English 11 Writing/CommunicationMr. Rinka Lesson #11

Literature Based Argumentative Essay

S-V Agreement Review

Writing Tip #2

Remember that all verbs must agree in number with their subjects. Singular subjects must have singular verbs and plural subjects must have plural verbs.

Subject/Verb Agreement

A singular subject has a singular verb.

S VThe boy walks to school every day. S VA girl at my school plays the harp.

A plural subject has a plural verb. S VThe students play in the gym after school. S VThe teachers during recess grade papers.

In a verb phrase the first helping verb takes the singular or plural form to agree with the subject. S VA boy in my class was raising his hand. S VBoys on my team have been practicing hard.

Singular helping verbs:am, is, was, does, has

I am going to the store.Mom is working today.A person behind me was talking.My mom does like all of my friends.A friend in the neighborhood has moved.

Plural helping verbs: are, were, do (except with I), haveWe are studying hard for the test.My cousins from Canada were visiting us.You were acting silly yesterday.They do play on my team.The men at the plant have been working hard.

Do not be confused by a phrase that comes between the subject and verb.

A letter from my parents explains my absence from school yesterday.

The donations from our school help people in need.

Remember: The subject is never part of a prepositional phrase.

Work on the new windows (is, are) almost finished.

The cars on the road (was, were) traveling too fast.

Don’t be confused by compound prepositions together with, as well as, along with, in addition to, etc.

Joe, along with you and me, (is, are) going to the mall.My parents, as well as my brother, (has, have) been sick for three days.

Don’t be confused by a negative construction between subject & verb.

The students, not the teacher, (is, are) going to the amusement park.My sister, not my parents, (has, have) seen that new movie.

These indefinite pronouns are singular:

each either neither oneeveryone everybody everythingno one nobody nothing anyone anybody anything someone somebody something

Everyone is coming to the show.

Neither of the cars has been running well lately.

Anyone on the team plays better than the average player.

These indefinite pronouns are plural:

several few both many

Several of my relatives are coming to my graduation.Few among us have met the President.

These indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural:

some all most any none

Some of the cake is gone.Some of the people are leaving.

All of the car has been cleaned.All of the students are on the bus.

None of the money is missing.None of the valuables are missing.

Most of the pie was eaten quicklyMost of the pieces of pie were eaten.

Compound subjects joined by “and” usually have a plural verb.

Joe and Marie sing in the school choir.Mom and Dad are coming to our show.

Compound subjects which name only one thing or person have singular verbs.

Bacon and eggs is my favorite breakfast.My best friend and roommate was Jim.

Singular compound subjects joined by “or” or “nor” have singular verbs.

Marie or Joan is coming over to help.Neither the dog nor the cat was In sight.

If a singular and a plural subject are joined by “or” or “nor”, then the verb agrees with the nearest subject.

My parents or my (brother) is coming soon.My brother or my (parents) are coming soon.

A verb must agree with the subject and not the predicate nominative.

The monkeys are the main attraction at the zoo.The main attraction at the zoo is the monkeys.

If the subject follows the verb, make sure the verb agrees with it.

There are many people waiting in line.

There is time to get tickets still.

Remember: There’s, Here’s, and Where’s are all contractions using singular verbs. Use these contractions with singular subjects.

There’s many people in line. (wrong)There are many people in line. (correct)

Words expressing amount are almost always singular.

Twenty dollars is too much to pay for a ticket.

Ten gallons of gas was used for the trip.

Occasionally amount refers to individual parts, and then it takes a plural verb.

Two dollars of the three were stolen.

The expression “the number” before a prepositional phrase requires a singular verb.

The number of tickets remaining is small.

The expression “a number” before a prepositional phrase requires a plural verb.

A number of students are late today.

Names and titles always take singular verbs.

The United Nations has a presence throughout the world.

Sacred Games is a very popular novel.

Use a singular verb when the words “every” or “many a” come before the subject.

Every boy and girl was ready for the test.

