Editing:
Grammar
The ultimate goal of many language arts teachers is to get their students to write with zero grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. Little did we realize how lofty a goal this actually is! As soon as students focus on spelling, their comma use disintegrates. Once we get them to look at grammar, their spelling becomes atrocious. It seems to be a never-ending cycle in which they slowly (but surely) improve. Here are some common errors made in grammar.
Grammar |
S-V Agreement | Pronoun Usage |
|---|
Subject-Verb Agreement
Simply put, the subject of the sentence performs the action of the sentence. The verb is the action of the sentence. In English the form of the verb must match the subject of the sentence. In general, students should say the sentence aloud and listen for what "sounds" right. While this works most of the time, there are a few times when it gets tricky:
Either/or
- Either the boy or his parents have the concert information.
- Either the parents or their son has the concert information.
When using either/or in the subject, only the noun closest to the verb determines the verb form.
Subject Distanced from the Verb
- Mandy, without her parents' permission, eats lunch off-campus everyday.
- Mandy, along with her best friends, eats lunch off-campus everyday.
- The twins, along with John, run everyday after school.
When a phrase is set off by commas after the subject, it is not part of the subject. Only the subject before the comma-separated phrase determines the form of the verb.
Pronoun Usage
Pronouns take the place of a noun in a sentence. The use of pronouns is often a question of style. But which pronoun to use is governed by grammar rules. English has two categories of pronouns: subject and object.
Subject Pronouns
- My father and I love to go fishing in the summertime.
- He and his sisters will be terrific athletes.
The most common pronoun mistake is between I and me. "I" is used before the verb (in the subject position of the sentence) and "me" is used after the verb (in the object position.) The easiest way to choose is to remove the other words with the pronoun and just say the pronoun with the verb.
My father andI love to go fishing in the summertime.- *
My father andme love to fo fishing in the summertime. (Incorrect)
Object Pronouns
- She gave me a book to read.
- She lives close to me and my family.
When the pronoun follows the verb or a preposition, the object form of the pronoun is used. The same rule applies for compound objects: remove the other words with the pronoun and decide which form sounds correct.
- She lives with me
and my family. - *She lives with
my family andI. (Incorrect)
A good habit to always keep I and me straight: Always say "Someone and I" or "me and someone." That way, "I" will always be closest to the verb in the subject position and "me" will always be closes to the verb or preposition in the object position. It should always sound funny to say "Me and my brother went to the store together."