Subject-Verb Agreement
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
Every one of the shirts have a green collar.
What is change have to has?*
Every one of the shirts has a green collar.
*Explanation: The pronoun one is singular and requires singular verbs. Do not be misled by the object of the preposition.
The capitalization error in the following sentence is?
The president of the United States wields much power.
What is capitalize President?
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
I saw our town's ex Mayor in the mall.
What is add a hyphen between ex-mayor, and do not capitalize mayor.*
I saw our town's ex-mayor in the mall.
*Explanation: hyphenate words beginning with the prefix ex; do not capitalize titles unless they directly precede a name.
What needs to be changed to make the sentence correct?
I took Angie the one with the freckles to the movie last night.
What is put a comma before the and after freckles*
I took Angie, the one with the freckles, to the movie last night.
*Explanation: enclose nonessential material (“the one with the freckles”) in commas.
What is the correction that needs to be made?
She said, “bees are not the only insects that sting.”
What is change bee to Bee?
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
Neither she nor I are getting the lunch special.
What is change are to am?*
Neither she nor I am getting the lunch special.
*Explanation: see Explanation 6. In this case, the verb must agree with the subject pronoun "I."
The capitalization error in the following sentence is?
I enjoy Summer more than any other season.
What is change Summer to summer?
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
You are my friend however, I cannot afford to lend you any more money.
What is put a semicolon after friend?*
You are my friend; however, I cannot afford to lend you any more money.
*Explanation: use a semicolon between two closely related independent clauses.
What needs to be changed to make the sentence correct?
You are I am sure telling the truth.
What is put a comma after are and after sure?*
You are, I am sure, telling the truth.
*Explanation: use commas to surround an interrupting expression (“I am sure”).
What is the correction that needs to be made?
“You must understand,” he pleaded, “That I need more time to pay you.”
What is change That to that?
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
The coat or the hats is in that closet.
What is change is to are?*
The coat or the hats are in that closet.
*Explanation: when a singular and plural subject are connected by or, either/or, or neither/nor, the verb agrees with the subject closer to it.
The capitalization error in the following sentence is?
Have you read All The King's Men?
What is change The to the?
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
John F. Kennedy Jr., became a magazine publisher and a pilot, before his tragic death.
What is take out the commas in the sentence?*
John F. Kennedy Jr. became a magazine publisher and a pilot before his tragic death.
*Explanation: no commas are necessary in this sentence.
What needs to be changed to make the sentence correct?
She left Albany New York on January 18 of that year.
What is put a comma after Albany and after New York?*
She left Albany, New York, on January 18 of that year.
*Explanation: use a comma to separate the city from the state and another after the state.
What is the correction that needs to be made?
Carmen said, “I think "Ring the Alarm" is a great song.”
What is change "Ring the Alarm" to ‘Ring the Alarm’?
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
Each of the dancers twirl brilliantly.
What is change twirl to twirls?*
Each of the dancers twirls brilliantly.
*Explanation: The pronoun each is singular and requires singular verbs. Do not be misled by the object of the preposition.
The capitalization error in the following sentence is?
I enjoy Summer more than any other season.
What is change Summer to summer?
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
The elections will be held on Tuesday November 6, 2018 and the polls will be kept open until 8:00 p.m.
What is put a comma after Tuesday and after 2018?*
The elections will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, and the polls will be kept open until 8:00 p.m.
*Explanation: When month, day, and year are mentioned before the end of a sentence, put a comma after the day and another after the year. When, as in this sentence, the day of the week is mentioned first, follow it with a comma also.
What needs to be changed to make the sentence correct?
I need sugar butter and eggs from the grocery store.
What is put a comma after sugar and a comma after butter?*
I need sugar, butter, and eggs from the grocery store.
*Explanation: use commas to separate words and word groups in a series of three or more.
What is the correction that needs to be made?
Do you believe the saying, “A penny saved is a penny earned?”
What is change the ? to be outside the quotation marks instead of inside the quotation marks?*
*Explanation: “A penny saved is a penny earned” is not a question, so the question mark must be placed outside the quotation marks.
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
The president or the vice president are speaking today.
What is change are to is?*
The president or the vice president is speaking today.
*Explanation: two singular subjects connected by or require a singular verb.
The capitalization error in the following sentence is?
The west, especially California, is famous for its cutting-edge technology.
What is change west to West?*
*“The West” refers to a specific geographical region of the United States.
What needs to be corrected in this sentence?
Right now I want two things peace and quiet.
What is put a colon after things?*
Right now I want two things: peace and quiet.
*Explanation: use a colon when examples follow a statement.
What needs to be changed to make the sentence correct?
Although you may be right I cannot take your word for it.
What is put a comma after right?
Although you may be right, I cannot take your word for it.
*Explanation: use a comma after a dependent clause that starts a sentence.
What is the correction that needs to be made?
“Is it almost over” he asked?
What is put a ? after over and a period after asked.*
*Explanation: “Is it almost over?” is a question, so the question mark must be placed inside the quotation marks.