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Unit 1: Standard English Conventions1.1 Agreement: Pronouns1.2 Agreement: Subject-Verb1.3 Frequently Confused Words: Pronouns1.4 Parts of Speech: Verb forms1.5 Parts of Speech: Verbs1.6 Punctuation: Apostrophes1.7 Punctuation: Colons1.8 Punctuation: Commas1.9 Punctuation: Comma + Semicolon1.10 Punctuation: Dashes1.11 Punctuation: End mark1.12 Punctuation: Semicolons1.13 Punctuation: Unnecessary1.14 Sentence structure: Modifiers1.15 Sentence structure: Parallel

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-VerbAgreementSubject-VerbFor a sentence to be grammatically complete, it must contain a subject and a main verb. Both present tense verbs and some past tense verbs can be singular or plural, so their subjects must agree with verbs in number: singular subjects must have singular verbs, and plural subjects must have plural verbs.To locate the verb's subject, ask who or what is doing an action or being discussed in the sentence.Like sentences, independent clauses and dependent clauses must contain both a subject and a verb that agree in number. Notice how the subject "geologist" is preceded by "a," which indicates that it is singular. Also, the fact that"geologists" ends in "s" indicates that it is plural.Anytime "a" or "an" precedes a noun, that noun is singular.A birds fly over an oceans.A bird flies over an ocean.However, verbs are different from nouns in this respect. A present tense verb ends in the suffix "s" if it is singular and in the third person (meaning its subject is not "I" or "you"); conversely, the same verb when plural does not end with an "s" suffix.This section will discuss subject-verb agreement in the context of Interrupted subjects and verbs Clauses Gerunds Inverted antecedents and subjects

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-VerbInterrupted Subjects and VerbsOften, subjects and verbs are interrupted by other words, which can cause confusion when the interruption places a noun other than the subject closer to the verb.These interruptions can be prepositional phrases, appositives, participle phrases, or dependent clauses.Interrupting prepositional phrase examples:The parents at the meeting is concerned with school safety.The parents at the meeting are concerned with school safety.The singular "meeting" is the noun closest to the verb, but it is the object of the preposition "at." Also, a meeting is inanimate and can't show concern. Instead, the subject of the verb is the plural noun "parents," which makes sense because "parents" could reasonably be "concerned," so the plural verb "are" is correct.An object of the preposition is never the subject of the sentence.Interrupting appositive phrase examples:The researcher, a student majoring in social sciences, are gathering data about solar energy costs.The researcher, a student majoring in social sciences, is gathering data about solar energy costs.In each of these interrupting appositives—"a student majoring in social sciences"—the noun nearest the verb is not its subject. In fact, because a sentence is still grammatical if a nonessential appositive phrase set off by commas is omitted completely, look for the verb's subject before the appositive phrase.Rule: The title of a book, television show, or movie is always singular even if thetitle is a plural noun.Examples:Holes, a novel by Louis Sachar, were made into a movie.Holes, a novel by Louis Sachar, was made into a movie.Notice that even though Holes is a plural noun, it is considered singular because it is used as the title of the novel, so the matching verb should also be singular, making "was" the correct verb.Interrupting participle phrase:The photo depicting her beloved dogs is one of Lizzie's favorites.In the example above, the noun closest to the verb is the plural "dogs," which is part of the interrupting participle phrase "depicting her beloved dogs." To find the subject of the verb, ask what is one of Lizzie's favorites. The answer is the singular noun "photo." Therefore, the correct verb is the singular "is."

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-VerbInterrupting dependent clause examples:The report, which contained over 100 pages, were about worker productivity.The report, which contained over 100 pages, was about worker productivity.In both the correct and incorrect examples, the interrupting dependent clause is "which contained over 100 pages." Because the subject is the singular noun "report," the correct verb is the singular "was."Practice1. The 1987 comedy film Planes, Trains, & Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy ______ the story of a businessman experiencing a variety of obstacles on his quest to get homeso that he can spend Thanksgiving with his family.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A) tellsB) have toldC) are tellingD) tellAnswer2. In the landscapes he created for his PBS television show The Joy of Painting, Bob Ross used a wet-on-wet oil painting technique that enables rapid progress because it doesn't require waiting for the canvas to dry before adding additional brushstrokes. Also, his limited use of equipment meant that an expensive investment in tools ______ not required.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A) wereB) have beenC) wasD) areAnswerWhen both singular and plural verbs are offered as answer choices, locate the subject referred to by the verb to see which answer agrees in number.Often, the correct third-person verb is the one unlike the others. If there are threeplural and one singular choice, the singular one is usually correct, and vice versa.

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-VerbSubject-Verb Agreement in ClausesOn the SAT, the word "that" is often used to begin a clause functioning as an adjective to describe the preceding noun or noun phrase. Identify the antecedent of "that" to determine subject-verb agreement forthese clauses.In the above example, the adjective clause describes the singular "earring," so the verb is the singular "is."In the above example, even though "paperwork" is singular, its appositive "documents…house" is plural. The adjective clause describes the plural noun right before it: "documents." Therefore, the correct verb is the plural "were."Dependent clauses can also begin with other words like "who," "whom," "whose," "which," "where," "when," and "why."Example:Jamal is a senior who participates in track and field events.

