By Elham

This book is for children who are in fourth and fifth grades to learn and understand grammar
better. I guaranty if you read it carefully you will be one of the best student in your class.
Subject Verb Agreement
Rules; You have to make sure that the subject and verb agree in number. This means that if the
subject is plural, the verb should be too. If the subject is singular, the verb should be singular as
well.
Singular subject => singular verb
Plural subject => plural verb

Here is an example. Is this right?
Are the news on at 5 or 6pm?
It's wrong! Yes, news has plural form, it's easy to confuse and use the verb in
the plural, too. But that's incorrect because news must be used with verb in the
singular form.
Is the news on at 5 or 6pm? Correct

Exercise underline the correct verb.
1. One of my sisters (live/lives) in California.
2. Eating vegetables (are/ is) good for you.
3. Both of my friends (work/ works) in hospitals.

Answers
4. One of my sisters (live/lives) in California.
5. Eating vegetables (are/ is) good for you.
6. Both of my friends (work/ works) in hospitals.




Fragments Sentence
A sentence fragment is a sentence, but not a complete sentence because it missing
ether subject, verb, or complete thought.
A COMPLEAT SENTENCE must have SUBJECT and a VERB and express a COMPLET
THOUGHT.

Examples;
1. Incorrect: Studying for the exam. ( no subject)
Correct: We are studying for the exam.
2. Incorrect: He off the car quickly. ( no verb)
Correct: He drove off the car quickly.
3. Incorrect: When I do my homework. ( no complete thought)
Correct: When I do my homework, I go to quiet place.

Exercise Label the sentence below, and fix the errors if there any.
F Fragment
Ok sentence is correct.
-------------1. The man with the small dog.
-------------- 2. We so busy yesterday.
---------------3. After I finish my homework I go for a walk.
Answers
-----F--------1. The man with the small dog is very tall.
-------F------- 2. We were so busy yesterday.
------ OK------3. After I finish my homework I go for a walk.


Run-On Sentences
Run-on sentences are compound sentences without the comma and without the coordinating
conjunction (FANBOYS) [and, but, or, yet, for, nor, so], or by subordinating conjunctions. In a
run- on sentence the writer has combined two simple sentences incorrectly.

INCOORECT: We play tennis on the weekend our neighbors play gold.
S+V+S+V
CORRECT: We play tennis on the weekend, and our neighbors play gold.
S+V, cc S+V
INCORRECT: Yesterday it rained the weatherman predicts snow tomorrow.
S+V+S+V
CORRECT: Yesterday it rained, but the weatherman predicts snow tomorrow.
S+V, cc S+V
They are three ways to fix run-on sentence
1- Use a connecting word-one of the FANBOYS-and a comma before it.
WRONG: Well work together well help each other.
RIGHT: Well work together, and well help each other.
2- Put a semicolon between the two sentences.
WRONG: The athletes trained for months they were in excellent conditions.
RIGHT: The athletes trained for months; they were in excellent conditions.
3- Make one sentence a dependent clause with words like because, if, when, before, after.
WRONG: He wanted his children to feel special each one got time alone with him.
RIGHT: Because he wanted his children to feel special, each one got time alone with him.
Exercises:
1- I saw big man who stared at me he didnt look very friendly.
2-I was afraid of dark I went to my friends house.
Answer
1-I saw big man who stared at me, and he didnt look very friendly.
2-I was afraid of dark, so I went to my friends house.

Parallelism
Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the
same level of importance. Parallelism is used to balance nouns with nouns, verb with verb, adjective
with adjective. Parallelism is also called parallel structure.
Do not mix forms.

Example 1
Not Parallel:
Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to ride a bicycle.
Parallel:
Mary likes hiking, swimming, and riding a bicycle.
OR
Mary likes to hike, to swim, and to ride a bicycle.
Example 2
Not Parallel:
The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed
manner.
Parallel:
The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and thoroughly.
Exercise Choose the right parallel structure
1. ------A. Tom has a beautiful wife, a big house and he has lovely children.
------B. Tom has a beautiful wife, a big house and lovely children
2. -----A. This is what I want: to study hard, to get the best grades and to get a good job when I
graduate
------ --B. This is what I want: to study hard, to get the best grades and getting a good job when I
graduate.
Answered
1. B. Tom has a beautiful wife, a big house and lovely children
2. A. This is what I want: to study hard, to get the best grades and to get a good job when I
graduate


Dangling and Misplaced Modifier

A dangling modifier; is when the subject of the modifier is unclear, missing, or it doesnt make
sense to the reader. .
INCORRECT: Having looked through the whole book store, the book I wanted just
wasnt there.
CORRECT: Having looked through the whole book store, I realized that the book I wanted just
wasnt there.
Exercise;
From the following pairs of sentences, select the one which is correct.
1. A. As I was running across the floor, the rug slipped and I lost my balance,
B. Running across the floor, the rug slipped and I lost my balance.
2. A. While John was talking on the phone, the doorbell rang.
B. While talking on the phone, the doorbell rang.
Answered
1. A. As I was running across the floor, the rug slipped and I lost my balance.
2. A. While John was talking on the phone, the doorbell rang.
Misplaced modifiers; IS when the subject of the modifier is unclear because the modifier is placed in the
wrong place.

. INCORRECT: The jacket was just too small in the store.
CORRECT: The jacket in the store was just too small.
Exercise:
From the following pairs of sentences, select the one which is correct.
1. A. I almost listened to the whole album.
B. I listened to almost the whole album
2. A. The faulty alarm nearly sounded five times yesterday.
B. The faulty alarm system sounded nearly five times yesterday.
Answered
1. B. I listened to almost the whole album
2. B. The faulty alarm system sounded nearly five times yesterday.


Subject/Pronoun and Verb Agreement
Subject/Pronoun and Verb Agreement means that all parts of a sentence should agree; like the
subject and verb in a sentence must both be either singular or plural.
For example, Sara and Reem like to play outside with their friends.
Sara and Reem (Plural subject) like (plural verb) their (plural pronoun)

Sara likes to play outside with her friends.
Sara (Singular subject) likes (singular verb) her (singular pronoun)

Exercise: Choose the form of the verb and/or pronoun that agrees with the subject
1. A child can increase _____ self-confidence greatly by
participating in physical activity.
a) his
b) their
c) his or her

2. Teachers can create podcasts for each child, helping
_____ learn how to work in groups as well as plan _____
own project.
a) him or her . . . his or her
b) him...his
c) them...their

Answers

1. A child can increase _____ self-confidence greatly by
participating in physical activity.
c) his or her
2. Teachers can create podcasts for each child, helping
_____ learn how to work in groups as well as plan
_____ own project.
a) him or her . . . his or her