This document provides strategies and examples for the written expression questions on the TOEFL exam. It discusses how each question contains one underlined sentence with four underlined words or phrases, and test-takers must choose the one word or phrase that is incorrect. It then gives tips on looking at just the underlined text first before reading the full sentence if needed. The rest of the document focuses on specific grammar rules around subject-verb agreement, including after prepositional phrases, expressions of quantity, inverted verbs, and certain singular words. It provides examples of each with explanations.

1. THE WRITTEN EXPRESSION QUESTIONSQuestion 16 through 40 in thestructure and writtenExpressionsection of the TOEFL test examine yourknowledge of thecorrectwaytoexpressyourself in EnglishWriting. Eachquestion of thissectionconsists of onesentence in whichfourwordsorgroup of wordshavebeenunderlined. Youmustchoosetheletter of thewordorgroup of wordsthatisnotcorect.Example I Thefinaldeliveryof thedayistheimportantest. A B C D Example II Thebooksthat I readwasinteresting. A B C D STRATEGIES FOR THE WRITTEN EXPRESSION QUESTIONS.FIRST LOOK AT THE UNDERLINED WORD OR GROUP OF WORDS.

2. IF YOU HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE ERROR BY LOOKING ONLY AT THE 4 UNDERLINED EXPRESSIONS, THEN READ THE COMPLETE SENTENCE

3. NEVER LEAVE ANY ANSWER IN BLANK.PROBLEMS WITH SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENTItis simple, ifthesubject of a sentenceis singular….thentheverbmustbe singular; ifthesubjectis plural, thentheverbmustbe plural. An “s” on a verbusuallyindicatesthat a verbis singular, whilean “s” on a nounusyallyindicatesthatthenounis plural. (don´tforget irregular plurals of nounssuch as women, children, and people.)Theboywalkstoschool.Theboyswalktoschool.Althoughthismighseem quite simple, there are a fewsituationsonthe TOEFL , test whensubject/verbagreement can be a littletricky. YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL OF SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT in thefollowingsituations:After a prepositionalphrase.Afterexpressions of quantityAfterinvertedverbs.Aftercertainwords, such as anybody, everything, no one, something, no one, something, each, and every.

4. SKILL 20. MAKE VERBS AGREE AFTER PREPOSITIONAL PHRASESSome times theprepositionalphrases can come betweenthesubject and theverb. That can cause confusion in makingthesubject and verbagree.Thekeytothedoors are* in thedrawer.Thekeystothedooris* in thedrawer.WHEN A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE COMES BETWEEN THE SUBJECT AND THE VERB, BE SURE THAT THE VERB AGREES WITH THE SUBJECT.

5. ___ 1.The climbersonthesheerface of themountainneedtoberescued.___ 2.The interrogation, conductedbythreepoliceofficers, havelastedforseveralhours.___3.The tenants in theapartmentnextto mine isgiving a partythisevening.___4.The president, surrondedbySecretServiceagents, istryingtomakehiswaytothepodium.___ 5.- Thebuildingsdestroyedduringthefire are beingrebuilt at thetaxpayers´ expense.

6. ___6.- Because of theseriousness of thecompany´sfinancialproblems, theboard of directorshavecalledanemergencymeeting.___7.-Manufacture of theitemsthatyourequestedhavebeendiscontinuedbecause of lack of profitonthoseitems.___8.- Furtherdevelopment of any new ideas forfutureproducts has tobeapproved in advance.___9.-The scheduledeparture time of thetrams, postedonpanelsthroughoutthe terminal buildings, are goingtobeupdated.___10.- Anyhousesbuilt in thatdevelopmentbefore 1970 havetobeupgradedtomeetcurrentstandards.

