ACT- Subject-Verb Agreement & Pronouns

What is the first step in subject-verb agreement questions?

Find the true subject of the sentence before checking the verb

How do you find the true subject?

Cross out prepositional phrases first.

Example: “The group of students is ready.”

Subject=group

Verb=is

Do prepositional phrases affect subject-verb agreement?

No.

Ignore words inside prepositional phrases.

Example of ignoring a prepositional phrase

“The box of books is heavy.”

Subject=box

Verb=is

What is an inverted sentence

A sentence where the verb comes before the subject.

Example of an inverted sentence

“There are many reasons.”

Subject=reasons

Verb=are

How do collective nouns usually agree?

Collective nouns are usually singular because they act as one unit.

Examples:

team

family

group

committee

audience

Example of a collective noun

“The team is ready.”

NOT

“The team are ready.”

How do “either…or” and “neither…nor” agree"?

The verb agrees with the nearest noun.

Example of “either…or”

“Neither the coach not the players are happy.”

Nearest noun=players

Verb=are

What are singular indefinite pronouns?

Everyone

Everybody

Anyone

Anybody

Someone

Somebody

Each

Neither

Either

Every one of these takes a singular verb.

Example of a singular indefinite pronoun

“Everyone has a choice.”

NOT

“Everyone have a choice.”

What are plural indefinite pronouns?

Both

Few

Many

Several

These take plural verbs

Example of a plutal indefinite pronoun

“Many were absent.”

What must every pronoun agree with?

Its antecedent in:

• Number

• Person

• Clarity

What is an antecedent?

The noun that a pronoun refers to.

Does the ACT allow singular “they”?

Yes.

Example: “Everyone did their best.”

This is accepted on the ACT

What is an ambiguous pronoun?

A pronoun that could refer to more than one noun.

Example of an ambiguous pronoun

“The book and the pen are on the table. It is red.”

What is red?

Book?

Pen?

The pronoun is unclear.

ACT rule for pronouns

If a pronoun is vague, replace it with the specfic noun whenever possible.

When do you use a comparative adjective?

When comparing two things.

Examples:

better

faster

more interesting

When do you use a superlative adjective?

When comparing three or more things.

Examples:

best

fastest

more interesting

Comparative vs. Superlative

2 things = Comparative

3+ things = Superlative

What are irregular comparison words?

Good→Better→Best

Bad→Worse→Wost

Many→More→Most

Little→Less→Least

When do you use I?

Use I as the subject

Example: “I went to the store.”

When do you use me?

Us me as the object.

Example: “They called me.”

How do you test “I” vs. “me”?

Remove the other person.

Example:

“John and I went”

↓

“I went”

Sounds correct

Example of “me”

“The teacher spoke to Sarah and me.”

↓

“The teacher spoke to me.”

Correct.

When should you use myself?

Only if I already appears earlier in the sentence

Example: “I hurt myself.”

Should “myself” replace “me”?

No

Incorrect: Please email John and myself.

Correct: Please email John and me.

Who vs. Whom

Who=subject

Whom=object

Who/Whome Test

If you can answer with he/she, use who.

If you can answer with him/her, use whom.

Subject-Verb Agreement Checklist

• Find the subject

• Ignore prepositional phrases

• Watch inverted sentences

• Check collective nouns

• Check either/pr & neither/nor

• Watch indefinite pronouns

Pronoun Checklist

Ask:

• Does it clearly refer to one noun?

• Does it agree in number?

• Is it the correct case?

• Is it specific?