leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing

LEAVE THE MAIN SUBJECT TEMPORARILY IN SPEECH OR WRITING Crossword Clue

All solutions for leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing, top answers for: leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing, leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing crossword puzzle solutions.

We have 1 solution for the frequently searched for crossword lexicon term LEAVE THE MAIN SUBJECT TEMPORARILY IN SPEECH OR WRITING. Our best crossword lexicon answer is: DIGRESS.

For the puzzel question LEAVE THE MAIN SUBJECT TEMPORARILY IN SPEECH OR WRITING we have solutions for the following word lenghts 7.

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What is the best solution to the riddle leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing.

Solution DIGRESS is 7 letters long. So far we haven´t got a solution of the same word length.

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We have 1 solutions to the crossword puzzle LEAVE THE MAIN SUBJECT TEMPORARILY IN SPEECH OR WRITING. The longest solution is DIGRESS with 7 letters and the shortest solution is DIGRESS with 7 letters.

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The length of the solution word is 7 letters. Most of the solutions have 7 letters. In total we have solutions for 1 word lengths.

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Definition to Remember:

• Subject = Who/what is doing the action

Always find the verb first. Once you do, ask yourself, “Who or what is doing the action?” Picture the action in your mind. Is the answer you have come up with logical? Are the action you have named and the subject you have identified the chief intent of the sentence?

If you have been taught to think of a subject as a person, place, or thing, be careful. A noun is a person, place, or thing, but the main subject of a sentence can be more: a verb phrase, an adjectival phrase, or even an implied entity.

“As a long-time manager of multiple departments, a critical skill I look for in hiring for management and professional positions is the ability to communicate well in writing. The ability to communicate well in emails, reports, and in other documents is a requirement for advancing in one’s career.” Wes Friesen, Manager

If your main verb is a linking verb, the “Who or what is doing the action?” may need a little finessing. For example, consider this sentence: The hotel carpet is colorful. If you have named is as your main verb, ask yourself, “Who or what is ?” Your answer should be carpet .

A helpful trick : To locate the main subject and main verb, begin by eliminating the factors that you know cannot contain the main subject or main verb. Those include the following:

• Prepositional phrases: a 3- to 4-word phrase that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun, such as on the floor, after the party, over the bridge, etc.
• Articles : the, a, an
• Infinitive verbs: to + verb, such as to run, to sit, to eat, to sleep
• Gerund verbs without helper verbs: -ing verb, such as running, sitting, eating, sleeping
• Introductory phrases: before the long drive, after I called him, on Monday
• Concluding phrases: before the long drive, after I called him, on Monday (such phrases can go before or after the main sentence, depending on what you choose to emphasize).

Watch the following reduce from a lengthy sentence to simple math:

[ After class today ], the woman [ with the brown sunglasses ] ran [ across the street ] [ to buy a latte ] [ before getting into her car ].

After class today is a prepositional phrase and an introductory phrase; the is an article; with the brown sunglasses is a prepositional phrase; across the street is a prepositional phrase; to buy a latte is an infinitive verb; and before getting into her car is a prepositional phrase, a gerund verb, and a concluding phrase.

Do you see how the simple math emerges? As you learn to cross out the extraneous factors where a main subject and main verb cannot hide, you will begin to see the subject and verb emerge in every sentence.

Rules to Remember:

• The brown-haired woman with the red shirt ran past me first. (woman + ran)
• The giant leaves of the palm tree were tinged with brown. (leaves + were)
• The heavyset waiter forgot to take my order. (waiter + forgot)
• After a long day of preparing depositions, the attorney settled into his art studio with his paintbrushes, a fresh canvas, and a Chopin prelude. (attorney + settled)
• The cat ran across the yard with his eyes wide with panic and his tale bushed out like a squirrel’s. (cat + ran)
• Once his grandmother arrives, Mark will show her the china in the hall cabinet. (Mark + will)
• The mangoes and the papayas were all bruised at the bottom of the grocery bag. (mangoes, papayas + were) Richard and Stephanie both decided to skip the concert tonight. (Richard, Stephanie + decided)
• When he moved to his new apartment, his friends and his family complained about the number of heavy boxes of books that needed to be carried. (friends, family + complained)
• Wait! You is the implied subject.
• When? You is the implied subject here as well, as in Do you know when?

Common Errors:

• The two-year-old girl spun gleefully in circles across the green lawn. Skirt swirling, spinning and spinning. Spinning is an effective compound main verb, but it is missing a subject. This sentence can be corrected by joining the fragment with the sentence just prior or by adding the missing subject: Skirt swirling, she kept spinning and spinning.
• The red-breasted robin, awake early in March and ready to announce the blooming crocuses, sing a beautiful melody as the sun begins to rise. Robin is singular, which means the main verb must be singular as well: robin + sings.
• The pages of the book got wet in the rainstorm yesterday. Of the book is a prepositional phrase, which will never contain your main subject. The main subject and main verb are as follows: pages + got. Take note that erroneous verbs often occur when a writer inadvertently assumes a noun in a prepositional phrase is the main subject.

