?
• Is either my father or my brothers responsible?

9.2 The verb in an or, either/or, or neither/nor sentence agrees with the noun or pronoun
closest to it. Examples:

• Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
• Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.
This rule can lead to bumps in the road. For example, if I is one of two (or more) subjects, it
could lead to this odd sentence:
Awkward: Neither she, my friends, nor I am going to the festival.
If possible, it's best to reword such grammatically correct but awkward sentences.
Better: Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
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10. When the conjunction or, nor, either…or, or neither…nor connect the parts of a compound
subject the verb will agree with the subject closer to it.
EX. : Either rain or snow is falling all over the state.
Neither titles nor honours are everlasting.
Neither the general nor his men are at the fort.
Either the apples or the large orange is for Jack.

11. Fractional expressions such as half of, a part of, a percentage of, a majority of are
sometimes singular and sometimes plural, depending on the meaning. (The same is true, of
course, when all, any, more, most and some act as subjects.) Sums and products of
mathematical processes are expressed as singular and require singular verbs. The expression
"more than one" (oddly enough) takes a singular verb: "More than one student has tried this."
• Some of the voters are still angry.
• A large percentage of the older population is voting against her.
• Two-fifths of the troops were lost in the battle.
• Two-fifths of the vineyard was destroyed by fire.
• Forty percent of the students are in favour of changing the policy.
• Forty percent of the student body is in favour of changing the policy.
• Two and two is four.
• Four times four divided by two is eight.
But with collective nouns such as group, jury, family, audience, population, the verb might be
singular or plural, depending on the writer's intent.

• All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.

• Most of the jury is here OR are here.
• A third of the population was not in favour OR were not in favour of the bill.

12. If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other
singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject.
• The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Valentine's
Day.
• It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this issue.
• It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has provoked the students to riot.
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13. The word were replaces was in sentences that express a wish or are contrary to fact:
Example: If Joe were here, you'd be sorry.

Shouldn't Joe be followed by was, not were, given that Joe is singular? But Joe isn't actually
here, so we say were, not was. The sentence demonstrates the subjunctive mood, which is
used to express a hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually contradictory thought. The
subjunctive mood pairs singular subjects with what we usually think of as plural verbs.
Examples:
I wish it were Friday.
She requested that he raise his hand.
The foreman demanded that Joe wear safety goggles.
In the first example, a wishful statement, not a fact, is being expressed; therefore, were, which
we usually think of as a plural verb, is used with the singular it. (Technically, it is the singular
subject of the object clause in the subjunctive mood: it were Friday.)
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Topic 2: Sentence types

A sentence is a complete set of words that conveys meaning. A sentence can communicate.

• a statement (I am studying.)
• a command (Go away.)
• an exclamation (I’m so excited!)
• a question (What time is it?)
A sentence is composed of one or more clauses. A clause contains a subject + verb.
Independent and Dependent Clauses

There are two types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses. A sentence
contains at least one independent clause and may contain one or more dependent clauses.
An independent clause (or main clause)

• is a complete thought.
• can stand by itself.
A dependent clause (or subordinate clause)

• Is an incomplete thought.
• cannot stand by itself.
You can spot a dependent clause by identifying the subordinating conjunction. (not
FANBOYS)
Independent clause: When I go to the movies, I usually buy popcorn.
Dependent clause: When I go to the movies, I usually buy popcorn.
Independent clause: I don’t like the ocean because sharks scare me.
Dependent clause: I don’t like the ocean because sharks scare me.
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A simple sentence contains one independent clause.

• Johnny rode his bike to school.

• Who is your best friend?
• She ate her lunch, took a walk, and went back to work.

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses. A coordinating conjunction

(FANBOYS) often links the two independent clauses and is preceded by a comma.
• She wanted to go on vacation, so she saved up her money.
• I like apples, but my sister loves bananas.
• Tim loves to read, and he also loves to hike.

A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
A complex sentence will include at least one subordinating conjunction.

• She went to class even though she was sick.

• As John was arriving to work, he realized he forgot his lunch.

• While I enjoy classical music, I prefer rock and roll because I play the drums.

Extra notes
Compound-complexed sentence (Mix)
A compound-complex sentence combines complex sentence and compound sentence forms.
A compound-complex sentence contains one or more independent clauses and one or more
dependent clauses.

• Although she felt guilty for missing her friend’s birthday, she took her out to dinner the
next day, and they had a great time.

• I try to eat healthy food, but because fast food is so convenient, I cannot maintain a
healthy diet.
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FUNCTION OF EACH SENTENCE

Simple Sentence

To declare a direct Statement • First, I will give background information about my

project.
• His conclusion is supported by extensive evidence.
To display a simple list • The researchers created their hypothesis,
conducted some tests, and drew their conclusions.
• My evidence comes from journal articles,
periodicals, and books.
To give concise directions • Please consider my application for the internship.
• Turn to Table 1 in the appendix.
To ask a question • What is the true meaning of the poem?
• What will this study mean to medical research in a
decade?

Compound & Complex Sentence

To combine similar ideas Compound: Recycling is an effective way of helping the

environment, and everyone should recycle at home.

Complex: Since recycling is an effective way of helping the

environment, everyone should recycle at home.
To compare or contrast ideas Compound: Van Gogh was a talented and successful
artist, but he had intense personal issues.

Complex: Although he was a talented and successful

artist, Van Gogh had intense personal issues.
To convey cause and effect or Compound: The researchers did not come to the correct
chain of events conclusion, so they restructured their hypothesis.

Complex: Since the researchers did not come to the

correct conclusion, they restructured their hypothesis.
To elaborate on a claim or Compound: Cell phones should not be permitted in class,
extend reasoning for they distract students and teachers.

Complex: Since cell phones distract students and

teachers, they should not be used in class.
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TOPIC 3: SENTENCE MOOD

1. Declarative sentence (statement)
• Cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world.
• I like tofu.
• She is the prettiest girl.

2. Interrogative sentence (question)

• What day is it today?
• The moon is beautiful, isn't it?
• Do you like rugby?

3. Exclamatory sentence (excitement)

• The ship is in storm!
• Agueroooo!
• I love you!
it also carries emotion.

• I don’t know what’s going on! (Confusion)

• We have won! (Excitement)
• Hurray! (Joy or happiness)
• Deep in my heart I will miss you! (Grief)
• Oh, I am depressed! (Frustration)

4. Imperative sentence (instruction)

• Read the book.
• Close the door.
• Shut your mouth.