Grammar for Everyone - Barbara Dykes 2007
16 More about verbs - Subjects matching verbs
Introduction
Part II The parts of speech
Before further study of verbs, students should know:
• the definition and function of a verb
• the terms and function of the subject
• the concept of number, i.e. singular and plural
• the difference between a finite and a non-finite verb
• the concept of simple tenses, past, present and future
’Brilliant minds (if only they could write)’ was the headline in a recent edition of the Courier Mail (3 October 2006). Professor Michael Good, director of QIMR (Queensland Institute for Medical Research), has stated that as many as one third of PhD students at the institute produced unsatisfactory written English, and remedial classes had been established there. The deficiencies concerned basics, particularly in the area of punctuation and including a verb in every sentence.
This emphasises the importance of ensuring that, as early as primary school, students establish an understanding of verbs and various verb forms. Contrary to the view expressed by some educationists, it is not sufficient for grammar to be dealt with ’by the way’ or ’as it arises within subjects’, for reasons already mentioned. Not all teachers, especially those of subjects other than English, are sufficiently secure in their own knowledge of grammar to pass it on. Reminders and correction of errors should be ongoing, but the establishment of a core knowledge structure, including a command of terminology, must first be established.
The assumption that exercises such as parsing are too abstract to be relevant is a contradiction. Parsing, for example, demonstrates students’ recognition of the parts of speech. It is the term for an exercise that reveals the scope of their understanding, just as the acts of multiplying and dividing demonstrate a student’s understanding and command of number principles. The question should not be whether you do it, but how well you do it.
In this section, we study some more terms, which are very simple in concept and provide us with more language to talk about language - invaluable for studying a foreign one - and skills for the improvement of written expression.
As we think about the categories to follow, we learn much more about how our fascinating language works. If an alien from outer space were to land on earth and see a box for the first time, we might try to explain that it was a container to put things in. If we were then to actually put things into the box, the meaning would be so much more real. In the same way, the more clearly we can demonstrate and practise our explanations, the better they will be understood.
We can think of verbs as the hub of every sentence. A sentence need not include an adjective, an adverb, a preposition or an object, but it must contain at least one finite verb.
Subjects matching verbs
The subject of a sentence must match its verb. This applies mainly to number, but there are some pronouns that cause confusion and warrant attention. Clear thinking enables us to avoid mistakes.
Consider the following pronouns:
Singular
none (not one)
anyone
someone
everybody (everyone)
either/neither (one)
Plural
both (two)
several (more than two, but not many)
For example:
no one/neither has arrived
but both/all have arrived
Uncountable forms are mainly in the singular.
For example:
much, little, less ...
Too much rain floods (sing.) the river
Take care with the pronoun some, which can refer to an unspecified number in the plural or an uncountable quantity. Consider which is the case here:
Too much food is (sing.) bad for you.
There are many foods available - some are better for you than others.
Similarly, it is correct to say ’May I have less meat’ (you cannot count meat), but we must ask for fewer potatoes because they can be counted.
16.1 Activities: matching pronouns and verbs
1. Students use a selection of the above pronouns in their own sentences and underline the verb, for example:
Neither: Neither of the boys is ready to go.
2. Students enter a verb (in the present tense) or complete the one given.
a. No one..... ... toad for breakfast.
b. Both ... coming to the show.
c. Everybody ... a dog.
d. Either you or I ... misunderstood.
e. Someone ... my drink, every day.
f. Several ... at the window.
g. Neither of us ... graffiti on walls.
Checklist: subject and verb agreement
Students should now be able to:
• list given pronouns under the headings Singular and Plural
• follow the given pronouns with the correct verb (orally and in writing)