Gruber's Complete SAT Guide 2019-2020 by Gary Gruber

Author:Gary Gruber
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781510754195
Publisher: Skyhorse
Published: 2019-02-18T16:00:00+00:00

*A noun may be of more than one type. For example, “table” is both a common noun and a concrete noun.

*“Its” is the possessive form of the personal pronoun “it.” “It’s” is a contraction of “it is.”

†“Whose” is the possessive form of the relative pronoun “who”; “who’s” is a contraction of “who is.”

‡“Their” is the possessive form of the relative pronoun “they”; “they’re” is a contraction of “they are.”

SUBJECT-VERB RELATIONSHIP

6a. A verb must agree with its subject in number and in person.

Dr. Shu has office hours from 8 until 4.

(The third person singular form of “to have” agrees with the subject “Dr. Shu.”)

Robin and I play squash every Tuesday.

(The first person plural form of “to play” agrees with the compound subject “Robin and I.”)

6b. Collective nouns are followed by singular or plural verbs according to the sense of the sentence.

The jury has asked for more time.

(The third person singular is used because the jury is considered to be a unified body.)

The jury are unable to agree.

(The third person plural is used because the jury is considered to be a group of twelve persons.)

To summarize, a collective noun is singular when it refers to a group as a single unit.

A minority in Congress is delaying passage of the bill.

A collective noun is plural when it refers to the individual members of the group.

A minority of senators want to defeat the bill.

6c. Some indefinite pronouns are always singular in meaning.

Each of the candidates wants an opportunity to discuss his beliefs.

Anyone is allowed to use the public beach.

Any one of us is willing to help.

Some indefinite pronouns are always plural in meaning.

Many of the drawings were beautiful.

A few of the windows were broken.

Several of Joe’s friends are sorry that he left.

6d. A verb should be singular if its subject has “every” or “many a” just before it.

Many a celebrity feels entitled to more privacy than the paparazzi allow.

Every man, woman, and child wants to be happy.

Some indefinite pronouns may be singular or plural, depending on the meaning of the sentence.

Some of the books have been lost.

Some of the work was completed.

All of the ice cream is gone.

All of the men have left.

Most of the talk was about football.

Most of the people were dissatisfied.

6e. When singular subjects are joined by “or” or “nor,” the subject is considered to be singular.

Neither the mother nor her daughter was ever seen again.

One or the other of us has to buy the tickets.

6f. When one singular and one plural subject are joined by “or” or “nor,” the subject closer to the verb determines the number of the verb.

Neither the plumber nor the painters have finished.

Either the branch offices or the main office closes at 4.

6g. When the subjects joined by “or” or “nor” are of different persons, the subject nearer the verb determines the person.

She or you are responsible.

You or she is responsible.

To avoid such awkward sentences, place a verb next to each subject.

Either she is responsible or you are.

Either you are responsible or she is.

6h. Even if the verb comes before the subject, the verb agrees with the true subject in number and person.

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