SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT Basic Rule.

The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plu ral subject takes a plural verb. NOTE: The trick is in knowing whether the subject is singular or plural. The nex t trick is recognizing a singular or plural verb. Hint: Verbs do not form their plurals by adding an s as nouns do. In order to de termine which verb is singular and which one is plural, think of which verb you would use with he or she and which verb you would use with they. Example: talks, talk Which one is the singular form? Which word would you use with he? We say, "He ta lks." Therefore, talks is singular. We say, "They talk." Therefore, talk is plur al. Rule 1. Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb. Example: My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today. Rule 2. Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a si ngular verb as in Rule 1. Examples: Neither Juan nor Carmen is available. Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations. Rule 3. When I is one of the two subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor , put it second and follow it with the singular verb am. Example: Neither she nor I am going to the festival. Rule 4. When a singular subject is connected by or or nor to a plural subject, p ut the plural subject last and use a plural verb. Example: The serving bowl or the plates go on that shelf. Rule 5. When a singular and plural subject are connected by either/or or neithe r/nor, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb. Example: Neither Jenny nor the others are available. Rule 6. 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. Rule 7. Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides, or not. Ignore these expressions when determining wh ether to use a singular or plural verb. Examples: The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shor tly. Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking. Rule 8. The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody, som eone, and somebody are singular and require singular verbs. Do not be misled by what follows of. Examples: Each of the girls sings well. Every one of the cakes is gone. NOTE: Everyone is one word when it means everybody. Every one is two words when the meaning is each one. Rule 9. With words that indicate portions percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all, no ne, remainder, and so forth look at the noun in your of phrase (object of the pre position) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object o f the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposi

tion is plural, use a plural verb. Examples: Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared. Pie is the object of the preposition of. Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared. Pies is the object of the preposition. One-third of the city is unemployed. One-third of the people are unemployed. NOTE: Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions. All of the pie is gone. All of the pies are gone. Some of the pie is missing. Some of the pies are missing. None of the garbage was picked up. None of the sentences were punctuated correctly. Of all her books, none have sold as well as the first one. *-******************************************** TENSES Simple Forms Progressive Forms Perfect Forms Perfect Progressive Form s Present take/s am/is/are taking have/has taken have/has been taking Past took was/were taking had taken had been taking Future will/shall take will be taking will have taken will have been taking Simple Forms Present Tense Present tense expresses an unchanging, repeated, or reoccurring action or situat ion that exists only now. It can also represent a widespread truth. Example Meaning The mountains are tall and white. Unchanging action Every year, the school council elects new members. Recurring action Pb is the chemical symbol for lead. Widespread truth Past Tense Past tense expresses an action or situation that was started and finished in the past. Most past tense verbs end in -ed. The irregular verbs have special past t ense forms which must be memorized. Example Form W.W.II ended in 1945. Regular -ed past Ernest Hemmingway wrote "The Old Man and the Sea." Future Tense Irregular form

Future tense expresses an action or situation that will occur in the future. Thi s tense is formed by using will/shall with the simple form of the verb. The speaker of the House will finish her term in May of 1998. The future tense can also be expressed by using am, is, or are with going to. The surgeon is going to perform the first bypass in Minnesota.

We can also use the present tense form with an adverb or adverbial phrase to sho w future time. The president speaks tomorrow. (Tomorrow is a future time adverb.) Progressive Forms Present Progressive Tense Present progressive tense describes an ongoing action that is happening at the s ame time the statement is written. This tense is formed by using am/is/are with the verb form ending in -ing. The sociologist is examining the effects that racial discrimination has on socie ty. Past Progressive Tense Past progressive tense describes a past action which was happening when another action occurred. This tense is formed by using was/were with the verb form endin g in -ing. The explorer was explaining the lastest discovery in Egypt when protests began o n the streets. Future Progressive Tense Future progressive tense describes an ongoing or continuous action that will tak e place in the future. This tense is formed by using will be or shall be with th e verb form ending in -ing. Dr. Jones will be presenting ongoing research on sexist language next week. Perfect Forms Present Perfect Tense Present perfect tense describes an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past or that began in the past and continues in the present.This tense is f ormed by using has/have with the past participle of the verb. Most past particip les end in -ed. Irregular verbs have special past participles that must be memor ized. Example Meaning The researchers have traveled to many countries in order to collect more signifi cant data. At an indefinite time Women have voted in presidential elections since 1921. Continues in the present Past Perfect Tense Past perfect tense describes an action that took place in the past before anothe r past action. This tense is formed by using had with the past participle of the verb. By the time the troops arrived, the war had ended. Future Perfect Tense Future perfect tense describes an action that will occur in the future before so

