Grammar and Language Workbook

A predicate nominative differing in number from the subject
agr
Fast-paced adventure movies was always Jenny’s choice.
S
OLUTION
Fast-paced adventure movies were always Jenny’s choice.
Make the verb agree with the subject, not with the predicate nominative.
P
ROBLEM
3
A subject following the verb
agr
On the sun deck there was several chairs and a table.
agr
Here comes the rain clouds and the heavy, slanting rain.

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Troubleshooter
27
Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
T
roubleshooter
S
OLUTION
On the sun deck there were several chairs and a table.
Here come the rain clouds and the heavy, slanting rain.
Look for the subject after the verb in an inverted sentence. Make sure
that the verb agrees with the subject.
P
ROBLEM
4
Collective nouns as subjects
agr
The crowd really like the music, doesn’t it?
agr
Margaret’s company arrives tomorrow by bus and by train.
S
OLUTION
A
The crowd really likes the music, doesn’t it?
Use a singular verb if the collective noun refers to a group as a whole.
S
OLUTION
B
Margaret’s company arrive tomorrow by bus and by train.
Use a plural verb if the collective noun refers to each member of a group
individually.
P
ROBLEM
5
A noun of amount as the subject
agr
The past two days seems like a week.
agr
One thousand millimeters equal a meter.
S
OLUTION