1. More on Subjects and Verbs
Chapters Twenty-Three through Twenty-Six
More on Subjects and Verbs

2. Additional Information about Verbs
Here are the three areas we’ll discuss in this section:
Compound Subjects and Verbs
Tense, Voice and Verbals
Subject-Verb Agreement

3. Compound Subjects and Verbs
A sentence may have more than one verb.
The shark swam and attacked.
A sentence may have more than one subject.
Dolphins and whales have some protection from sharks.

4. Verb Tense. . . . . . tells you the time of the action.
Let’s start with the simple
present,
past, and
future.

5. Verb Tense
But, we can also be a little more specific about time using these other tenses:
Perfect Tense (Add a form of the verb “have”)
Progressive Tense (Add a form of the verb “be”)
Perfect Progressive Tense (Add both the verbs “have” and “be.”)

6. Verb Voice Verb voice refers to the active or passive form of a verb.
ACTIVE VOICE: Action of the verb is done by the subject.
EX: The dog ate all my dinner! (The dog performed the action.)
PASSIVE VOICE: Action of the verb is done to the subject.
EX: The dog was put on its leash by Aunt Rose. (The action was done to the dog, by Aunt Rose.)

7. Verbals Verbals Verbals are words formed from verbs.
There are three kinds:
Infinitives
Participles
Gerunds

8. Verbals
Infinitive
An is formed by adding the word “to” to the base form of the verb.
“to” + “steal” =
“to steal”
So, what is the infinitive of the verb “steal”?
Example:
Jesse James loved to steal money from bankers.

9. Verbals A is a verb form used as an adjective.
Participle
A is a verb form used as an adjective.
The present participle ends in -ing.
The past participle ends in -ed or is irregular.
Example:
Looking over her tax returns, the weeping accountant tugged her bleached hair.

10. Verbals Let’s make a gerund out of the verb “bowl.” A is the -ing
“Bowl” + “ing” = “Bowling”
A is the -ing
form of a verb used as a noun.
Example:
Bowling is not a sport, because you can smoke while you’re doing it.

11. Subject-Verb Agreement with Compounds
When compound subjects are joined by words such as or, nor or either… or, the verb agrees with the closer subject
Either the twins or Joey is knocking on our door.
I can’t decide if my pants or my hat looks better.

12. Subject-Verb Agreement
Indefinite pronouns (each, everyone, somebody, etc.) refer to indefinite persons or things and usually require a singular verb.
Each of the volunteers tutors for at least three hours every week.
All and some require either a singular or plural verb, depending on the words that follow them.
Some of the people are still waiting.
Some of the cake is on the table.