me other action. This tense is formed by using will have with the past participl e of the verb. By the time the troops arrive, the combat group will have spent several weeks wa iting. Perfect Progressive Forms Present Perfect Progressive Present perfect progressive tense describes an action that began in the past, co ntinues in the present, and may continue into the future. This tense is formed b y using has/have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form endi ng in -ing). The CEO has been considering a transfer to the state of Texas where profits woul d be larger. Past Perfect Progressive Past perfect progressive tense describes a past, ongoing action that was complet ed before some other past action. This tense is formed by using had been and the present perfect of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing). Before the budget cuts, the students had been participating in many extracurricu lar activities. Future Perfect Progressive Future perfect progressive tense describes a future, ongoing action that will oc cur before some specified future time. This tense is formed by using will have b een and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing). ********************************************* Prepositions are short words (on, in, to) that usually stand in front of nouns ( sometimes also in front of gerund verbs). Even advanced learners of English find prepositions difficult, as a 1:1 translat ion is usually not possible. One preposition in your native language might have several translations depending on the situation. There are hardly any rules as to when to use which preposition. The only way to learn prepositions is looking them up in a dictionary, reading a lot in English (literature) and learning useful phrases off by heart (study tips). The following table contains rules for some of the most frequently used preposit ions in English: Prepositions Time English Usage Example on days of the week on Monday in months / seasons in August / in winter time of day in the morning year in 2006 after a certain period of time (when?)in an hour at for night at night for weekend at the weekend a certain point of time (when?)at half past nine

since -from a certain point of time (past till now) since 1980 for -over a certain period of time (past till now) for 2 years ago -a certain time in the past 2 years ago before -earlier than a certain point of time before 2004 to -telling the time ten to six (5:50) past -telling the time ten past six (6:10) to / till / until -marking the beginning and end of a period of time from Monday to/till Friday till / until -in the sense of how long something is going to last He is on holiday until Friday. by -in the sense of at the latest I will be back by 6 o clock. -up to a certain time By 11 o'clock, I had read five pages. Prepositions Place (Position and Direction)

in-- room, building, street, town, country EX in the kitchen, in London --book, paper etc. EX in the book --car, taxi ex in the car, in a taxi -- picture, world ex in the picture, in the world at meaning next to, by an object ex at the door, at the station for table--at the table for events---at a concert, at the party place where you are to do something typical (watch a ex---at the cinema, at school, at work on

film, study, work)

attached ---the picture on the wall for a place with a river--London lies on the Thames being on a surface--on the table for a certain side (left, right)--on the left for a floor in a house--on the first floor for public transport--on the bus, on a plane for television, radio--on TV, on the radio by, next to, beside left or right of somebody or something example ; Jane is standing by / next to / beside the car. under -on the ground, lower than (or covered by) something else example the bag is under the table below lower than something else but above ground example the fish are below the surface 09295210797 over covered by something else-- put a jacket over your shirt meaning more than--over 16 years of age getting to the other side (also across)--walk over the overcoming an obstacle--climb over the wall above higher than something else, but not directly over it ex.a path above the lake across getting to the other side (also over) ex walk across the bridge getting to the other side ex. swim across the lake through something with limits on top, bottom and the sides ex.drive through the tunnel to movement to person or building ex. go to the cinema movement to a place or country go to London / Ireland for bed--go to bed into enter a room / a building ex. go into the kitchen / the towards movement in the direction of something (but not ex.go 5 steps towards the house onto movement to the top of something ex.jump onto the table house

bridge

directly to it)

from in the sense of where from ex.a flower from the garden Other important Prepositions English Usage Example from who gave it ex.a present from Jane of who/what does it belong to ex. a page of the book what does it show ex. the picture of a palace by who made it ex.a book by Mark Twain on walking or riding on horseback ex. on foot, on horseback entering a public transport vehicle ex. get on the bus in entering a car / Taxi ex. get in the car off leaving a public transport vehicle ex. get off the train out of leaving a car / Taxi ex.get out of the taxi by rise or fall of something ex. prices have risen by 10 percent travelling (other than walking or horseriding) ex. by car, by bus at for age ex. she learned Russian at 45 about for topics, meaning what about e3x. we were talking about you