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Day 1: Subject Verb Agreement (SVA)

System

  • Find subject

  • Find the “pair” verb

  • Match the number of the subject and verb pair

    = The number of the subject and verb must be the same!

3 Verb rules

1. Verbs can be more than one word

  • Verb: Insomnia is my best friend

  • Verb phrase: A study by two professors has found out the truth.

Pawn and Kind Verbs

  • Pawn verb (Auxiliary verb)’

    • Change: is, are, was, were, has, have, do, does

    • No Change: will, would, can, could, been, being, shall, should

  • King verb (Main verb)

    • Change: singular verb ends in ‘s,’ plural verb doesn’t end in ‘s’

2. To infinitive isn’t a verb

  • Just cross them out

3. “Verb + ing” words can be one of 3 parts of speech

Noun (gerund)

  • Eating is the most fun part of Jorjison’s day.

Adjective

  • Eating children makes a mess

Verb

  • I’m eating right now.

SVA Exceptions

  • A number of = plural

    • A nunber of people have seen aliens.

  • The number of = singular

    • The number of UFO sightings in Seoul is increasing

  • Each = Singular

    • Each of their accounts, however, is misleading.

  • A or B = Depends on B

    • Pizza or burgers are on our lunch menu.

  • A and B = plural

    • Pizza and burger are going to be for lunch tomorrow.

  • A as well as B = depends on A

    • Seoul as well as Tokyo is in constant fear for North Korea.

  • A, along with B and C, = depends on A

    • 5G, along with webtoons and mukbang, is a Korean export.

  • Either A or B = depends on B

    • Either Nestlé’s baby formula or chocolate kills children.

  • Neither A nor B = depends on B

    • However, neither Nestle or its CEOs are willing to change.

  • Series, Species, Offspring, Aircraft, Headquarters, Bacteria, Fish = Depends on context

Relative Clauses / Pronouns

Relative pronouns

  • Relative Pronouns = that, which, who, what, when, where, whose, how

  • signals a new SV pair (= Clause)

  • I love this book, which Jesus wrote for me.

  • I love this book, which was written by Jesus.

Relative Clauses

  • Relative pronoun + clause (subject + verb) + V

  • RP + S + V + V (always a singular)