Common Assessment #3 Practice multiple meanings & subject/verb agreement

Words with multiple meanings  Some words have different meanings depending on how they are used in the context of a sentence.

i.e. home  Our neighbors are building an addition to their home.  noun – one’s place of residence  Santa Barbara is home to a beautiful Spanish mission founded in  noun - headquarters  I have to go home to pick up the letter I forgot to mail this morning.  adverb

i.e. home  Mom works as a loan officer at the home branch of Midwestern Bank and Trust.  adjective modifying branch  As an experienced actress, she feels right at home on the stage.  adjective phrase – on familiar ground  The baby bird will home in on its nest after its first flight.  verb – to return to one’s birthplace by using a landmark

Subject/verb agreement  A verb must agree in number with its subject.  If a subject is singular, its verb must be singular.  The dog eats two times a day.  If a subject is plural, then its verb must be plural. (Remember- usually no double s)  The dogseat two times a day.  The dogs eat two times a day.

Subject/verb agreement  When finding the subject, ask who or what is doing something and disregard any prepositional phrases. Be sure to watch for subjects that come after the verb.  The pride of lions (were, was) resting near a stream.  There (is, are) season tickets still available.

Subject/verb agreement  What if the subject is compound?  If the subjects are joined by and, choose a plural verb.  Poured concrete and steel (is, are) used in the framework of many modern buildings.  If the subjects are joined by or or nor, then the verb should agree with the subject nearer to the verb.  Neither a tornado nor a hurricane (has, have) hit this small Texas town.  Either tokens or passes (is, are) available at most stations.

Subject/verb agreement  When indefinite pronouns are used as subjects, you must determine their number and make sure the verbs agree  Singular indefinite pronouns – another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, one somebody, someone  Neither of the girls (want, wants) to go first.  Plural indefinite pronouns – both, few, many, several  Both of the girls (want, wants) to go first.  Singular or plural indefinite pronouns – all, any, most, none, some  Most of the judges (appear, appears) extremely relaxed.