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-VerbPractice3. Water striders—tiny insects that ______ on water and can go their entire lives without touching land—primarily inhabit humid, rainy regions.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A) is walkingB) walkC) walksD) has walkedAnswer4. A researcher who studied infants ______ that an interest in socializing begins even before babies develop language skills.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A) were findingB) have foundC) findD) has foundAnswerGerund as SubjectsA gerund looks like a verb because it ends with "–ing," but it functions as a singular noun.Examples:Swimming are a fun activity and can be good exercise.Swimming is a fun activity and can be good exercise.In these examples, "swimming" functions as the sentence's subject. Notice in the correct example that this gerund is followed by the singular verb "is." Whenever a gerund is a verb's subject, the verb must be singular.Sometimes, the gerund subject and its verb are separated by other words and phrases.

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-VerbHere, the gerund subject "jumping" is separated from the verb "means" by the prepositional phrase "over opponents' pieces." Therefore, the singular verb "means" is used to match the singular noun "jumping," not the plural object "pieces."A gerund might also be part of a dependent clause.Here, the gerund is the subject of the dependent clause that begins with "because," so the corresponding verb must be the singular verb "is."Practice5. Studies suggest that people's musical preferences correspond to their personalities; for instance, enjoying mellow, sophisticated music ______ people open to new experiences, whereas listening to intense music denotes individuals who are conscientious.A) indicatesB) indicateC) are indicatingD) have indicatedAnswer6. Many health systems are starting to emphasize "relational medicine": care that focuses on the patient as a human being, not just on the ailment to be treated. Although this term may be new in the health care industry, the basic idea is not; viewing each person as someone with inherent worth ______ fundamental to numerous faith-based approaches concerning medical ethics.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A) areB) isC) have beenD) wereAnswer

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-VerbInverted Subjects and AntecedentsUsually, the subject of a sentence comes before its main verb. Several students were eating breakfast in the cafeteria.It's important to recognize an inverted subject so that you can select the appropriate corresponding verb. When an independent clause begins with a prepositional phrase followed by its main verb and then its subject, the subject is considered to be inverted.In this case, note that the subject contains the plural noun "dishes." Therefore, the plural "sit" would agree with the subject.When the pronoun "there" begins a sentence, the antecedent it refers to could be either singular or plural, so that noun determines whether a singular or plural verb is needed.Examples:There is several notebooks on the desk.There are several notebooks on the desk.In the above examples, the antecedent for "there" is the plural "notebooks," so the correct verb is the plural "are."

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-VerbPractice7. Sound baths, typically used in yoga studios, surround listeners with sounds generated from simple instruments, like gongs and tuning forks. Sound baths are purported to lead to a deep sense of peace or harmony, and there ______ evidence showing that this type of aural therapy can decrease tension and fatigue while improving blood pressure and respiratory rate.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A) have beenB) areC) wereD) isAnswer8. Close to 30% of US adults claim to have no religious affiliation, and only half of those associatedwith a spiritual group attend worship services on a regular basis. Consequently, "secular congregations" have filled people's desire for ritual and community; in fact, among those who attend such assemblies ______ humanists who want to cultivate a sense of belonging and purpose.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A) areB) isC) wasD) has beenAnswerThings to Remember: Verbs must agree with their subjects in number (singular or plural). Don't be distracted by words that interrupt the subject and verb; locate the subject of the verb by asking who or what is completing an action or being discussed in the sentence. If the noun described by an adjective clause functions as a subject, choose the corresponding singular or plural verb offered in the answer choices. Gerunds are singular, and their corresponding verbs should be singular as well. When prepositional phrases begin a sentence and are immediately followed by a verb, look for the inverted subject after the verb to determine subject-verb agreement. When "there" begins an independent clause, determine whether its antecedent is singular or plural and then choose a verb that matches in number. Because SAT texts are written in third-person, if three answers are singular, choose the plural answer; if three answers are plural, choose the singular answer.

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-VerbAgreement: Subject-VerbCheck for Understanding1. Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev's Fathers and Sons (1862), a controversial book when published, ______ the tension not only between generations but also between intellectual and societal values.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A)have exploredB)exploreC)are exploringD)explores2. A variety of approaches have been tried for diverting the flow of lava from erupting volcanoes, and among those deemed somewhat successful ______ the construction of ditches to direct the hot, viscous fluid away from towns.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A) wasB)have beenC)wereD)are3. A growing body of research suggests that winter can have a profound effect on people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In fact, according to the American Psychiatric Association, five percent of Americans experience depressive symptoms that ______ known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.A) isB)wasC)areD)has been4. John Cage composed "Organ2 /ASLSP" (1987) with the tempo marking "as slowly as possible," and most performances have lasted between 20 and 70 minutes. However, a group of organists, artists, scholars, and theologians ____ the directive literally and made a very long performance a reality at the St. Burchardi Church in Halberstadt, Germany, where the piece began playing in 2001and will continue to play until the year 2640.Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?A) are takingB)have takenC)has takenD)were taking

Standard English ConventionsAgreement: Subject-Verb5. According to a national study, American adults tend to sleep less if they do not consume the recommended amount of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains as compared to those who do. Likewise, a separate study found that increasing fruit and vegetable intake for three months leads to better sleep quality and reductions in insomnia. Therefore, eating healthy foods ______ to correspond with getting a good night's sleep.A) seemB) seemsC) have seemedD) are seeming