1. Subject-Verb Agreement (Grammar #5) and Group Discussions of the Persuasive Essay
You need one printout of your first draft for class today! If you don’t have one, run to YBOR 303b and print one!

2. Subjects and Verbs
The SUBJECT tells WHO OR WHAT is DOING THE ACTION of the sentence.

3. Subjects and Verbs The VERB: tells the ACTION of the sentence OR
Subject-Verb Agreement (Grammar #5) and Group Discussions of the Persuasive Essay
Subjects and Verbs
The VERB:
tells the ACTION of the sentence OR
connects the subject to a word that renames or describes it (LINKING VERB).

4. Subjects and Verbs
The SUBJECT tells WHO OR WHAT is DOING THE ACTION of the sentence.

5. Basic Rule of S-V Agreement:
s no s
(Also, no s s)

6. Either the subject OR the verb ends in -s, but not both!
Basic Rule: s no s
In other words, plural NOUNS add -s.
Plural VERBS do not add -s.
The boy asks for help.
The students ask for help.
A student asks for help.
People ask for help.
Either the subject OR the verb ends in -s, but not both!

7. RED FLAG #1:
PHRASES that come between the subject and the verb
(Hint: Cross out prepositional phrases!)
Each of the basketball players is excited about tonight’s game.

8. Commas separate things that aren’t important!
Subject-Verb Agreement (Grammar #5) and Group Discussions of the Persuasive Essay
RED FLAG #2:
INTERRUPTERS are not part of the subject. (Cross them out!) Examples: together with, in addition to, along with, and as well as
The carpet in our room, as well as the rugs in the hall, was soaked.
2. My major problem, in addition to bad test scores, was tardiness.
Commas separate things that aren’t important!

9. RED FLAG #3: 1. The team always wins when I do not watch the game.
COLLECTIVE NOUNS are singular.
(Remember, there’s no “I” in “team.”)
1. The team always wins when I do not watch the game.
2. The jury in the murder case has a tough decision to make.

10. the workers but not the salt.
RED FLAG #4:
All, most, and some can be singular OR plural.
(Hint: Look at the object of the preposition that follows.)
Some of the workers on the building have left for the day.
Some of the salt (no -s) was spilled on the floor.
You could count
the workers but not the salt.

11. RED FLAG #5:
Indefinite pronouns like everyone and everybody are always singular.
-one body thing
1. Everyone who worked on the science project is a winner.
2. Someone has to answer the phone.

12. Singular indefinite pronouns
someone anyone no one everyone
somebody anybody nobody everybody
something anything nothing everything
each either neither none one
both few many several
Plural indefinite pronouns

13. GROUP DISCUSSIONS (PEER REVISING) OF PERSUASIVE ESSAY
Break into groups of three, read one group member’s essay out loud and discuss it using the handout. Repeat with the other essays.

14. CONFERENCE #1 (MANDATORY)
Subject-Verb Agreement (Grammar #5) and Group Discussions of the Persuasive Essay
CONFERENCE #1 (MANDATORY)
Class will not meet Thursday, Feb. 25, because of conferences. BE SURE YOU HAVE RESERVED A TIME with the “Scheduler” in the “Calendar” section of Canvas! The 15-minute conferences will take place in YADM 108 unless I specifically tell you otherwise.
PLEASE BE ON TIME.
You must bring
1. your thesis statement for the research paper,
2. your working outline for the research paper (if you have trouble with it, we can discuss that), and
You should bring
3. your graded sample paragraph and analytical essay (with my comments), and
4. your source and note cards for the research paper.