Practice: Short Answer

Write a brief response to the questions below. For help with this topic, see Chapter 10 in Working With Words, 9e.

Question 10.1

1 of 14
A verb must agree with its subject in what way?

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Question 10.2

2 of 14
What is an antecedent of a pronoun? In what three ways must the pronoun agree with its antecedent?

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Question 10.3

3 of 14
What does it mean that similar words, phrases or clauses should be stated in parallel structure?

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Question 10.4

4 of 14
The conjunction and in a subject usually makes the verb plural, whereas or usually makes it singular. But what are the exceptions?

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Question 10.5

5 of 14
Either and neither take singular verbs by themselves, but what if they’re followed by or or nor?

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Question 10.6

6 of 14
Do parenthetical words or phrases affect the number of a verb?

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Question 10.7

7 of 14
What are collective nouns, and are they usually singular or plural? What is the exception?

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Question 10.8

8 of 14
What are uncountable nouns, and are they usually singular or plural?

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Question 10.9

9 of 14
Are the names of bands and teams singular or plural?

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Question 10.10

10 of 14
When are majority, number, plurality and total singular and when plural?

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Question 10.11

11 of 14
When are fractions and percentages singular or plural?

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Question 10.12

12 of 14
Are indefinite pronouns usually singular or plural? When is the indefinite pronoun none singular and when plural?

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Question 10.13

13 of 14
If a noun or pronoun comes between the subject and the verb, do we make the verb agree with it or the subject? If a subject and predicate nominative disagree in number, with which do we make the verb agree?

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Question 10.14

14 of 14
Verbs in a sentence should be parallel with each other as much as possible in what ways?

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