STUDENTS COPY

SPECTRUM 6(3)
PRACTICE 1 SUBJECT AND VERB
Common mistake: All of the students they need to go to the Study Room.
Hint:

a)

Nouns
Pronouns
Gerund
Infinitive
Noun clause

Your invitation
It
Accepting your invitation
To accept your invitation
That you invited me
Subject

b)
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makes me happy.

Verb

The president, with his wife and children, travels a lot.

S
V

STUDENTS COPY
PRACTICE 2 VERB AGREEMENT, TENSE AND FORM
( PART A )

Common mistake: (Agreement) Everyone but the janitor have left the building.
(Tense)
(Form)

Hint:

The man said that he will work late tonight.

The ship sunk ten miles from the coast.

a) (Every-body, etc / Some-one, etc / Any-thing, etc / Each / Every / Neither) + Singular Verb
Everyone is here
S
V
Neither of the students is passing the course.
S
V
b) (Every / Each) joined by and + Singular Verb
Every boy and girl was asked to go to the Study Room.
S
S V
Each student and teacher was interviewed by the Supervisor.
S
S
V
c) It + Singular Verb
It was the students who made that noise.
S V
It is their low MPT scores that worry the students.
SV
d) (Together with / In addition to / Along with / As well as, etc) Do not modify the number of the subject.
The teacher as well as all his students is watching the video.
S
V
One of the largest fast food restaurants in the city is Burger King.
S
V
e) (There / Here) are never subjects.
There are no books in the bookcase.
/
There isnt any candy left for me.
V
S
V
S
Here are the results of your exam.
/
Here is the book you lent me yesterday.
V
S
V
S

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STUDENTS COPY
PRACTICE 3 VERB AGREEMENT, TENSE AND FORM
( PART B )

Common mistake: (Agreement) It is Italy and France that is going to play the final game.
(Tense)
(Form)

Hint:

Had you hurried, Mr. Torrez wouldnt have been being here for 2 hours.
This is the first time I have sang in a karaoke.

a) (And / Both and) + Plural verb

A teacher and some students were waiting for the CBA to open.
S
S
V
Both Top Notch and Spectrum are now the official books at the CBA.
S
S
V

b) (Several / Many / Both / Few) + Plural verb

Both are going to repeat the course because of their scores.
S V
Only a few have passed the Final Exam.
S
V
c) (Clothes: pants, sunglasses / Tools: scissors, pliers / Abstract: riches, thanks) + Plural verb
His jeans are still being cleaned.
/
That pair of jeans is dirty
S V
S
V
Your thanks are enough for me.
/
A word of thanks is enough.
S
V
S
V
d) (Neither / Either / Not onlybut also) The verb must agree with the closer subject.
Neither the students nor the teacher is allowed to smoke. /Neither the students nor the teachers are allowed to smoke
S
V
S
V
Either the students or the teacher has your book.
/ Either the students or the teachers have your book.
S
V
S
V
Not only the nurses but also the doctor is coming soon. / Not only the nurses but also the doctors are coming soon.
S V
S
V
e) (None / All / Some / Any / Majority / Most / Half, etc) + Singular or Plural verb
All of the book has been destroyed.
/
All of the books have been destroyed.
S
V
S
V
Most of the room was painted.
/
Most of the rooms were painted.
S
V
S
V

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STUDENTS COPY
PRACTICE 4 VERB AGREEMENT, TENSE AND FORM
( PART C )

Common mistake: (Agreement) The teacher with his students are watching Terminator II
(Tense)
(Form)

Hint:

The teacher was in Cochabamba since yesterday. .

The competition has already start.

a) (A number of) + Plural verb / (The number of) + Singular verb

A number of teacher were having a meeting at the teachers launch
S
V
The number of students coming from El Alto is small.
S
V
b) (Time / Money / Weight / Volume, etc) + Singular verb
Two days is enough time to study for our MPT.
S
V
Ten bottles of wine costs a lot of money.
S
V
c) (Subject: physics, civics / Diseases: mumps, herpes / Abstract: news, politics)
Economics was my worst subject at the university.
S
V
The news was very striking.
S
V
d) (Titles of books and movies) + Singular verb
The New York Times is the best newspaper in the city.
S
V
Star wars was the most incredible movie I have ever seen.
S
V

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Singular verb

STUDENTS COPY
PRACTICE 5 VERB AGREEMENT, TENSE AND FORM
( PART D )

Common mistake: (Agreement) The table along with all the chairs were sold yesterday.
(Tense)
(Form)

Hint:

Marie has traveled to Mexico three days ago.

