Question

Match each sentence to the agreement problem it exhibits.

Answer 1

a. each one of these pies look delicious: 3. indefinite pronoun and verb disagree.

“Each” is an indefinite pronoun that always takes a singular verb; in this case, the indefinite pronoun and verb disagree because the verb “look” is not in its third-person singular form “looks.”

b. the team were upset by the loss: 4 collective noun and verb disagree.

Collective nouns are nouns that refer to two or more people or things but that are normally in their singular form like “team” and only take singular verbs. This sentence, then, is wrong because the noun and the verb disagree: the verb “to be” should be in its singular form: “was.”

c. James and Theo walks all the way to the ravine: 5.subject disagrees with the verb it comes after.

James and Theo are third person plural, therefore, the verb that should come after  is “walk” and not “walks.”

d. is your dog and cat happy you're home?: 2. compound subject and verb disagree.

A compound subject is a subject consisting of two or more nouns. In the sentence, the compound subject consists of two nouns “dog and cat,” therefore, the verb “to be” should be in plural: “are.”

e. the kitchen smelled like rosemary when I come home:  1. verb tense disagree.

The sentence expresses an idea in two different verbal tenses: it uses the simple past tense for the first clause “the kitchen smelled like rosemary”  and the simple present for the second clause: “when I come home.”

Answer 2

Answer:

1. verb tenses disagree.

e. The kitchen smelled like rosemary when I come home.

2. compound subject and verb disagree.

c. James and Theo walks all the way to the ravine.

3. indefinite pronoun and verb disagree.

a. Each one of these pies look delicious.

4. collective noun and verb disagree.

b. The team were upset by the loss.

5. subject disagrees with the verb it comes after.

d. Is your dog and cat happy you're home?

Explanation:

1. Smelled (past), come (present);

it should be "The kitchen smelled like rosemary when I came home."

2. The subject includes two people, but the verb is singular.

It should be "James and Theo walk all the way to the ravine."

3. Each is always singular and requires a singular verb.

It should be "Each one of these pies looks delicious.

4. When a collective noun is acting as a unit, use a singular verb.

It should be "The team was upset by the loss."

5. The subject includes two pets, but the verb is singular.

It should be "Are your dog and cat happy you're home?".