Toefl Skill 18 & 19

SKILL 18   MAKE VERBS AGREE AFTER PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

Sometimes prepositional phrases can come between the subject and the verb. If the object of the preposition is singular and the subject is plural, or if the object of the preposition is plural and the subject is singular, there can be confusion in making the subject and verb agree.

The key (to the doors) are* in the drawer.

SINGULAR                     PLURAL

The keys (to the door) is* in the drawer.

PLURAL                     SINGULAR

(* indicates an error)

In the first example you might think that doors is the subject because it comes directly in front of the verb are. However, doors is not the subject because it is the object of the preposition to. The subject of the sentence is key, so the verb should be is. In the second example you might think that door is the subject because it comes directly in front of the verb is. You should recognize in this example that door is not the subject because it is the object of the preposition to. Because the subject of the sentence is keys, the verb should be are.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should understand about subject/verb agreement with prepositional phrases:

SUBJECT / VERB AGREEMENT AFTER PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

(prepositional phrase)

S                                                             V

When a prepositional phrase come between the subject, and the verb), be sure that the verb agrees with subject

SKILL 19   MAKE VERBS AGREE AFTER EXPRESSIONS OF

QUANTITY

A particular agreement problem occurs when the subject is an expression of quantity, such as all, most, or some, followed by the preposition of. In this situation, the subject (all most, or some) can be singular or plural, depending on what follows the preposition of.

All (of the book) was interesting.

SINGULAR

All (of the books) were interesting.

PLURAL

All (of the information) was interesting.

UNCOUNTABLE

In the first example the subject all refers to the singular noun book, so the correct verb is therefore the singular verb was. In the second example the subject all refers to the plural noun books, so the correct verb is the plural verb were. In the third example the subject all refers to the uncountable noun information, so the correct verb is therefore the singular verb was.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should understand about subject/verb agreement after expressions of quantity:

SUBJECT / VERB AGREEMENT AFTER EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY

all
most
some	OF THE (OBJECT)		V
half

When an expression of quantity is the subject, the verb agrees with the object

TOEFL EXERCISE Choose the letter of the word or group of words that best completes the sentence.

____	1.	The contracts signed by the company has been voided because some stipulations
		were not met.
____	2.	Ten miles beyond the river was the farmlands that they had purchased with
		their life savings.
____	3.	Each package that is not properly wrapped have to be returned to the sender.
____	4.	She would not have to enter the house through the bedroom window were the
		keys where they were supposed to be.
____	5.	The proposal brought so much new work to the partnership that there was not

1.    Among bees____a highly elaborate form of communication.

(A)    occur

(B)    occurs

(C)    it occurs

(D)    they occur

2.     ________ heated by solar energy have special collectors on the roofs to trap sunlight.

(A)      A home is

(B)      Homes are

(C)      A home

(D)      Homes

Choose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct.

____	3.	Each number in a binary system are formed from only two symbols.
		A	B	C		D
____	4.	Scientists at the medical center is trying			to determine if there is a relationship
			A		B	C
		between saccharine and cancer.
		D
____	5.	On the rim of the Kilauea volcano in the Hawaiian Islands are a hotel called the
		A			B	C	D

Volcano Hotel.

sumber: johan h.f, anne juwita. 2009. smart way to toefl. jakarta : generasi cerdas