Module 5.1: Faulty Agreement Flashcards
What is faulty agreement?
When two terms in a sentence are grammatically inconsistent.
What are the two most typical inconsistencies in faulty agreement?
- Subjects and verbs
- Nouns and pronouns
What is subject-verb agreement?
The requirement for the subject and verb to agree in a sentence.
Correct the faulty subject-verb agreement: ‘The mayor sign the contract.’
The mayor signs the contract.
True or False: ‘They’, ‘their’, and ‘them’ are widely accepted as gender-neutral singular pronouns.
True
Fill in the blank: The cat was licking ______ whiskers.
its
What do collective nouns refer to?
Groups.
What influences the choice between singular or plural verbs with collective nouns?
- English dialect
- Whether the members of the group are acting together or independently
In UK English, how can collective nouns be treated?
Either singular or plural.
Provide an example of a collective noun always treated as plural.
Police.
When adjectives are used as collective nouns, what type of verb should they take?
Plural verb.
What are mass nouns?
Nouns that refer to things that are not individuated, such as milk or advice.
Correct the faulty mass noun usage: ‘The luggage are heavy.’
The luggage is heavy.
What should compound subjects formed using ‘and’ be followed by?
A plural verb.
Correct the sentence: ‘The cats and the dog is outside.’
The cats and the dog are outside.
When using ‘either…or’ or ‘nor’, how should the verb agree?
With the noun closest to it.
Correct the following: ‘Neither Graham nor the boys are going to bake the birthday cake.’
Neither Graham nor the boys is going to bake the birthday cake.
What is the difference between subject pronouns and object pronouns?
- Subject pronouns replace the subject
- Object pronouns replace the object
Correct the sentence: ‘Jeremy and me are going to the cinema.’
Jeremy and I are going to the cinema.
In sentences with parenthetical clauses, the verb should agree with the subject of which clause?
The main clause.
Correct the following: ‘The mayor, as well as many people in the city, care about pollution.’
The mayor, as well as many people in the city, cares about pollution.
What is the guideline for using types of/kinds of/varieties of with nouns?
- Use plural form with countable nouns
- Use singular form with uncountable nouns
Fill in the blank: A singular phrase like ______ is always followed by singular nouns.
type of
