2. Taxes is high these days. Find the verb (action word or is, are, am, was, were) is Find the subject (Who/what is doing this?) Taxes Do they agree? (If subject ends in “s,” verb should not... If subject does not end in “s,” verb should) SO... The sentence should read, “Taxes are high these days.”
3. A Problem: Prepositional phrases can get in the way! A preposition is a location word, such as over, under, to, from, in, out, beside, behind, etc. (see list in LBB, section 21e) The prepositional phrase includes the words that go with the preposition, such as over the hill, under the table, to the store, etc. A prepositional phrase can NEVER be your subject or verb!
4. Taxes (in America) are high these days. Get rid of prepositional phrases first. mentally remove “In America”
5. With double subjects, imagine the “s” My grandmother and grandfather in Utah enjoy/enjoys a polygamist lifestyle. (correct answer: enjoy) With subjects joined by orornor, match the verb with the closest subject Neither aliens nor outer space is/are interesting to me. (correct answer: is) Neither outer space nor aliens is/are interesting to me. (correct answer: are)
6. -one/-body/-thing words are singular (no “s” anyway) Everyone at the party is having a good time. *see list of these “indefinite pronouns” in LBB secion 29e For who, which, and that, match to the word just before the verb English is one of the subjects that are a challenge for me.
7. Occasionally, look for the subject & verb to be out of order(as in questions) Arewesupposed to understand those notes? Subject: we Verb: are supposed
