Verb Phrase
"Verb P[hrase]s can be
identified by . . . substitution procedures. Consider the sentence Lou cried, where cried constitutes
the VP. Among many others, the following strings can substitute for cried in the slot Lou
_____. They thus fit the frame and are VPs (the verb in each VP
is italicized):
Lou fell.
Lou lost the race,
Lou won a prize for his efforts in the tourna
Lou lost the race,
Lou won a prize for his efforts in the tourna
Tenses
In grammar, tense is a category that expresses time reference.[1][2] Tenses are usually manifested by the
use of specific forms of verbs,
particularly in their conjugation patterns.
Basic tenses
found in many languages include the past, present and future.
Some languages have only two distinct tenses, such as past and non-past,
or future and non-future.
There are also tenseless languages, like Chinese,
which do not have tense at all. On the other hand, some languages make finer
tense distinctions, such as remote vs. recent past, or near vs. remote future.
Tenses
generally express time relative to the moment of speaking. In some contexts, however,
their meaning may be relativised to a point in the past or future which is
established in the discourse (the moment being spoken about). This is called relative (as opposed to absolute) tense. Some languages have
different verb forms or constructions which manifest relative tense, such as pluperfect ("past-in-the-past") and
"future-in-the-past".
Being able to find the right subject and verb will help you correct errors
of subject-verb agreement.
Subject and verb agreement
Basic Rule. A singular subject (she,
Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas a
plural subject takes a plural verb.
Example: The list of items is/are
on the desk.
If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.
If you know that list is the subject, then you will choose is for the verb.
Rule 1. 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:
Hasty writers, speakers, readers, and listeners might miss the all-too-common mistake in the following sentence:
Incorrect: A bouquet of yellow roses
lend color and fragrance to the room.
Correct: A bouquet of
yellow roses lends . . . (bouquet lends, not roses
lend)
Rule 2. 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.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.
Rule 3. 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.
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.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.
Neither she, I, nor my friends are going to the festival.
OR
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.
Rule 4. 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:
Exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.
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.
Rule 5. Sometimes the subject is
separated from the verb by such words as along with, as well as,
besides, not, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the
subject. Ignore them and use a singular verb when the subject is singular.
Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
Rule 6. With words that indicate
portions—a lot, a majority, some, all, etc.—Rule 1 given earlier is
reversed, and we are guided by the noun after of. If the noun after of is
singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.
Examples:
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
NOTE
In recent
years, the SAT testing service has considered none to be
strictly singular. However, according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary
of English Usage: "Clearly none has been both
singular and plural since Old English and still is. The notion that it is
singular only is a myth of unknown origin that appears to have arisen in the
19th century. If in context it seems like a singular to you, use a singular
verb; if it seems like a plural, use a plural verb. Both are acceptable beyond
serious criticism." When none is clearly intended to mean
"not one," it is followed by a singular verb.
Rule 7. In sentences beginning with here or there, the
true subject follows the verb.
Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.
NOTE:
The word there's,
a contraction of there is, leads to bad habits in informal
sentences likeThere's a lot of people here today, because it's easier to
say "there's" than "there are." Take care never to use there's with
a plural subject.
Rule 8. Use a singular verb with
distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc., when considered as a unit.
Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
Rule 9. Some collective nouns, such as family,
couple, staff, audience, etc., may take either a singular or a plural verb,
depending on their use in the sentence.
Examples:
The staff is in a meeting.
Staff is acting as a unit.
The couple disagree about disciplining their child.
The couple refers to two people who are acting as individuals.
The staff is in a meeting.
Staff is acting as a unit.
The couple disagree about disciplining their child.
The couple refers to two people who are acting as individuals.
NOTE
Anyone who uses a plural verb with a
collective noun must take care to be accurate—and also consistent. It must not
be done carelessly. The following is the sort of flawed sentence one sees and
hears a lot these days:
The staff is
deciding how they want to vote.
Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the singular is and the plural they to staffin the same sentence.
Careful speakers and writers would avoid assigning the singular is and the plural they to staffin the same sentence.
Consistent: The staff are deciding
how they want to vote.
Rewriting such sentences is
recommended whenever possible. The preceding sentence would read even better
as:
The staff
members are deciding how they want to vote.
Rule 10. 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 things that are hypothetical, wishful, imaginary, or factually
contradictory. 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.
I wish it were Friday.
She requested that he raise his hand.
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 subject I.
Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the second example, where a request is being expressed, the subjunctive mood is correct.
Note: The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still be used in formal speech and writing.
Normally, he raise would sound terrible to us. However, in the second example, where a request is being expressed, the subjunctive mood is correct.
Note: The subjunctive mood is losing ground in spoken English but should still be used in formal speech and writing.
