TOEFL Bahasa Inggris

Nama : Annida Nurul Islami

NPM  : 21213117

Kelas  : 3EB18 

Skill 11 : AGREEMENT AFTER PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

Subject/verb agreement is simple : if the subject of a sentence is singular, then the verb must be singular; if the subject of the sentence is plural, then the verb must be plural. An s on a verb usually inidicates that the noun is plural. (Do not forget irregular plurals of nouns such as women, children, and people.)

                                    The dog barks at night.

                                    The dogs bark at night.

In the first example, the singular subject dog requires a singular verb, barks. In the second example, the plural subject dogs requires a plural verb, bark.

            Sometimes prepositional phrases can come between the subject and the verb on the TOEFL test, and this can cause confusion. If the object of the preposition is plural and the subject is singular, there can be a problem in making the subject and verb agree.

                                    The door (to the room) are* locked.

                                           Singular                      Plural

                                    The doors (to the room) is* locked.

                             Plural                            singular

In the first example, ypu might think that rooms is the subject because it comes directly in front of the verb are. However, rooms is not the subject because it is the object of the preposition to. The subject of the sentence is door, so the verb should be is. In the second example, you might think that  room is the subject because it comes directly in front of the verb is. You should recognize in this example that room is not the subject because it is the object of the preposition to.  Because the subject of the sentence is doors, the verb should be are.

            The following chart outlines the key information that you shloud understand about subject / verb agreement with prepositional phrases.

SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT WITH PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

S         (Prepositional phrase)         V

When a prepositional phrase comes between the subject and the verb. Be sure that the verb agrees with the subject.

EXERCISE :  Each of the following sentences has one or more prepositional phrases between the subject and verb. Put parentheses around the prepositional pharases. Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I)

C 1.  The subject (of the lectures) was quite interesting.

I  2. The supplies (for the camping trip) needs to be packed

I  3. The chairs under the table in the dining room is quite comfortable.

C 4. The players on the winning team in the competition were very talented.

I 5. The food for the guests at the party are on the long table

C 6. The cost of the clothes was higher than I had expected.

C 7. The rugs in the front rooms of the house are going to be washed today.

I  8. The servers in this restaurant always does their job efficiently.

C 9. The lights in the corner of the room need to be kept on all night.

C 10. the meeting of the members of the council begins at 3:00 in the afternoon.

Skill 12 : AGREEMENT AFTER EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY

A particular agreement problem occurs when the subject is an expression of quantity such as all, most, or some followed by the preposition of. In this situation, the subject (all, most, or some) can be singular or plural,depending on what follows the preposition of.

                        Most (of the meal) was delicious.

                                                SINGULAR

                        Most (of the meals) were delicious

                                                PLURAL

                        Most (of the food) was delicious

                                                UNCONTABLE

In the first example, the subject most refers to the singular noun meal, so the correct verb is therefore the singular verb was. In the second example, the subject most refers to the plural noun meals, so the correct verb is the plural verb were. In the third example, the subject most refers to the uncountable noun food, so the correct verb is therefore the singular verb was.

            These sentences contain example of the types of problems that are common on the TOEFL  test.

                        All (of the book) were* interesting.

                        Half (of the students) is*  late to class.

In the first example, the plural verb were should be the singular verb was because the subject all refers to the singular noun book. In the second example, the singular verb is should be the plural verb are because the subject half refers to the plural noun stundent.

            The following chart outlines the key information that you should understand about subject/verb agreement after expressions of quantity.

SUBJECT / VERB AGREEMENT AFTER EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY

All                                Most                                    Some               of the (object)             V                                Half                                Part

When an expression of quantity using of is the subject, the verb agrees with the object.

EXERCISE 12 : Each of the following sentences has a quantity expression as the subject. Underline the subjects once and the verbs twice. Circle the objects that the verbs agree with. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

C 1. Half of the  student in the class arrive early.

I 2. Some of the fruit are rotten.

C 3. All of the next chapter contains very important information.

C 4. Most of the people in the room is playing attention.

C 5. Part of the soup is left on the stove.

I 6. Some of the movie were just too violent for me.

C 7. All of the details in the report needs to be checked.

C 8. Most of the money is needed to play the bills.

C 9. The first half of the class consists of lecture and notr taking.

I 10. Some of the questions on the test was impossible to answer.

Reference: Philips, Deborah.2004."Longman Introductory Course for the TOEFL Test: the Paper Test".USA.