Exercise 2.1

Identify the main subject in the following sentences.

• The pitcher threw a fastball.
• Jonah jumped over his brother.
• The president of the company always arrives at the office before anyone else.
• Under his coat, he wore a bright red sweater.
• The lettuce in the salad drawer looks old to me.
• I love a good hamburger.
• The couple danced three waltzes last night.
• My great grandmother always sewed all of her sons’ clothes herself.
• Her coworkers decided to throw her a surprise party.
• He loves that kind of music, even with the odd backbeat.

Exercise 2.2

• Every election season, she keeps the news on every minute that she’s awake.
• When you wake up, you should raise the shades first thing to enjoy the mountain view.
• Are we going to the movie together or separately?
• He never schedules enough time to get all of his work done.
• I put cherries in the red bowl on the counter.
• When her dad was in high school, he learned to type on a manual typewriter.
• The new veterinarian specializes in caring for large animals.
• Their anniversary was yesterday.
• That new dog doesn’t realize that our yard is not part of his property.
• When the police officer pulled her over, the woman explained that she had not seen the new speed limit sign.

Exercise 2.3

Identify and correct the subject and verb errors in the following paragraph.

When Lincoln started his new job at the physician’s office, he weren’t sure what he would be doing. On the first day, he follows Linda around to see what she did. He enjoys sitting at the front desk to greet patients and answer the phones. Gave him a tour of the office complex. Lincoln was learned how to log onto the computers in each exam room. After lunch, Lincoln was surprise to learn that much of Linda’s time is spent talking to insurance companies. Linda gives Lincoln a link to a master list of insurance codes. Joked that he would rather just greet and care for patients. Linda agrees. After eight hours of shadowing Linda, was ready for his first day of work on his own.

Answer Key:

Answer key exercise 2.1, answer key exercise 2.2, answer key exercise 2.3.

When Lincoln started his new job at the physician’s office, he wasn’t sure what he would be doing. On the first day, he followed Linda around to see what she did. He enjoyed sitting at the front desk to greet patients and answer the phones. Linda gave him a tour of the office complex. Lincoln learned how to log onto the computers in each exam room. After lunch, Lincoln was surprised to learn that much of Linda’s time is spent talking to insurance companies. Linda gave Lincoln a link to a master list of insurance codes. Lincoln joked that he would rather just greet and care for patients. Linda agreed . After eight hours of shadowing Linda, Lincoln was ready for his first day of work on his own.

The Simple Math of Writing Well Copyright © 2017 by Dr. Jennie A. Harrop is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

The English Bureau

English for IELTS, Business & Advanced

OMITTING THE SUBJECT IN A SENTENCE

10th March 2016 By Alex Markham 2 Comments

Although omitting the subject of a sentence is normal in some languages, such as Spanish, it is not so common in English. However, t here are certain situations where it’s also perfectly fine in English to leave out the subject. 

Here’s how…

OMITTING THE SUBJECT

Whenever you use a sentence where the subject or the subject with an auxiliary is repeated then this can be left out after the conjunctions: and , but ,  or and then .

English speakers use this all the time and it will makes your English sound more natural .

Here’s how:

• I went into the kitchen and  ( I  )made a cup of tea.
• He travelled to London but ( he ) didn’t visit any tourist places.
• You should either phone him or ( you should ) send him an email.
• First I tasted the chicken and then ( I ) decided on the beef.

Occasionally you can even leave out the subject and the main verb if it’s a repetition.

• First I tried the white wine and then ( I tried ) the red wine.

OMITTING THE SUBJECT IN ENGLISH

This technique of omitting the subject is called ellipsis. In informal spoken language, text messages and informal emails, people will often omit the subject.

You should not do this in formal written English, especially in formal essays for IELTS for example.

Please leave me a comment if you have any specific questions about this article.

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26th March 2023 at 10:27

Hi there, my friend and I have been discussing a few things regarding simple and compound sentences. Would this be a simple or compound sentence: The bear jumped and caught a fish. By definition, ‘caught a fish’ is not an independent clause as it does not contain a subject, however, we understand that the subject (the bear) has been omitted from the sentence as it is implied that it is the bear.

I’d be interested to know your thoughts on this one.

11th May 2023 at 11:42

the example, the bear jumped and caught a fish is called a compound predicate. This is a sentence where two or more verbs share a common subject and are connected by a conjunction – is this case the word and. It is not an example of omitting a subject although you could write the bear jumped and he caught a fish. But that’s an option that subtly changes the meaning and flow of the sentence.

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Vocabulary Made Easy series: Your guide to improve word power

A re you preparing for GRE, IELTS, UPSC, CAT, and other competitive exams? Candidates attempting competitive exams are expected to have knowledge of a wide range of vocabulary as it would help them maximise their verbal and communication scores.