7. SKILL 21. MAKE VERBS AGREE AFTER EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY.A particular agreementproblemoccurswhenthesubjectisanexpression of quantity, such as all, most, orsome, followedbytheprepositionof. In thissituation, thesubject (all, most, orsome) can be singular or plural , dependingonwhatfollowstheprepositionof.All (of thebook) wasinteresting.All (of thebooks) wereinteresting.All (of theinformation) wasinteresting.Whenanexpression of quantityisthesubject, theverbagreeswiththeobject.

8. Each of thefollowingsentences has a quantityexpression as thesubject. Underlinethesubjects once and theverbstwice. Circletheobjectsthattheverbsagreewith. Thenindicateifthesentences are correctorincorrect.__ 1. Thewitnessessawthatmost of thefire in thehillswasextinguished.__2. Some of theanimalsfromthe zoo wasreleasedintothe animal preserve.__ 3.All of thestudents in theclasstaughtbyProfessor Roberts isrequiredtoturn in theirtermpapersnextMonday.__ 4.Half of thefoodthatwereservingtotheguests are still in therefrigerator.

9. __ 5. Webelievethatsome of the time of theemployeesisgoingtobedevotedtoquality control.__ 6. All of thewitnesses in thejury trial, whichlasted more thantwoweeks, haveindicatedthattheybelievedthatthedefendantwasguilty.__ 7. Shedidnotknowwheremost of thepeople in theroomwasfrom.__ 8. In spite of whatwasdecided at themeeting, half of theprocedureswasnotchanged.

10. __ 9. I wassurethatall of thequestionsonthe test werecorrect.__ 10. Most of thetroublethattheemployeesdiscussed at the series of meetingswas resolved within a fewweeks.

11. SKILL 22.- Makeinvertedverbsagree.Wehaveseenthatsome times in Englishthesubject comes aftertheverbSkills 15-19; Whenthesubject and verb are inverted, it can bedifficulttolocatethem and it can thereforebe a problemtomakethemagree.(Behindthehouse) was* thebicycles I wanted.(Behindthehouses)were*thebicycle I wanted.-Afterquestionwords, negativeexpressions, place expressions, conditionswithoutif, and comparisons, theverbagreeswiththesubject, whichmaybeaftertheverb.

12. Circlethewordorgroup of wordsthat causes theverb and thesubjecttoinvert. Findthethesubject and underlineit once, and theverbtwice. Thenindicateifthesentences are correctorincorrect.__ 1. Only once thismorningwerethelettersdeliveredbythe campus mail service.__ 2. Aroundthecorner and totherightistheroomsthathavebeenassignedtothatprogram.__ 3. What in theworldisthechildrentryingto do?__ 4. John wouldbestudyingthechapterswere he abletogethold of thebook.__ 5. Thischapter has many more exercisesthan do thenextone.

13. __6. Thecomputerprogrammerwasunawarethattherewas so manymistakes in theprogram he hadwritten.__7. Seldom in thehistory of television has two new comediesbeen so successful in oneseason.__8. Howmanyhugemistakeshavetheteacheractuallyfound in theresearchpaper?__9. The new phonesystemisabletoholdfar more messagesthanwasthephonesystemthathadpreviouslybeenused.__10. In the parking lotsouth of thestadiumwasthe cars thatwereabouttobetowed.

14. Skill 23. MAKE VERBS AGREE AFTER CERTAIN WORDS.Certainwords in English are alwaysgrammatically singular; eventhoughtheymighthave plural meanings.Everybody are* goingtothetheater.The plural verb are goingshouldbechangedtothe singular verbisgoing

15. Underline once thewordsthat are grammatically singular buthave plural meaning; and underlinetheverbstwice. C or I.__ 1. Itisimpossibletobelievethatsomebodyactually admire thatman.__2. Each of thedoctors in thebuildingneedstohave a separatereceptionarea.__3. Thepresidentfeltthat no onewerebettersuitedforthe position of chiefstaffadvisor.__4. Everybodyparticipating in thefund-raiser are toturn in the tickets by 8:00.__5. Because of thelownumber of orders, nothing has tobe done now.