Many a person is afraid of the dark.

Some nouns ending in “s” have a plural verb even though they represent a single item.

The scissors are in the drawer.The plants are blooming early.The pliers were on the work table.

There are some nouns that are plural in nature but are treated as singular.

Physics is my favorite subject.Darts is a game of skill.

Argumentative Essay Assignment

Using the poem, “The Death of the Hired Man” by Robert Frost present an argument as to whether or not the farmer should have welcomed the hired man back.

The Death of the Hired Man

Essay Help

Use the dialogue that takes place in this poem to support your argument with quotes from Warren who seems hesitant to welcome Silas back and his wife who seems to defend Silas.#11 The Death of the Hired Man Dialogue

The Writing Process

Step #1 = PrewriteStep #2 = Rough DraftStep #3 = Reread & ShareStep #4 = Revise

Step #5 = EditStep #6 = Final Draft

Step #5 = Edit

Carefully go over your revised paper. It would be best to have a skilled person edit your writing, but this is not always possible. If you are editing your paper, concentrate or you’ll mentally ignore mistakes.

The 5 Paragraph Essay

Introductory Paragraph1st Body Paragraph2nd Body Paragraph3rd Body ParagraphConcluding Paragraph

The ParagraphA Paragraph is made up of three parts:

Topic Sentence

Supporting Details

Closing Sentence

Editing the Essay

Spelling

Capitalization

Sentence Structure

Fragments

Comma Splices

Run-on

Punctuation

End marks

Commas

Semicolons

Colons

Quotation Marks

Italics

Subject-Verb AgreementVerb TenseActive VerbsPronoun-antecedent AgreementPronoun ReferenceDangling ModifiersMisplaced Modifiers

Step #5 Editing

#11 Good Fences Final Draft

Editing FormatCentered TitleEndorse properlySize 12 Font Arial or Times New RomanBlack Ink1” margin all aroundDouble-space entire paper

Last Name + Page # in right corner of all pagesIndent all paragraphsDo not use 2nd person pronoun (you)No abbreviations or symbolsNo contractionsSpell out numbers one – tenPunctuate quotes correctly

Diaz 1

Juan Carlos Diaz

Mr. Rinka

English 1

June 1, 2012

Stress: Modern Life’s Silent Killer

Dr. Mason deals with the causes and effects of stress every day and states, “Stress is the single most deadly factor in the lives of modern

Americans” (Mason Interview). Stress is the physical, emotional and

psychological reaction to many factor in a person’s life. Stress

disrupts all aspects of a person’s life, sleeping, eating, exercising,

relaxing interacting and simply enjoying life. Stress can directly or

indirectly cause many diseases from heart attacks and strokes to

diabetes and depression (Stevens 5). For people who wants to

understand this silent killer they need to know what causes stress,

Diaz 1

Juan Carlos Diaz

Mr. Rinka

English 1

June 1, 2012

Stress: Modern Life’s Silent Killer

Dr. Mason deals with the causes and effects of stress every day and states, “Stress is the single most deadly factor in the lives of modern

Americans” (Mason Interview). Stress is the physical, emotional and

psychological reaction to many factor in a person’s life. Stress

disrupts all aspects of a person’s life, sleeping, eating, exercising,

relaxing interacting and simply enjoying life. Stress can directly or

indirectly cause many diseases from heart attacks and strokes to

diabetes and depression (Stevens 5). For people who wants to

understand this silent killer they need to know what causes stress,

Last name & Page#

Endorsement

Arial or Times New Roman font/size 12

Double-space Center the title

1” Margin

Step #6 = Final Draft

Using your edited revised draft, create your final paper.

Now Publish your paper.

#11 Good Fences Published Draft

Assignment #1

Using slides 38-44, carefully edit your own essay or someone else’s.

Assignment #2

Create the published copy of your edited essay.

English 11 Writing/CommunicationMr. Rinka Lesson #11

Literature Based Argumentative Essay

S-V Agreement Review