Here is a way to improve your vocabulary. Check out the words for the day and a small quiz to work up your mind.

Denunciation (Noun)

Meaning: Public condemnation of someone or something

Example: Denunciation of his reckless methods

Devoid (Adjective)

Meaning: entirely lacking or free from

Example: She is devoid of common sense

Digress (Verb)

Meaning: leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing

Example: He has a tendency to digress from the topic in hand

Dwindle (Verb)

Meaning: diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength

Example: She did not let her energy dwindle

Check out these questions to understand how much you have grasped.

• Can you think of 5 synonyms for the word digress?
• Increase, flourish and wane. Which of these words is an antonym for the word Dwindle?

Watch out for this space for your weekly update on improving word power.

(Definitions and examples are from Oxford Languages)

Read more news like this on HindustanTimes.com

On Another Note – Meaning & Formal Synonyms

“On another note” is common in formal situations. You should know the basics behind its meaning before using it yourself. This article will explore everything you need to know about it. You’ll also learn some useful alternatives that can replace it in other situations.

What Does “On Another Note” Mean?

“On another note” means something additional but separate from the previous point must be mentioned. “Another” implies that it doesn’t directly correlate with the thing mentioned in the previous sentence. “Note” shows you have something to share for someone to “note down.”

Here are some examples to demonstrate how to use “on another note” in a sentence:

• She did not want to go there alone. On another note, did you see the incredible display of talent at the party?
• You could have been better equipped to deal with this. On another note, I’m glad I was the one they asked to complete it.
• I thought I told you not to be here. On another note, isn’t this such a great place to live? I think I’d like it here.
• There were a few errors in your report. On another note, I was impressed with your lecture at the theatre hall.

“On another note” introduces a new idea to your writing. It does not have to relate to the previous sentence directly. It can have a vague connection, but “another” shows that you’re highlighting something new.

There is no hierarchy of importance when “on another note” is used, either. It does not state that either piece of information is more important than the other.

Now that we’ve seen what “on another note” means, it’s time to look into a few alternatives. The phrase is already great, but you might be more comfortable with something that feels more familiar, depending on the context. We’ve gathered some synonyms that teach you what to say instead of “on another note.”

Other Ways to Say “On Another Note”

Other ways to say “on another note” are “anyhow,” “anyway,” and “but I digress.” These are great synonyms because they keep things simple and suggest a change of topic in a conversation. You can use them when you want to segue into new subjects with the other party.

If you’re wondering about another way to say “on another note,” “anyhow” is one of the best options. It’s more colloquial, but it still works in formal English. It means you have something new to add to a situation that might be useful to hear.

Using words like “anyhow” isn’t always smart in email formats. You should avoid this in formal emails, as written rules tend to be stricter. Nevertheless, formal speaking will accept words like “anyhow” with no issue.

• I did not want to be the only one here. Anyhow, I hear that you’ve had a few rough days. Do you want to talk about them?
• She could have referred to anybody else. Anyhow, who is hosting this party? I haven’t seen them.

“Anyway” is a great example of how to say “on another note” differently. You should use it when you have something pressing to discuss that doesn’t relate to the previous subject.

“Anyway” and “anyhow” are identical in usage. You will find that “anyway” is more common in English than “anyhow” as well. “Anyway” tends to be more useful in written English, as it works better with formal rules.

• I did not think about the outcome. Anyway, do you have any ideas about the upcoming event later this week?
• There were a few faults, but I fixed them. Anyway, enough about work. Let’s talk about you and your life!

3. But I Digress

“But I digress” is great for formal situations when trying to introduce new subjects or talking points. It shows that you’re done talking about a specific situation and want to move into something new (and unrelated).

“Digress” means to leave the main subject temporarily. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to circle back to the main subject. After using “but I digress,” you can choose what to talk about next.

• I was going to talk more about the epidemic, but I digress. Some other issues might make more sense here.
• She could have been here for me. But I digress. Does anyone have anything they’d like to do now?

4. Apart From That

“Apart from that” shows you have something to discuss that doesn’t correlate with the original subject. It shows that something else is relevant for someone to know, even if it has no relationship with the previous subject.

“Apart” shows that there isn’t a direct connection between two things. It shows there is quite some distance between the subjects. When using words like this in your speech or writing, it’s up to you to decide the subject.

• I told them where to stick it. Apart from that, I’ve had a great couple of weeks. I’ve learned more about myself than I realized.
• You needed to be there to understand it. Apart from that, it’s clear that you care deeply about this place. That’s great news.

5. Aside From That

“Aside from that” is synonymous with “apart from that.” “ Aside” is slightly less common, but it’s great to use formally to show that you have something else to add to the “side” of the previous subject.

It usually shows that you have said everything you can about the previous topic of conversation. It’s a good way of starting a conversation about something new.

• He was going to promote me but went with someone else. Aside from that, I’ve been having a blast with my job lately.
• I couldn’t think of a better solution. Aside from that, I still think I’m the best person for the job. I’ll sort it out.

