How do you create subject-verb agreement when a prepositional phrase interrupts the subject and verb?
To ensure subject-verb agreement when a prepositional phrase interrupts the subject and verb, follow these steps:
1. Identify the subject of the sentence.
2. Pay attention to any prepositional phrases that come between the subject and verb.
3. Ignore the prepositional phrases and focus on the subject.
4. Make the verb agree with the subject.
Here's an example to illustrate this:
Incorrect: The group of students were playing in the park.
Correct: The group of students was playing in the park.
In this example, "group" is the subject, while "of students" is the prepositional phrase that separates it from the verb "were." Since the subject is "group," which is singular, the verb should be "was" (singular) instead of "were" (plural).
Remember that prepositional phrases do not affect subject-verb agreement. Therefore, it's essential to identify the subject separate from any intervening prepositional phrases and then match the verb accordingly.
When a prepositional phrase interrupts the subject and verb, you can still maintain subject-verb agreement by following these steps:
Step 1: Identify the true subject of the sentence.
Look for the noun or pronoun that the verb is actually referring to. Ignore any nouns or pronouns within the prepositional phrase.
Step 2: Determine the number of the true subject.
Identify if the true subject is singular or plural.
Step 3: Ensure that the verb agrees with the true subject.
Choose the verb form that matches the number of the true subject. Use a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural subject.
Step 4: Place the prepositional phrase correctly in the sentence.
Place the prepositional phrase before or after the subject and verb while maintaining subject-verb agreement.
By following these steps, you can create subject-verb agreement even when a prepositional phrase interrupts the subject and verb in a sentence.