Subject and Verb Agreement
Subject and Verb Agreement
Common Usage Problems
Common Usage Problems
Capitalization
100
Tornado winds (races, race) at around 240 miles per hour.
race *A singular subject must have a singular verb. *A plural subject must have a plural verb.
100
A city or vacation spot located near the ocean (is, are) in danger of a tidal wave.
is
100
The service employed about eighty riders (altogether, all together) to deliver the mail.
altogether
100
• 14. The new transcontinental telegraph had a major (affect, effect) on the pony express, quickly shutting it down.
effect
100
• seventy million years ago, the rock appeared much different from the way it does today: it was a small island surrounded by an inland sea.
Seventy million years ago, the rock appeared much different from the way it does today: It was a small island surrounded by an inland sea.
200
• A watersprout with winds of less tan 50 miles per hour usually (lasts, last) longer than a tornadao does.
lasts
200
• Small vessels caught in a storm (tosses, toss) violently from side to side.
Toss
200
• 15. For (awhile, a while) ships and stagecoaches were the only means to deliver mail form the East to California.
a while
200
• 16. At first, no one had any idea (as to, about) the exact time it would take a rider to travel from Missouri to California.
about
200
• The northern edge of the desert terminates in the atlas mountains, a dramatic scene that has been photographed from satellites such as landsat.
The northern edge of the desert terminates in the Atlas Mountains, a dramatic scene that has been photographed from satellites such as Landsat.
300
• A storm cellar under homes also (provides, provide) an excellent source of shelter.
provides
300
• Late summer and early fall (is, are) hurricane season.
is
300
• They were chosen (due to, because of) their light weight.
because of
300
• The service (just lasted, lasted just) a year and a half.
lasted just
300
• By the time of the roman empire, the region had completely turned to desert.
By the time of the Roman Empire, the region had completely turned to desert.
400
• Dull-red sunsets or a high barmetric reading (predicts, predict) a potential hurricane brewing at sea.
predicts
400
• In modern times, the radio or television (allows, allow) people to learn about a hurricane before it strikes.
allows
400
• (Besides, Besides) letters, pony express riders also carried small packages.
Besides
400
• 20. The telegraph was faster (than, then) the pony express.
than
400
• 29. french-speaking, german-speaking, and Italian-speaking peoples inhabit the area.
French-speaking, German-speaking, and Italian-speaking peoples inhabit the area.
500
• A few in the class (is, are) frightened by the strength of the twister.
are
500
• Everyone studying tornadoes (has, have) learned some amazing facts.
has
500
• 22. Crime in the West was widespread (like it, as it) was in the East.
as it
500
• 23. The handbag is (lying, laying) on the floor.
lying
500
• 30. The mayor usually works on the budget.
correct
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