6. On an Unrelated Note

“On an unrelated note” is a direct way to change the subject with no connection to the previous talking points. “Unrelated” is the key here, as it shows that what you’re about to say will have no relevance to the previous topic.

This is great when you want to move a conversation on. If you think you’ve said everything you can or don’t like the tone of the current subject, you should use this phrase to move into something else.

• I’m not sure this is the way to do this. On an unrelated note, did you see the game last night? It was intense.
• She couldn’t have been there at that time . On an unrelated note, have you checked your diary lately?

7. On a Separate Note

You could say “on a separate note” when introducing a new topic of conversation with someone. It’s formal and suggests that you have something different to share.

You might also hear “on a different note” used. “Different” and “separate” are synonymous here. You can mix it up between the two if you want to keep things unique.

• She thought long and hard about the outcomes. On a separate note, she figured it was time to eat some food again.
• I’m not sure I have the answers for you. On a separate note, I would like to invite you to a meeting with Darren later this week.

8. Other Than That

“Other than that” introduces a new idea. “Other” shows that you have something else to talk about that might be useful to someone. It usually implies that the “Other” information isn’t relevant or connected to what you previously talked about.

“Other than that” is great as an introductory clause. It shows that you have finished talking about the previous thing and would like to move on to something new.

• They couldn’t come up with a solution between them. Other than that, they made a surprisingly good team.
• The company is going out of business. Other than that, things couldn’t be going better. I’m proud of myself.

9. But Enough About That

“But enough about that” helps you to move into a new subject when you’ve exhausted everything about the previous one. This is most effective when you’ve started a conversation with a negative subject and would like to make things more positive.

For example, if you’re having a hard time at home, you might talk to someone about your problems. Once you feel like you’ve said enough and don’t want to depress someone too much, you should say “but enough about that” to move on to something more positive.

• You should have noticed the issue before it progressed. But enough about that. I want to hear more from you.
• I knew you weren’t going to help him with this. But enough about that. Let’s get these plans sorted out for later.

10. Moving Right Along

“Moving right along” is a great alternative to use here. It shows that you want to keep your conversation flowing with ideas and “moving” from one subject to another.

It’s great if you enjoy dynamic conversations. This implies that you’re always on the “move” with your subjects, allowing you to discuss multiple things in a very brief window.

• I think this is as far as we can go with this. Moving right along, I’d love to explore some new ideas. Can I run them by you?
• They were going to fire him but changed their minds. Moving right along, does anyone have any ideas that might help us build team morale?

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

• “Please Note” vs. “Please Notice” – Difference Explained
• 10 Other Ways to Say “On a Different Note”
• 12 Formal Synonyms for “On a Side Note”
• Previous Work or Previous Works – Which Is Correct?

What is a Main Clause in English Grammar?

Definition and Examples

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

For a sentence to be complete, rather than a fragment, it must include a main clause. In English grammar, a main clause (also known as in independent clause, superordinate clause, or base clause) is a group of words made up of a subject and a predicate that together express a complete concept.

To write sentences effectively, a writer must decide which information to include in the main clause and which to relegate to dependent clauses. The basic rule of thumb is to make sure the most important information goes into the main clause, while information that ties things together by providing description and nuance gets placed in a dependent clause.

Examples and Observations

In sentence structure, the simple subject is the "who, what, or where" that comprises the main focus of the sentence. The predicate is the part of the sentence (the verb) that shows the action. For example, in the sentence, "The angry bear howled ominously," the word "bear" is the simple subject and the predicate is "howled" so the main clause of the sentence would be, "The bear howled."

In "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics," P.H. Matthews defined a main clause as "[a] clause which bears no relation, or no relation other than coordination , to any other or larger clause." Unlike a dependent or subordinate clause, a main clause can stand alone as a sentence, while two or more main clauses can be joined with a coordinating conjunction (such as and) to create a compound sentence . In the following examples, notice the main clause does not necessarily include modifying words.

"While Fern was in school, Wilbur was shut up inside his yard." —From Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.

Main clause:

• Wilbur was shut up

Since "Fern was in school" is modified by the word "while" which is a subordinate conjunction, "While Fern was in school" is a subordinate clause, rather than a main clause.

"Dinner always took a long time, because Antonapoulos loved food and he was very slow." —From "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter," by Carson McCullers

• Dinner took a long time

Since it's modified by the word "because," another subordinate conjunction, "because Antonapoulos loved food and he was very slow" is a subordinate clause.

"I learned to type when I was 12 years old. When I finished the class my father bought me a Royal portable typewriter." —From "The Writing Life," by Ellen Gilchrist

Main clauses:

• I learned to type
• my father bought a typewriter

Since "when I was 12 years old" and "When I finished the class" are modified by "when," yet another subordinate conjunction, they are both subordinate clauses. "My father bought a typewriter" is the main thought in the second sentence so it's the main clause.

