Misc Grammar Rules Flashcards
Pronouns
Definition: take place of nouns
Subjective Case: I, You, He, She, It, We, They, Who
Objective Case: Me, You, Him, Her, It, Us, Them, Whom
** Pronouns must agree (singular / plural )
ex) Singular Agreement
EVERY STUDENT at the party tried to look HIS OR HER best.
ex) Plural Agreement
Even though SOME possess the flexibility to put their legs over their heads, most people vary in THEIR ability to achieve this feat.
Which vs That after a text
> “which” is used when text follows a comma
ex) The red hose, which appeared to be angry, fired at the bystanders.
> “that” is used when there is no comma after text
ex) The red hose that appeared to be angry, fired at the bystanders.
Ambiguous Pronoun Case
A pronoun in a sentence that potentially refers to two subjects.
- ***WRONG in the SAT
ex) John told Randy that he would pick up the bat.
Compound Subject Pronouns
Ex) Her and her friend went out for dinner. X WRONG
> Her changes to the subjective case SHE.
> > Strategy:
a) Separate the two subjects into two sentences and identify the error.
I vs Me
I is used as the subject
> “My friend and I went to the park.”
Me is used as an object of a preposition.
> “ Give me some water.”
Me vs. My
“My” is used as a possessive word.
>Make sure to look at the subject.
> Is the subject about you or something else?
Ex) When it comes to MY studying for the math tests, “concentration” is my middle name.
Pronoun Consistency
If you start talking about “one” stick with it.
If you start taking about “you” stick with it.
Comparisons Using Pronouns
Ex) “I’m much smarter than her….” X Wrong
Strategy: Add the implied ‘is’ after last pronoun,
> I’m much smarter than her (is). X Wrong
> I’m much smarter than she (is) +Correct
Double Negatives
Do not use two negative words in the same phrase.
Ex) Katie CAN’T SCARCELY stand to wear her gymnastics leotard.
X Wrong
Conditional Statement
The conditional is a verb form used to describe something uncertain or dependent on something else.
Pattern: “If…were…would.”
Subject- Verb Agreement
> The Subject After the Verb.
Even though ESTHER created a petition to protest the crowing of a Prom Queen, THERE ARE many people who refused to sign, saying they support the 1950’s-era tradition.
> People is plural so ‘ARE’ must agree.
Subject-Verb Agreement
> Subject and Verb Are Separated
SUNDAES with whipped cream and cherries, while good if consumed in moderation, IS HEINOUS if eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
> Omit any clauses in between and you get your main subject and verb.
