CLUE – 13: “Words that are always a Singular Subject”
First it might be helpful to remember that the singular form of all verbs except to be and to have is formed by adding
"s" or "es". For example: dives, runs, answers and crashes, presses and tosses.
When used as a subject or adjective, the following indefinite pronouns are always singular and, therefore, they take
singular verbs.
It’s SANE to memorize this Some---
Any—
No—
Every— are always singular
another
either
neither
somebody something someone
The number--when used as subject of a sentence (an organized unit)—takes a singular verb.
The number of tenants without heat is increasing.
Subjects that stand for definable units of money, measurement, time, organization, food and medical problems
always take singular verbs.
Six months is not enough time.
Five thousand dollars is the minimum bid. Ham and eggs is my favorite meal.
Singular subject followed by phrases such as together with and as well as take singular verb. The tax measure,
together with its amendments, has passed.
When all parts of a compound subject are singular and refer to the same person or thing. The head of the expedition
and mayor of the village was the same person.
When the subject is followed by the phrase "the only one of".
Jake is the only one of the runners who has finished.
BUT: Jake is one of those runners who have finished.
(In this case, Jake is one of many [those] runners. The verb "have" agrees with "those runners" not with Jake.)
New Cambridge College SCO 80-82, Sector 17 D Chandigarh, Ph: 01724014454
anybody
everyone everybody everything much nobody no one nothing one
anyone
anything
each each one other
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CLUE – 14: “Words that are either Singular or Plural Subject”
When the parts of a compound subject are joined by;
or, but, either ... or, neither ... nor, not only ... but also
the verb must agree with the subject nearest to the verb.
Neither the Oregon players nor the coach was overconfident.
Neither the Oregon coach nor the players were intimidated by Arizona.
Collective nouns and certain plural words may take singular or plural verbs-depending on the meaning in the
sentence.
If the word indicates persons or things working together as an identifiable unit, a singular verb is used. The jury was
seated at 9 a.m. ("It" was seated.)
BUT: The jury were being interviewed by the media.
(Refers to individual members of the jury; could be rewritten as:
"The jurors were ...")
Politics is a hot topic. (Politics as a single topic)
BUT: The mayor's politics are offensive.
(Politics as several actions over time)
The pronouns any, none or some and the nouns all and most:
1. take singular verbs when they refer to a unit or quantity
Some of the money was missing. (a bag of money)
2. take plural verbs when they refer to number, amount or individuals
Some of the gold coins were missing. (a series of coins)
3. "NONE":
1. "No Single One"; "Not One"—Singular None of the gold coins was missing. (not one of the coins)
2. "No Two" or "No Amount"—Plural None of the goods were missing. (no amount of the goods)
None of the forests were destroyed. (no amount of the forests)
When subject is a fraction or a word such as half, part, plenty, rest, its intended number is suggested by the object of
the preposition that follows it.
Three-fourths of the enemy's army is wounded. Three-fourths of the enemy's soldiers are wounded.
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CLUE – 15: “Positive–Negative”
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 chairman 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.
New Cambridge College SCO 80-82, Sector 17 D Chandigarh, Ph: 01724014454
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Lecture – II
(The Pronoun Agreement)
A pronoun is a substitute for a noun. It refers to a person, place, thing, feeling, or quality (an antecedent) but does not
refer to it by its name. An antecedent is the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers, understood by the
context.
Generally (but not always) pronouns refer to a noun. Some pronouns will not have an antecedent.
Everyone here earns over a thousand dollars a day. The word "everyone" has no antecedent.
Types of Pronouns:
(1) Personal Pronouns
Subject/ Nominative Case Object/ Accusative Case Possessive Case
Forms of Personal Pronouns
I , We
Me, Us
My, Mine Our, Ours
You
You
Your , Yours
He, She, It, They Him, Her, It, Them
His, Her, Hers, Its, Theirs
Their,
(2) Demonstrative Pronouns
The family of demonstratives (this/that/these/those/such) behave as pronouns.
As pronouns, they identify or point to nouns.
A sense of emotional distance or even disdain can be conveyed with the demonstrative pronouns:
3. (3) Relative Pronouns
The relative pronouns (who/whoever/which/that) relate groups of words to nouns or other pronouns.
4. (4) Indefinite Pronouns
The indefinite pronouns (everybody/anybody/somebody/all/each/every/some/none/one) do not substitute for
specific nouns but function themselves as nouns.
There are other indefinite pronouns, like:
enough, few, fewer, less, little, many, much, several, more, most, all, both, every, each, any, either, either,
none, some
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5. (5) Intensive Pronouns
The intensive pronouns (such as myself, yourself, herself, ourselves, themselves) consist of a personal
pronoun plus self or selves and emphasize a noun.
6. (6) Reflexive Pronouns
The reflexive pronouns (which have the same forms as the intensive pronouns) indicate that the sentence
subject also receives the action of the verb. What this means is that whenever there is a reflexive pronoun in
a sentence there must be a person to whom that pronoun can "reflect."
7. (7) Interrogative Pronouns
The interrogative pronouns (who/which/what) introduce questions.
8. (8) Reciprocal Pronouns
The reciprocal pronouns are each other and one another. They are convenient forms for combining ideas.
Common Pronoun Errors:
w Avoid using a pronoun that does not agree in number or gender with the noun to which it refers.
w Avoid using you, your, they, or their to refer to the impersonal pronoun one.
w Avoid using a noun or pronoun in the appositive that does not agree in number or gender with the
subject to which it refers.
(A) Case Errors
These are also called the I/me error or he/him problem.
Subject Case
Using the object case indicates that the pronoun is acting as an object. The subject pronouns are: I, you, he, she,
they, we, who and it.
Pronouns asthePredicateNominative
We both recalled that it was she who offered the gift.