"Yes, he can do that until his crops fail one day and he has to borrow money from the bank." —From "The Grapes of Wrath," by John Steinbeck

• he can do that
• he has to borrow money

Since these two clauses are joined by the conjunction "and," they are both main clauses.

Matthews, P. H. "Main Clause," cited from "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics." Oxford University Press, 1997

• The 9 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples
• What Is an Independent Clause in English?
• How to Recognize and Use Clauses in English Grammar
• Subordination in English Grammar
• Examples and Usage of Conjunctions in English Grammar
• The Top 25 Grammatical Terms
• Subordinating Conjunctions
• 100 Key Terms Used in the Study of Grammar
• Dependent Clause: Definition and Examples
• Complex Sentences in English Grammar
• Definition and Examples of Subordinate Clauses
• Sentence Parts and Sentence Structures
• French Subordinate Clause: French Grammar and Pronunciation Glossary
• Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses
• How to Diagram a Sentence
• Adjuncts in English Grammar

• Walden University
• Faculty Portal

Grammar: Main Parts of Speech

Definitions and examples.

The name of something, like a person, animal, place, thing, or concept. Nouns are typically used as subjects, objects, objects of prepositions, and modifiers of other nouns.

• I = subject
• the dissertation = object
• in Chapter 4 = object of a preposition
• research = modifier

This expresses what the person, animal, place, thing, or concept does. In English, verbs follow the noun.

• It takes a good deal of dedication to complete a doctoral degree.
• She studied hard for the test.
• Writing a dissertation is difficult. (The "be" verb is also sometimes referred to as a copula or a linking verb. It links the subject, in this case "writing a dissertation," to the complement or the predicate of the sentence, in this case, "hard.")

This describes a noun or pronoun. Adjectives typically come before a noun or after a stative verb, like the verb "to be."

• Diligent describes the student and appears before the noun student .
• Difficult is placed after the to be verb and describes what it is like to balance time.

Remember that adjectives in English have no plural form. The same form of the adjective is used for both singular and plural nouns.

• A different idea
• Some different ideas
• INCORRECT: some differents ideas

This gives more information about the verb and about how the action was done. Adverbs tells how, where, when, why, etc. Depending on the context, the adverb can come before or after the verb or at the beginning or end of a sentence.

• Enthusiastically describes how he completed the course and answers the how question.
• Recently modifies the verb enroll and answers the when question.
• Then describes and modifies the entire sentence. See this link on transitions for more examples of conjunctive adverbs (adverbs that join one idea to another to improve the cohesion of the writing).

This word substitutes for a noun or a noun phrase (e.g. it, she, he, they, that, those,…).

• they = applicants
• He = Smith; that = ideas; those = those ideas

This word makes the reference of the noun more specific (e.g. his, her, my, their, the, a, an, this, these, … ).

• Jones published her book in 2015.
• The book was very popular.

Preposition

This comes before a noun or a noun phrase and links it to other parts of the sentence. These are usually single words (e.g., on, at, by ,… ) but can be up to four words (e.g., as far as, in addition to, as a result of, …).

• I chose to interview teachers in the district closest to me.
• The recorder was placed next to the interviewee.
• I stopped the recording in the middle of the interview due to a low battery.

Conjunction

A word that joins two clauses. These can be coordinating (an easy way to remember this is memorizing FANBOYS = for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or subordinating (e.g., because, although, when, …).

• The results were not significant, so the alternative hypothesis was accepted.
• Although the results seem promising, more research must be conducted in this area.

Auxiliary Verbs

Helping verbs. They are used to build up complete verbs.

• Primary auxiliary verbs (be, have, do) show the progressive, passive, perfect, and negative verb tenses .
• Modal auxiliary verbs (can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would) show a variety of meanings. They represent ability, permission, necessity, and degree of certainty. These are always followed by the simple form of the verb.
• Semimodal auxiliary verbs (e.g., be going to, ought to, have to, had better, used to, be able to,…). These are always followed by the simple form of the verb.
• primary: have investigated = present perfect tense; has not been determined = passive, perfect, negative form
• The modal could shows ability, and the verb conduct stays in its simple form; the modal may shows degree of certainty, and the verb lead stays in its simple form.
• These semimodals are followed by the simple form of the verb.

Common Endings

Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs often have unique word endings, called suffixes . Looking at the suffix can help to distinguish the word from other parts of speech and help identify the function of the word in the sentence. It is important to use the correct word form in written sentences so that readers can clearly follow the intended meaning.

Here are some common endings for the basic parts of speech. If ever in doubt, consult the dictionary for the correct word form.

Common Noun Endings

Common verb endings, common adjective endings, common adverb endings, placement and position of adjectives and adverbs, order of adjectives.

If more than one adjective is used in a sentence, they tend to occur in a certain order. In English, two or three adjectives modifying a noun tend to be the limit. However, when writing in APA, not many adjectives should be used (since APA is objective, scientific writing). If adjectives are used, the framework below can be used as guidance in adjective placement.

