Subject-Verb Agreement and Cost Analysis in Sentence Structure

  • The sentence structure is identified as consisting of a subject and a verb.

  • The main verb in the example discussed is identified as "cost."

  • Focus Point: The overall subject relates to the cost of lenses in photography.

  • Another verb identified in the sentence is "makes," indicating it refers to a quality or state (makes photography an expensive hobby).

  • Two subjects were identified in the analysis:

    • Subject 1: Cameras and professional lenses

    • Subject 2: Costing as much as a small car

  • The question posed is about what makes photography an expensive hobby.

  • Answer: It is specifically the cost of cameras and professional lenses that contributes to it being termed as an expensive hobby.

  • Clarification on whether the subject is singular or plural:

    • "Cameras and professional lenses" is plural.

  • Misconception identified: Using the verb "makes" with a plural subject is incorrect.

  • Correct conjugation: Cameras and professional lenses that cost as much as a small car make photography an expensive hobby.

  • Student error explanation: The incorrect conjugation may stem from proximity to the subject of the costs (a small car), but the actual subject is plural.

  • Pronoun Reference Clarity:

    • Example Sentence: "Emily Dickinson is sometimes compared with Jane Austen, but she was quite different."

    • Clarifying Question: What does the pronoun "she" refer to?

    • Ambiguity exists around whether "she" refers to Emily Dickinson or Jane Austen.

  • Substituting Pronouns:

    • Options to reduce ambiguity include specifying nouns:

    • Changing to: "Emily Dickinson is sometimes compared with Jane Austen, but Dickinson is quite different."

    • Alternatively, clarify which one is different:

    • Both can be noted, e.g., "Despite occasional comparisons, Emily Dickinson and Jane Austen were quite different from each other."

  • Potential Vague Pronoun Use: The term "it" in sentences can lead to confusion.

    • Example: "The faculty agreed on changing the requirements, but it took time."

    • Clarified as needing a subject:

    • Solutions include: "The faculty agreed on changing their requirements, but the implementation of these changes took time."

  • Clarification on sentence ambiguity:

    • Example: "The batter collided with the first baseman, but he wasn’t injured."

    • Unclarity arises: Who wasn't injured?

    • Solutions to clarify:

    • "The batter wasn’t injured when he collided with the first baseman."

    • If indicating both players remain uninjured, restructure:

    • "Neither the batter nor the first baseman was injured by the collision."

  • Vague References: Problems in referencing can often lead to ambiguity, as highlighted by vague terms like "it."

    • Example: "It is already fully healed."

    • Clarification needed on what "it" refers to. Correcting via explicit antecedents allows clarity.

    • Corrected to specify: "Grandmother's heart is already fully healed after cardiac surgery."

  • Modifiers:

    • Misplaced Modifiers: Misplaced modifiers can lead to misunderstanding.

    • Example: "He serves cake to the men on paper plates."

    • The modifier refers incorrectly to "men"; correct structure required.

    • Suggested correction to place modifier accurately: “He serves cake on paper plates to the men.”

  • Dangling Modifiers:

    • Example 1: "Passing the building, the vandalism became visible."

    • Correction: Specify who is passing the building: “As we passed the building, the vandalism became visible.”

    • Example 2: "Although intact, graffiti covered every inch of the walls and windows."

    • Correction involves mentioning the actual subject being referred to:

    • “Although the building was intact, graffiti covered every inch of the walls and windows.”

  • Sentence Fragments and Comma Splices:

    • A complete sentence requires a subject and a verb.

    • Example of a sentence fragment: "The wind blowing." — missing a subject or verb to be complete.

    • Example of a comma splice: "The ship was huge, its mast stood 20 meters high."

    • Corrections involve replacing the comma:

      • Change to: "The ship was huge; its mast stood 20 meters high."

  • Peer Editing and Common Errors: Students are encouraged to research their drafts, focusing on clause structures, grammar errors, and ensuring clear communication throughout their essays.

  • Editing Checklist:

    • Check for:

    • Clarity in pronouns

    • Proper subject-verb agreement

    • Correct use of modifiers

    • Avoiding comma splices and sentence fragments

    • Focus on higher-level writing elements: organizational structure, thesis clarity, and supporting arguments.