The teacher had already shutted the door when we arrived.

a) (Collective nouns) + Singular verb / (If the members are individuals)

That class has its final test on Monday.
S V
The class are working on their individual projects today.
S V
b) (Nouns: sheep, cattle, fish, deer, series, etc) + Singular or plural verb

Plural verb

That species is rare.

/
Those species are rare.
S
V
S
V
That fish is fresh.
/
Those fish are fresh.
S
V
S
V
c) (A language) + Singular verb / (The people) + Plural verb
English is an important language.
/
The English are always serious.
S
V
S
V
Spanish derives from Latin.
/
The Spanish love Salsa.
S
V
S
V
d) (Singular-Plural: basis-bases; criterion-criteria; radius-radii; alga-algae; datum-data; index-indices)
That alga found in the Lake Titicaca is being studied. / The algae in the pool are hard to remove.
S
V
S
V
The radius of the circle is two inches.
/ The radii have already been calculated.
S
V
S
V

STUDENTS COPY

SPECTRUM 6(3)
PRACTICE 6 CLAUSES
Common mistake: Because wanted to learn fast, the girl studied all night long.

A Main Clause is a subject-verb combination that functions independently as a sentence.

A Subordinate Clause is a subject-verb combination that begins with (because, which, after, etc) and
cannot function independently as a sentence.
Hint:

a) Adjective Clauses or Relative Clauses (Who / Whom / Whose / That / Which / Where / When, etc)
Adj. clause
Adj. clause
The people (that we met) were not from La Paz.
/
The people (we met) were not from La Paz
(S) (V) ____
(S) (V) ____
S
V
S
V
Exercises:
1. The Brooklyn Bridge which was built by John Roblings who perfected the suspension bridge.
A
B
C
D
2. Ancient Egyptians, who are gathering their clay from the Nile, used straw or reeds to strengthen their bricks.
A
B
C
D
3. In 2005, Evo Morales who won the Presidential Elections which proved to be a change in Bolivias Democracy.
A
B
C
D
4. Beside the secretary is the supervisor gives permission to any student that might need it.
A
B
C
D
5. In Oruro, Bolivia, who was once founded as Villa de San Felipe de Austria, is where the biggest Carnival takes place.
A
B
C D
Hint:

b) Adverb Clauses (Time: after, since / Cause-Effect: because, whereas / Condition: if, once / Opposition: while,
even though / Manner: as though, as if / Comparison: than, as)
Adverb Clause - Condition
(Unless we finish the CBA by the end of this year), we will not be able to apply for that scholarship.
S
V

STUDENTS COPY

SPECTRUM 6(3)
PRACTICE 7 VERBALS
Common mistake: This is a very interested book.
Hints:

a) (Infinitives / Prepositional phrases / Gerunds / Verbs)

Infinitive (TO):
All the students want (to pass) the MPT.
/
(To pass) the course is important.
S
V
S
V
Prepositional Phrase (TO):
I have to go to school with my brother every day.
PREP
Gerund (ING):
Swimming is a very good exercise.
S
V
Verbs (ING):
The boys are swimming right now.
S
V
b) (Adjective Clause / Verbal adjective clause / One-word verbal adjective)
Adjective Clause:
Doctors couldnt save the man who was dying of cancer.
Verbal adjective clause:
Doctors couldnt save the man dying of cancer.
One-word verbal adjective: Doctors couldnt save the dying man.
c) (Present participle: means doing the action / Past participle: means receiving the action)

Present Part.
Past Part.
The (exciting) movie draws large crowds of (excited) children every Saturday.
doing
receiving
d) (Reduction from Subordinate Clauses to Verbal Phrase when the subject is the same)
The same subject
While the man was eating, the man choked on a small bone. (Subordinate clause)
While eating, the man choked on a small bone.
(Verbal phrase)
The same subject
Because it is seriously injured, the dog may die.
(Subordinate clause)
Being seriously injured, the dog may die.
(Verbal phrase)
Wrong:
Correct:

Walking home, a noise frightened the girl.

