Intervening phrases can make subject-verb agreement a bit tricky. If you`re unsure about how to properly match verbs with their subjects when intervening phrases are in the sentence, don`t worry! With the help of this worksheet, you`ll be able to master subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases in no time.
First, let`s define what intervening phrases are. They are phrases that come in between the subject and the verb in a sentence. These phrases can be anything from prepositional phrases to participial phrases. Here`s an example:
“The cat, roaming the streets at night, is a nuisance to the neighbors.”
In this sentence, the intervening phrase is “roaming the streets at night.” It`s important to remember that intervening phrases are not part of the subject and should not be considered when matching the subject with the verb.
Now, let`s move onto the worksheet. For each sentence, identify the subject and the intervening phrase. Then, choose the correct verb form that agrees with the subject.
1. The soccer team, exhausted after the game, (is/are) going to celebrate their win.
Subject: soccer team
Intervening phrase: exhausted after the game
Correct verb form: is
2. The books on the shelf, falling over one another, (needs/need) to be rearranged.
Subject: books
Intervening phrase: falling over one another
Correct verb form: need
3. The students in the classroom, studying for their exams, (seems/seem) to be focused.
Subject: students
Intervening phrase: studying for their exams
Correct verb form: seem
4. The apple pie, baking in the oven, (smells/smell) delicious.
Subject: apple pie
Intervening phrase: baking in the oven
Correct verb form: smells
5. The athletes, competing in the tournament, (has/have) been training for months.
Subject: athletes
Intervening phrase: competing in the tournament
Correct verb form: have
By practicing with this worksheet, you`ll be able to easily identify intervening phrases and correctly match verbs with their subjects. This will help you write grammatically correct sentences that are also optimized for SEO. Happy writing!