Grammar and Language Workbook

(Axel Boer) #1
Unit 8, Subject-Verb Agreement 171

Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill


Grammar

Lesson 50
Locating the Subject

Sometimes a prepositional phrase comes between the subject and the verb. The
verb must agree with the subject of the sentence and not with the object of the
preposition.
The rooms near the entrance have new windows.
The air in the mountains contains little oxygen.
In the first sentence, near the entranceis a prepositional phrase. The subject of
the sentence is rooms, which is plural; therefore, the verb that agrees with it,
have, is also plural. In the second sentence,in the mountainsis a prepositional
phrase. The singular verb contains agrees with air, which is a singular subject.
You can check for subject-verb agreement by removing the prepositional phrase.
The rooms have new windows. The air contains little oxygen.
Some sentences begin with there or here. These words are never the subject of a
sentence. Look for the subject after the verb.
There are many palm trees in Florida. Here in the city is a large building.
To make finding the subject easier, rearrange these sentences by placing the
subject before the verb in the usual manner.
Many palm trees arethere in Florida. A large building ishere in the city.

Exercise 1 Draw one line under the subject. Draw two lines under the verb in
parentheses that agrees with the subject.
Eachof the girls (has, have) her own locker.
1.The monkeysin the zoo (climbs, climb) trees all day long.
2.Studentsfrom all over the country (attends, attend) day camp every spring.
3.Cookiesfresh from the oven (tastes, taste) delicious.
4.Driversfrom the freight company (travels, travel) across the country.
5.A truckloadof band uniforms (arrives, arrive) Saturday.
6.Millionsof persons (listens, listen) to radio every day.
7.A sergeantfrom the police department (teaches, teach) bicycle safety at our school.
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