(We is the subject of the independent clause. It is the subject of the dependent clause. She is the predicate
nominative to it. Who is the subject of the final dependent clause.)
It is I who have the money.
(It is the subject of the independent clause. I is the predicate nominative to it. Who is the subject of the final
dependent clause.)
If I were she, I would take the job.
(I is the subject of the dependent clause. SHE is the predicate nominative to I. I is the subject of the independent
clause.)
Remember the paintings that I told you about? These are they.
(I is the subject of the dependent clause. THEY is the predicate nominative to THESE.)
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Pronouns in a comparison
My friend likes playing more than I.
This means that my friends like playing more than I do.
My friend likes studying more than me.
This means that my friends like studying more than they like me.
We drive faster than they. (drive)
She is taller than he. (is tall)
(If the sentence included a noun with taller, the pronoun would be objective) There is no taller player than her.
Object Case
Using the object case indicates that the pronoun is acting as an object. The objective pronouns are: me, you, him,
her, them, us, whom
A pronoun as a direct / indirect object
Tom offered Mark and me a ride home.
(Tom is the subject of the sentence. Ride is the direct object of the verb offered. Mark and me are the indirect
objects.)
Marvin wondered whom he should give the message.
(HE is the subject of the dependent clause. Message is the direct object of the verb should give. Whom is the
indirect object.)
A pronoun as an object of a preposition
Between you and me, this is a tough test.
(BETWEEN is a preposition. YOU and ME are an objects of the preposition.) To whom do you wish to speak?
(To is a preposition. Whom is the object of the preposition.)
A pronoun as an object of a verbal (Gerund, Participle, Infinitive)
Reprimanding Jerry and her does little good. (REPRIMANDING is a gerund. HER is an object of the gerund.) He
wants to call her.
(To Call is an infinitive. Her is the object of the infinitive.) Calling him from the shore, Tina tried to get Allan's
attention. (Calling is a participle. Him is the object of the participle.)
Objective pronouns in a comparison
Use the objective case after "than" if the pronoun doesn't compare or contrast with the subject, but is being compared
or contrasted to an object or complement.
He likes us better than them. (objective case)
This means that he likes us better than he likes them.
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He likes us better than they. (subjective case)
This means that he likes us better than they like us.
Use the objective case after "than" if the comparison features a noun or pronoun with the adjective. There is no
faster runner than her.
If the sentence included only the adjective FASTER, the pronoun would be subjective
(There is no faster than she).
Possessive Ca se
Using the possessive case indicates that the pronoun is showing ownership. The possessive pronouns are: my,
mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, their, theirs, our, ours, whose and its.
With Indefinite Pronouns (Add Apostrophe and "S")
Someone's misfortune can be another's gain.
At this point, it is anyone's guess who will win the series.
With Personal Pronouns (No Apostrophe)
Theirs is the best example he has ever seen of interactive web design. The team gave its all in the game against the
Bears.
With Relative or Interrogative Pronouns (No Apostrophe)
Whose books are on my desk?
With Gerunds
We admired her going out for track.
Your skipping class is beginning to affect your grade.
(B) Agreement Errors
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in gender and in number.
Error: When a student attends a local college, they can live quietly and inexpensively at home. Correction:
When a student attends a local college, he or she can live quietly and inexpensively at home. Error: When anyone
attends a local college, they should register early to make sure they get the classes they want. Correction: When
anyone attends a local college, he or she should register early to make sure he or she gets the classes he or she
wants.
Concise Correction: When anyone attends a local college, he or she should register early to make sure to get the
best classes before they fill up.
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The Plural Indefinite Pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are always plural. both
few
several
many
two (or any other number greater than one)
The Sometimes Singular/Sometimes Plural Indefinite Pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are sometimes singular and sometimes plural. When you see these, you must pay
attention to the objects in the "of" phrase that follows, whether the "of" phrase is stated explicitly or implied.
Singular
all (of it) any (of it) some (of it) none (of it) more (of it) most (of it)
Plural
all (of them) any (of them) some (of them) none (of them) more (of them) most (of them
(C) Reference Errors
Pronouns must refer clearly to an antecedent.
Explanation:
This Clue means that—
if you can't figure out what the pronoun refers to, you need to rewrite the sentence without using the pronoun at all.
it is better to repeat a noun for clarity than to use a pronoun that has an ambiguous meaning.
Error: After drying your dog with a towel, drop it in the washing machine.
Analysis: It may refer to either the dog or the towel. You should delete it and replace it with a noun. Correction:
After drying your dog with a towel, drop the towel in the washing machine.
Error: On the menu it says that the chili is homemade.
Analysis: It may refer to the menu; but then the sentence doesn't make sense. You should rewrite the sentence
without it.
Correction 1: The menu says that the chili is homemade.
Correction 2: According to the menu, the chili is homemade.
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This and that!
(The demonstrative pronouns)
If you find the pronoun this or that in a sentence (when the word that is not the first word of an adjective clause),
make sure that this pronoun refers clearly to only one antecedent. As a pronoun, this is often used to refer to an
action or activity. Make sure that you don't use the pronoun this to refer to a verb; pronouns must refer to nouns.
Error: Jack just heard that his mother has cancer. This made him very angry.
Correction 1: Jack just heard that his mother has cancer. The/This news made him very angry.
Correction 2: (Rewrite the idea completely without any awkward pronouns.) The moment Jack heard that his mother
has cancer, he became very angry.
(D) Shifts
Do not shift your "point of view" as you write.
Error: When a student is placed on probation, you may file an appeal with the dean.
Analysis: This sentence starts by talking about some unknown student but then shifts to talking about the reader, as
if the reader were a student.
Correction: When a student is placed on probation, he or she may file an appeal with the dean.
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