• Determiner (e.g., this, that, these, those, my, mine, your, yours, him, his, hers they, their, some, our, several,…) or article (a, an, the)
• Opinion, quality, or observation adjective (e.g., lovely, useful, cute, difficult, comfortable)
• Physical description
• (a) size (big, little, tall, short)
• (b) shape (circular,  irregular, triangular)
• (c) age (old, new, young, adolescent)
• (d) color (red, green, yellow)
• Origin (e.g., English, Mexican, Japanese)
• Material (e.g., cotton, metal, plastic)
• Qualifier (noun used as an adjective to modify the noun that follows; i.e., campus activities, rocking chair, business suit)
• Head noun that the adjectives are describing (e.g., activities, chair, suit)

For example:

• This (1) lovely (2) new (3) wooden (4) Italian (5) rocking (6) chair (7) is in my office.
• Your (1) beautiful (2) green (3) French (4) silk (5) business (6) suit (7) has a hole in it.

Commas With Multiple Adjectives

A comma is used between two adjectives only if the adjectives belong to the same category (for example, if there are two adjectives describing color or two adjectives describing material). To test this, ask these two questions:

• Does the sentence make sense if the adjectives are written in reverse order?
• Does the sentence make sense if the word “and” is written between them?

If the answer is yes to the above questions, the adjectives are separated with a comma. Also keep in mind a comma is never used before the noun that it modifies.

• This useful big round old green English leather rocking chair is comfortable . (Note that there are no commas here because there is only one adjective from each category.)
• A lovely large yellow, red, and green oil painting was hung on the wall. (Note the commas between yellow, red, and green since these are all in the same category of color.)

Position of Adverbs

Adverbs can appear in different positions in a sentence.

• At the beginning of a sentence: Generally , teachers work more than 40 hours a week.
• After the subject, before the verb: Teachers generally work more than 40 hours a week.
• At the end of a sentence: Teachers work more than 40 hours a week, generally .
• However, an adverb is not placed between a verb and a direct object. INCORRECT: Teachers work generally more than 40 hours a week.

More Detailed Rules for the Position of Adverbs

• Adverbs that modify the whole sentence can move to different positions, such as certainly, recently, fortunately, actually, and obviously.
• Recently , I started a new job.
• I recently started a new job.
• I started a new job recently .
• Many adverbs of frequency modify the entire sentence and not just the verb, such as frequently, usually, always, sometimes, often , and seldom . These adverbs appear in the middle of the sentence, after the subject.
• INCORRECT: Frequently she gets time to herself.
• INCORRECT: She gets time to herself frequently .
• She has frequently exercised during her lunch hour. (The adverb appears after the first auxiliary verb.)
• She is frequently hanging out with old friends. (The adverb appears after the to be verb.)
• Adverbial phrases work best at the end of a sentence.
• He greeted us in a very friendly way .
• I collected data for 2 months .

Main Parts of Speech Video Playlist

Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

• Mastering the Mechanics: Nouns (video transcript)
• Mastering the Mechanics: Introduction to Verbs (video transcript)
• Mastering the Mechanics: Articles (video transcript)
• Mastering the Mechanics: Introduction to Pronouns (video transcript)
• Mastering the Mechanics: Modifiers (video transcript)

Writing Tools: Dictionary and Thesaurus Refresher Video

Note that this video was created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

• Writing Tools: Dictionary and Thesaurus Refresher (video transcript)

Related Resources

Knowledge Check: Main Parts of Speech

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

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• Next Page: Sentence Structure and Types of Sentences
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17.2: Subject-Verb Agreement

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Learning Objectives

• Define subject-verb agreement.
• Identify common errors in subject-verb agreement.

In the workplace, you want to present a professional image. Your outfit or suit says something about you when meeting face-to-face, and your writing represents you in your absence. Grammatical mistakes in your writing or even in speaking make a negative impression on coworkers, clients, and potential employers. Subject-verb agreement is one of the most common errors that people make. Having a solid understanding of this concept is critical when making a good impression, and it will help ensure that your ideas are communicated clearly.

Agreement in speech and in writing refers to the proper grammatical match between words and phrases. Parts of sentences must agree, or correspond with other parts, in number, person, case, and gender.

• Number. All parts must match in singular or plural forms.
• Person. All parts must match in first person ( I ), second person ( you ), or third person ( he, she, it, they ) forms.
• Case. All parts must match in subjective ( I, you, he, she, it, they, we ), objective ( me, her, him, them, us ), or possessive ( my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, their, theirs, our, ours ) forms. For more information on pronoun case agreement, see Section 2.5.1 “Pronoun Agreement” .
• Gender. All parts must match in male or female forms.

Subject-verb agreement describes the proper match between subjects and verbs.

Because subjects and verbs are either singular or plural, the subject of a sentence and the verb of a sentence must agree with each other in number. That is, a singular subject belongs with a singular verb form, and a plural subject belongs with a plural verb form. For more information on subjects and verbs, see Section 2.1 “Sentence Writing” .

