Gerunds
(Subject, object of verb or preposition?)
(Subject, object of verb or preposition?)
What is the grammatical function of the gerund phrase?
Amending the U.S. Constitution is an extremely difficult process; since the Constitution was ratified more than two hundred years ago, some eleven thousand amendments have been proposed, but only twenty-seven have been enacted.
Amending the U.S. Constitution is a subject.
Philosopher John Dalton is credited with developing our modern theory about atoms. Dalton proposed that _____ make up elements and combine to form chemical compounds
they
During the 1950s, the singer and actor Paul Robeson was prosecuted for speaking out against racism in the United States. Many attempts were made to discredit him and prevent him from performing.
Persecuted means to be treated cruelly or unfairly, usually due to membership in an particular group. Prosecuted means to have legal action brought against you, or to be put on trial, for a supposed crime.
Neither the television nor loud music wakes Mr. Hogan when he's sleeping.
Correct
Landing on my outstretched hand, I kept perfectly still as the butterfly tentatively moved its wings back and forth before taking off.
Incorrect. This sentence wrongly suggests that the speaker is landing on his or her own outstretched hand.
To improve the taste of water, Europeans began filtering water slowly through sand in the early 1800s.
filtering water slowly through sand is the object of the verb.
(subject verb agreement with pronoun usage)
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics have classified huh as a universal word because everyone, across all languages, use it or something similar to ask for clarification.
uses
The unique ways in which the bones in our skulls vibrate in response to sound waves may subtly effect our musical preferences.
Affect is usually a verb that means to change or influence. Effect is usually a noun that means an outcome or result.
Pollution and disease was to blame for the decimation of the Chesapeake Bay oyster population in the 1990s.
Incorrect. Was=Were
Trying to fall asleep, I felt uncomfortably hot in the sheets.
Correct. This sentence correctly suggests that I was trying to fall asleep.
Before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson played football for a semi-professional team in Hawaii.
Signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers is the object of the preposition before.
"Looking at this photo, your likely to be surprised," Billy said. "Many people guess that they are looking at a picture of the moon's surface, but its actually Nevada. The craters were caused by nuclear tests."
you're, it's
City officials held a special meeting on Thursday to censor the mayor for his unethical dealings with local corporations.
Censure means to criticize something, usually officially and publicly. Censor means to suppress materials or portions of materials, such as books, that are considered wrong or offensive.
Either baby kale or spinach makes a nice addition to Tuscan white bean soup.
Correct. Either is a SINGULAR indefinite pronoun.
Waking at five o'clock, the sky was pitch black and the usually frenetic city was almost painfully quiet.
Incorrect. Because the modifier waking at five o'clock is adjacent to the sky, this sentence wrongly suggests that the sky was waking at five o'clock.
Before defrosting the windshield, Kate tried to remove the ice and snow from her vehicle.
Defrosting the windshield is the object of the preposition before.
Abraham Lincoln invented an inflatable device for buoying a boat in shallow waters. Him even went so far as to create a model, but the device was never put into production.
He
After Kate took a relaxing bath and had a cup of hot cocoa, she lay down in bed and immediately fell into a deep slumber.
correct. Lay, when used in the present tense, means to put or set down something. Lay can also be the past-tense form of lie, as in lay down. Laid is the past-tense form of lay and means put or set down something.
Identify if there is correct subject-verb agreement. If incorrect, correct the verb.
Depending on the critic's point of view, either Illinois or Wisconsin have the best buildings designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Incorrect. Have=Has
Ancient Egyptians enjoyed a type of candy—similar to today's marshmallows—made from the sap of the marsh-mallow plant.
Correct because similar to today's marshmallows is adjacent to a type of candy, which is what it should modify.
When the baker finishes kneading the bread dough, he'll form it into a ball, brush it with butter, and sprinkle it with sesame seeds.
Kneading the bread dough is the object of the verb finishes.
When students write essays, you need to edit carefully.
Incorrect, you=they
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have found that taking one low dose of aspirin everyday could lower the risk of certain cancers.
Every day means each day. Everyday means ordinary or usual.
"Do the concierge or desk staff have any restaurant recommendations?" Denise asked her husband.
Incorrect. Do=Does
Winston saw monkeys and peacocks on vacation in India.
Incorrect- This sentence has a misplaced modifier. It wrongly suggests that the monkeys and peacocks were on vacation.