S (A noise was walking home???)
Walking home, a girl was frightened by a noise.
S
(A girl was walking home)

STUDENTS COPY

SPECTRUM 6(3)
PRACTICE 8 PRONOUN FORMS
Common mistake: It must be him at the door.
Hints:

a) Subject Pronouns (I / You / He / She / It / We / You / They / One / Who)

Subject pronoun as subjects of Main clauses or Subordinate clauses.
o He failed his Placement exam.
(Main Clause)
o Tom is the person who was my teacher in Review I.
(Subordinate clause)
Subject pronouns after verb to be.
o It was he at the door. / It must have been they who left the course.
Subject pronouns are used when the subjects of two clauses are being compared.
o She is taller than he (is). / They have more money than we (have).
b) Object Pronouns (Me / You / Him / Her / It / Us / You / Them / One / Whom)
Object pronouns as Direct or Indirect objects of Main or Subordinate clauses.
o The policeman was watching me.
(Direct object of the main clause)
o If I send him a letter, he will be happy.
(Indirect object of the subordinate clause)
Object pronouns after prepositions.
o Luis wont go to the party without her. / The person whom I live with is my brother.
Object pronouns are used when the objects of two clauses are being compared.
o The teacher likes you better than (she likes) me. / The child responds to her more rapidly than (to) him.
c) Possessive Adjectives (My / Your / His / Her / Its / Our / Your / Their / Ones / Whose)
Possessive adjectives are used to indicate possession.
o I lost my Video book in the Study Room. / The boy whose Video Book is lost is sad.
Possessive adjectives go before an ing noun form.
o I appreciate your helping me. / Her singing and dancing will charm everybody.
d) Possessive Pronouns (Mine / Yours / His / Hers / Ours / Yours / Theirs)
Possessive pronouns replace a noun functioning as a subject or object.
o Your books are new, but mine arent.
(Subject function)
o I forgot my books, so I borrowed hers.
(Object function)
Possessive pronouns go with verb to be to indicate possession.
o This ID card is mine. / I dont know whose those are.
Possessive pronouns after the preposition OF.
o Marie is a good friend of mine. / I found an old essay of yours in this file.
Possessive pronouns are used to replace the second noun when comparing two same objects.
o His car can go faster than ours. / Saras house is larger than mine.
e) Reflexive Pronouns (Myself / Yourself / Himself / Herself / Itself / Ourselves / Yourselves / Themselves / Oneself)
Reflexive pronouns are used to emphasize the noun or pronoun
o The president himself was at the party. / I always do my exercises myself.
Reflexive pronouns go after by, meaning alone or without help
o My children cant get dressed by themselves. / After a long day of work, I like to be by myself.
Reflexive pronouns are used when the object is the same as the subject.
o He is always talking to himself. / She cut herself with a knife.

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STUDENTS COPY
PRACTICE 9 PRONOUN AGREEMENT AND REFERENCE

Common mistake: Both the cat and the dog spend its days outside.

Hints:

Hint:

a) Pronoun Agreement.
A plural pronoun is used with Bothand / And
o Both John and Mary are returning to their class. / John and I are returning to our class.
A singular pronoun is used with indefinite pronouns (Somebody / Anyone / Everything, etc)
o Everyone must do his homework. / He never puts anything back in its place.
The pronoun should agree with the closer part in (Eitheror / Neithernor / Not onlybut also)
o Either the students or the teacher will give you his book. / Neither the dogs nor the cats have their collars.
The pronoun might be singular or plural with collective nouns like (group, team, class, crew, etc)
o Singular: The team is preparing for its final game. / Plural: The team are going to their homes now.

b) Pronoun Reference.
Pronouns in adjective clauses refer to nouns that come before them.
Who, Whom: Refer to people and household animals.
Which:
Refer to things, collective nouns, and animals.
Whose, That: Refer to all types of nouns.
Pronouns in adjective clauses refer only to nouns, but cannot refer to verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.
Wrong:
The class was long which no one liked.
Correct:
The class which no one liked was long.