Singular: The cat jumps over the fence. Plural: The cats jump over the fence.

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern. For example, in the third person singular, regular verbs always end in -s . Other forms of regular verbs do not end in -s. Study the following regular verb forms in the present tense.

Add an -es to the third person singular form of regular verbs that end in -sh , -x , -ch , and -s. (I wish/He wishes, I fix/She fixes, I watch/It watches, I kiss/He kisses.)

Singular: I read every day. Plural: We read every day.

In these sentences, the verb form stays the same for the first person singular and the first person plural.

Singular: You stretch before you go to bed. Plural: You stretch before every game.

In these sentences, the verb form stays the same for the second person singular and the second person plural. In the singular form, the pronoun you refers to one person. In the plural form, the pronoun you refers to a group of people, such as a team.

Singular: My mother walks to work every morning.

In this sentence, the subject is mother . Because the sentence only refers to one mother, the subject is singular. The verb in this sentence must be in the third person singular form.

Plural: My friends like the same music as I do.

In this sentence, the subject is friends . Because this subject refers to more than one person, the subject is plural. The verb in this sentence must be in the third person plural form.

Many singular subjects can be made plural by adding an -s . Most regular verbs in the present tense end with an – s in the third person singular. This does not make the verbs plural.

Singular subject, singular verb: The cat races across the yard. Plural subject, plural verb: The cats race across the yard.

Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)

On your own sheet of paper, write the correct verb form for each of the following sentences.

• I (brush/brushes) my teeth twice a day.
• You (wear/wears) the same shoes every time we go out.
• He (kick/kicks) the soccer ball into the goal.
• She (watch/watches) foreign films.
• Catherine (hide/hides) behind the door.
• We (want/wants) to have dinner with you.
• You (work/works) together to finish the project.
• They (need/needs) to score another point to win the game.
• It (eat/eats) four times a day.
• David (fix/fixes) his own motorcycle.

Exercise \(\PageIndex{2}\)

Complete the following sentences by writing the correct present tense form of be , have , or do . Use your own sheet of paper to complete this exercise.

• I ________ sure that you will succeed.
• They ________ front-row tickets to the show.
• He ________ a great Elvis impersonation.
• We ________ so excited to meet you in person!
• She ________ a fever and a sore throat.
• You ________ not know what you are talking about.
• You ________ all going to pass this class.
• She ________ not going to like that.
• It ________ appear to be the right size.
• They ________ ready to take this job seriously.

Irregular Verbs

Not all verbs follow a predictable pattern. These verbs are called irregular verbs . Some of the most common irregular verbs are be , have , and do . Learn the forms of these verbs in the present tense to avoid errors in subject-verb agreement.

Study the different forms of the verb to be in the present tense.

Study the different forms of the verb to have in the present tense.

Study the different forms of the verb to do in the present tense.

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

Errors in subject-verb agreement may occur when

• a sentence contains a compound subject;
• the subject of the sentence is separate from the verb;
• the subject of the sentence is an indefinite pronoun, such as anyone or everyone ;
• the subject of the sentence is a collective noun, such as team or organization ;
• the subject appears after the verb.

Recognizing the sources of common errors in subject-verb agreement will help you avoid these errors in your writing. This section covers the subject-verb agreement errors in more detail.

Compound Subjects

A compound subject is formed by two or more nouns and the coordinating conjunctions and , or , or nor . A compound subject can be made of singular subjects, plural subjects, or a combination of singular and plural subjects.

Compound subjects combined with and take a plural verb form.

Two singular subjects: Alicia and Miguel ride their bikes to the beach. Two plural subjects: The girls and the boys ride their bikes to the beach. Singular and plural subjects: Alicia and the boys ride their bikes to the beach.

Compound subjects combined with or and nor are treated separately. The verb must agree with the subject that is nearest to the verb.

Two singular subjects: Neither Elizabeth nor Rianna wants to eat at that restaurant. Two plural subjects: Neither the kids nor the adults want to eat at that restaurant. Singular and plural subjects: Neither Elizabeth nor the kids want to eat at that restaurant. Plural and singular subjects: Neither the kids nor Elizabeth wants to eat at that restaurant.

Two singular subjects: Either you or Jason takes the furniture out of the garage. Two plural subjects: Either you or the twins take the furniture out of the garage. Singular and plural subjects: Either Jason or the twins take the furniture out of the garage. Plural and singular subjects: Either the twins or Jason takes the furniture out of the garage.

If you can substitute the word they for the compound subject, then the sentence takes the third person plural verb form.

Separation of Subjects and Verbs

As you read or write, you may come across a sentence that contains a phrase or clause that separates the subject from the verb. Often, prepositional phrases or dependent clauses add more information to the sentence and appear between the subject and the verb. However, the subject and the verb must still agree.

If you have trouble finding the subject and verb, cross out or ignore the phrases and clauses that begin with prepositions or dependent words. The subject of a sentence will never be in a prepositional phrase or dependent clause.

