SAT PrepSAT Prep

Common Errors

Subject- Verb Agreement

Pronoun Antecedent

Adjective vs. Adverb

Parallelism

Modifiers

Tenses

Passive Voice

JC Kiernan 2011

Subject-Verb Subject-Verb AgreementAgreement

SubjectSubject: The “doer” of the action. : The “doer” of the action.

To find the subject, after finding the To find the subject, after finding the verb you ask yourself “who” or “what” verb you ask yourself “who” or “what” then the verb.then the verb.

VerbVerb: A word that expresses action or : A word that expresses action or makes a statement. It may be either makes a statement. It may be either an “action” or “being” verb. an “action” or “being” verb.

AgreementAgreement: When the subject and : When the subject and verb “agree” in being “singular” or verb “agree” in being “singular” or “plural.” Also, when the pronoun “plural.” Also, when the pronoun “agrees” with its antecedents.“agrees” with its antecedents.

AntecedentAntecedent: The word that the : The word that the pronoun refers back to. Mary = she pronoun refers back to. Mary = she Jim’s = his Jim’s = his

JC Kiernan 2011

Verbs (predicate)Verbs (predicate) Verbs that “make a statement” are

either physical such as hit or run, or they are mental such as think or believe.

Linking Verbs (non-action): express a state or condition.

These verbs “link” the subject to a noun, pronoun, or an adjective. The most common linking verbs stem from the form of “to be,” while other common linking verbs need to be memorized.

To Be: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been; and any form of it

including can, could, should, shall, may

appear, become, feel, grow, look, appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay, tasteremain, seem, smell, sound, stay, taste

JC Kiernan 2011

Compound Subjects Compound Subjects and Verbsand Verbs

Compound Subject consists of two or more Compound Subject consists of two or more subjects joined by a conjunction (usually subjects joined by a conjunction (usually and/or) and share the same verb.and/or) and share the same verb.

Compound Verb consists of two or more verbs Compound Verb consists of two or more verbs joined by a conjunction and share the same joined by a conjunction and share the same subject.subject.

Subjects joined by Subjects joined by ANDAND take a plural verb take a plural verb Subjects joined by Subjects joined by OROR or or NORNOR take a take a

singular verbsingular verb When a singular and plural subject are joined

by OR or NOR, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it.

Example: Either the SINGER or the MUSICIANS ARE off key.

JC Kiernan 2011

Indefinite Indefinite PronounsPronouns

The following are singular:each, either, neither, one, no one, every one,

anyone, someone, everyone, anybody, somebody, everybody

Ex: Each does his own cookingEach of the boys does his own cooking

The following are plural:several, both, few, many

Ex: Several of the students were transferred.Few on the committee attend meetings.

The following are singular or plural depending on the meaning of the sentence:

some, any, none, all, most

(when these words refer to a singular word, they are singular; when these words refer to plural words, they are plural)

Ex: None of the story makes sense.None of the movies were exciting.

JC Kiernan 2011

Exercise 1Exercise 1

Exercises Exercises

SAMPLESAMPLE::

1. Each of the animals in the Amazon tributaries 1. Each of the animals in the Amazon tributaries commandcommand                                                                       (A)                                                                       (A)                asas much respect much respect amongamong the locals for the ability the locals for the ability toto        (B)                      (C)        (B)                      (C)        injure, or         injure, or eveneven kill, as the dancing catfish. kill, as the dancing catfish. No No ErrorError

   (D)                                            (E) (D)                                            (E)

Page 408 # 6Page 408 # 6

409 # 12409 # 12

410 # 23, 28410 # 23, 28

429 # 1429 # 1

431 # 13431 # 13

472 # 20, 22, 25472 # 20, 22, 25

JC Kiernan 2011

Pronoun-AntecedentPronoun-AntecedentAgreementAgreement

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent both in number (singular and plural)

and gender (masculine, feminine, neuter).

Masculine: he, him, his Feminine: she, her, hers

Neuter: it, its

EX: The Fishers returned from their fishing trip.The company advertises its products on television.

Singular antecedents joined by OR or NOR take singular pronouns;

Plural Antecedents joined byAND take plural pronouns.

EX: Neither Sue nor Maria left books on her desk.Sue and Maria presented their reports.

When a company is used- you must use IT

JC Kiernan 2011

Adjective vs. Adverb

An adjective is a word used to modify a noun or pronoun.

Modify means “to limit.” You may LIMIT a noun or pronoun in three ways:

1. WHAT KIND?

Ex: green apples, small car, capable student

2. WHICH ONE?

Ex: this woman, that play

3. HOW MANY?

Ex: some birds, two squirrels

Be sure to decipher between words that are being used as ADJECTIVES from ones that are being used

as pronouns.

Such as: all, another, any, both, each, either, few, many, more, neither, one, other, several, some,

that, these, this, those, what, which

Ex: THESE books are overdue. (adjective-which ones)

THESE are overdue. (pronoun)

We chose NEITHER candidate. (adjective-which one)

We chose NEITHER. (pronoun)JC Kiernan 2011

An adverb is a word used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. A word ending in an “-ly” is usually an adverb.

An adverb may tell you (used to modify a verb):HOW (She reads quickly.)

WHEN (She reads early and late.)WHERE (She reads everywhere.)

TO WHAT EXTENT (She reads thoroughly.)An adverb may be used simply for emphasis:

Really, actually, truly, indeed

Ex: She can REALLY skate! She is TRULY a fine skater.

An adverb used to modify an adjective:Ex: She is a REALLY intense competitor.

An adverb used to modify another adverb:Ex: She skated VERY well.

Linking verbs are often followed by adjective; while action verbs are often followed by adverbs.

Ex: The cider tasted sweet. The voices sounded angry. The man shouted angrily.

JC Kiernan 2011

Commonly confused Commonly confused wordswords

Bad vs. BadlyBad = adjectiveBadly = adverb

Joan feels bad about the broken vase.The warped record sounds bad.

Well vs. GoodWell = adjective or adverb

As an adjective: 1. To be in good health

Ex: He feels well.2. To appear well-dressed or well-groomed

Ex: She looks well in that dress.3. To be satisfactory

Ex: All is well.

As an adverb:1. To perform an action capably

Ex: She wrote very well.

Good is always an adjective. Never use it to modify a verb

JC Kiernan 2011

ExercisesExercises

Pronoun-Antecedent

Page 408 #7 409 #19 410 #26 429 #4 471 #12, 18

Adjective-Adverb

Page 409 #14, 17 470 #6 471 #17 472 #23, 24

JC Kiernan 2011