STUDENTS COPY

SPECTRUM 6(3)
PRACTICE 10 INVERSIONS
Common mistake: I dont know where did he go.
Hints:

a) Inversion of Subject and verb: (Subject+Verb+Object) Changes to (Verb+Subject)

When the sentence begins with There
o There is no basis for this equipment. / There are few excuses that teacher will accept.
V
S
V
S
When the sentence begins with a Prepositional Phrase and has an Intransitive verb
o On the corner stood a police officer. / In the box were several old photographs.
V
S
V
S
When the IF is omitted in Conditional sentences (Types 2 and 3)
o Type 2: If he were rich, he would buy an expensive car. Were he rich, he would buy an expensive car.
S V
V S
o Type 3: If he had known, he would have come.
Had he known, we would have come.
S
V
V S
When the sentence begins with a Negative word (Never / Hardly / Seldom / Rarely / Barely / Not only, etc)
o Not only did they go to the game, but they also stayed until the end. / Never have I felt better in my life.
V S
V S
When the sentence begins with Only and a time expression
o Only once was Mary late to class. / Only after her mother died, did she know loneliness.
V S
V S
When the sentence begins with a Preposition
o Down came the rain. / In walked the surgeon with his scalpel in his hand.
V
S
V
S
When the sentences begins with (So / Such / Few / Little)
o Such was her desire to win (that) she practiced day and night. BUT Such a desire to win is not healthy.
V
S
S
V
o Few were her words of praise for her son (that) he
BUT Few words of praise are meaningful.
V
S
S
V
When a Passive is split and the Main Verb begins the sentence.
o Held as hostages were several reporters. / Discovered at the bottom of the well were two children.
V
S
V
S
No inversion is possible with Embedded or Indirect Questions.
o Could you tell me where he went?
NOT
Could you tell me where did he go?
S V
WRONG
o The man asked where the bus station was.
NOT
The man asked where was the bus station.
S
V
SPECTRUM

STUDENTS COPY
PRACTICE 11 PARALLEL STRUCTURES

6(3)

Common mistake: He likes to read, to swim, and riding horses.

Hints:

a) A series of Nouns / Adjectives / Phrases / Clauses, etc.

Benjamin Franklin was a writer, a scientist, and politics. / Benjamin Franklin was a writer, a scientist, and a politician

WRONG
N
N
N
He was young, strong, and feeling happy / He was young, strong, and happy.
WRONG
Adj.
Adj.
Adj.
Wrong: She has succeeded because she works hard and because of her intelligence.
She succeeded because (she works hard) and because (she is intelligent).
Clause
Clause
She succeeded because of (her hard work) and because of (her intelligence).
Phrase
Phrase
b) ING noun forms and infinitives.
Wrong: She likes to swim, to jog, and playing tennis.
She likes swimming, jogging, and playing tennis.
-Ing.
Ing.
Ing.
She likes to swim, to jog, and to play tennis.
Inf.
Inf.
Inf.
c) Correlatives (Bothand / Eitheror / Neithernor / Not onlybut also / Whetheror).
Water both flows over and through porous soil. / Water flows both over and through porous soil.
Verb
Prep.
Prep.
Prep.
We didnt decide whether well go or stay home. / We didnt decide whether well go or well stay home.
Future
Verb
Future
Future
d) Comparisons
The area of Alaska is greater than Texas. / The area of Alaska is greater than that of Texas.
WRONG
(The area)

Wrong: Alaska is larger than any state. (Alaska is larger than Alaska???)
Correct: Alaska is larger than any other state.

Wrong: Frank is more intelligent than anyone in his class. (Frank is more intelligent than Frank???)
Correct: Frank is more intelligent than anyone else in his class.

STUDENTS COPY

SPECTRUM 6(3)
PRACTICE 12 REDUNDANCY AND WORD CHOICE
Common mistake: Hes a very fast, quick runner.
She was laying on the bed.
Hints:
a) Redundancy.
Wrong: The store raised the cost by ten dollars more.
Correct: The store raised the cost by ten dollars.
Wrong: The distant thunder was audible to the ear.
Correct: The distant thunder was audible.
Hint:
b) Word Choice.

Transitive Verbs
Intransitive Verbs
(Need an Object)
(Dont need an Object)
SET
SIT
LAY
LIE
RAISE
RISE
Exercises: Choose the correct option.
11. (Lying, Laying) in the driveway was a bicycle.
A=LYING
A
B
12. The flag was (risen, raised) to the top of the pole. B=RAISED
A
B

SET
SIT
LAY
LIE
RAISE
RISE

set, set, setting

sat, sat, sitting
laid, laid, laying
lay, lain, lying
raised, raised, raising
rose, risen, rising.

(Lying in the driveway . = Theres NO object)

(Passive, Someone raised the flag = Theres object)