The following is an example of a subject and verb separated by a prepositional phrase:

The students with the best grades win the academic awards. The puppy under the table is my favorite.

The following is an example of a subject and verb separated by a dependent clause:

The car that I bought has power steering and a sunroof. The representatives who are courteous sell the most tickets.

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to an unspecified person, thing, or number. When an indefinite pronoun serves as the subject of a sentence, you will often use a singular verb form.

However, keep in mind that exceptions arise. Some indefinite pronouns may require a plural verb form. To determine whether to use a singular or plural verb with an indefinite pronoun, consider the noun that the pronoun would refer to. If the noun is plural, then use a plural verb with the indefinite pronoun. View the chart to see a list of common indefinite pronouns and the verb forms they agree with.

Singular: Everybody in the kitchen sings along when that song comes on the radio.

The indefinite pronoun everybody takes a singular verb form because everybody refers to a group performing the same action as a single unit.

Plural: All the people in the kitchen sing along when that song comes on the radio.

The indefinite pronoun all takes a plural verb form because all refers to the plural noun people . Because people is plural, all is plural.

Singular: All the cake is on the floor.

In this sentence, the indefinite pronoun all takes a singular verb form because all refers to the singular noun cake . Because cake is singular, all is singular.

Collective Nouns

A collective noun is a noun that identifies more than one person, place, or thing and considers those people, places, or things one singular unit. Because collective nouns are counted as one, they are singular and require a singular verb. Some commonly used collective nouns are group , team , army , flock , family , and class .

Singular: The class is going on a field trip.

In this sentence, class is a collective noun. Although the class consists of many students, the class is treated as a singular unit and requires a singular verb form.

The Subject Follows the Verb

You may encounter sentences in which the subject comes after the verb instead of before the verb. In other words, the subject of the sentence may not appear where you expect it to appear. To ensure proper subject-verb agreement, you must correctly identify the subject and the verb.

Here or There

In sentences that begin with here or there , the subject follows the verb.

Here is my wallet ! There are thirty dolphins in the water.

If you have trouble identifying the subject and the verb in sentences that start with here or there ; it may help to reverse the order of the sentence so the subject comes first.

My wallet is here! Thirty dolphins are in the water.

When you ask questions, a question word ( who , what , where , when , why , or how ) appears first. The verb and then the subject follow.

Who are the people you are related to? When am I going to go to the grocery store?

If you have trouble finding the subject and the verb in questions, try answering the question being asked.

When am I going to the grocery store? I am going to the grocery store tonight!

Exercise \(\PageIndex{3}\)

Correct the errors in subject-verb agreement in the following sentences. If there are no errors in subject-verb agreement, write OK . Copy the corrected sentence or the word OK on your own sheet of notebook paper.

________________________________________________________________

Exercise \(\PageIndex{4}\)

Correct the errors in subject-verb agreement in the following paragraph. Copy the paragraph on a piece of notebook paper and make corrections.

Dear Hiring Manager,

I feels that I am the ideal candidate for the receptionist position at your company. I has three years of experience as a receptionist in a company that is similar to yours. My phone skills and written communication is excellent. These skills, and others that I have learned on the job, helps me understand that every person in a company helps make the business a success. At my current job, the team always say that I am very helpful. Everyone appreciate when I go the extra mile to get the job done right. My current employer and coworkers feels that I am an asset to the team. I is efficient and organized. Is there any other details about me that you would like to know? If so, please contact me. Here are my résumé. You can reach me by e-mail or phone. I looks forward to speaking with you in person.

Thanks, Felicia Fellini

Writing at Work

Imagine that you are a prospective client and that you saw this ad online. Would you call Terra Services to handle your next project? Probably not! Mistakes in subject-verb agreement can cost a company business. Paying careful attention to grammatical details ensures professionalism that clients will recognize and respect.

Key Takeaways

• Parts of sentences must agree in number, person, case, and gender.
• A verb must always agree with its subject in number. A singular subject requires a singular verb; a plural subject requires a plural verb.
• Irregular verbs do not follow a predictable pattern in their singular and plural forms. Common irregular verbs are to be , to have , and to do .
• A compound subject is formed when two or more nouns are joined by the words and , or , or nor .
• In some sentences, the subject and verb may be separated by a phrase or clause, but the verb must still agree with the subject.
• Indefinite pronouns, such as anyone , each , everyone , many , no one , and something , refer to unspecified people or objects. Most indefinite pronouns are singular.
• A collective noun is a noun that identifies more than one person, place, or thing and treats those people, places, or things one singular unit. Collective nouns require singular verbs.
• In sentences that begin with here and there , the subject follows the verb.
• In questions, the subject follows the verb.

Writing Application

Use your knowledge of subject-verb agreement to write one of the following:

• An advertisement for a potential company
• A memo to all employees of a particular company
• A cover letter describing your qualifications to a potential employer

Be sure to include at least the following:

• One collective noun
• One irregular verb
• One question