And I thought I was a grammar Nazi...

[The Aged God]

During English today and or this morning, we were going over a grammar review packet. Well, the rule for the packet was subj. and verb agreement. I got some of the questions wrong. I feel really stupid for not realizing this grammar rule:

When the subject is singular the verb is plural.

Example: The cat(s) walks(v).

When the subject is plural the verb is singular.

Example: The cats(s) walk(v).  

[Jerayni]

Don't worry, happens to the best of us. ^^  

[Eleusinian Mysteries]

That's a pretty easy rule to forget. I just doesn't seem to make sense, but it's correct grammar...  

[Sola Catella]

Technically, the form 'walk' is plural--our pronoun 'you' was originally second person plural, not both singular and plural--while 'walks' is singular. The forms are just the opposite for verb conjugation as they are for nouns.  

[Ithaya]

I don't know grammar rules. We were never taught them. I just know what I'm writing/saying/reading and know if it's correct or not.  

[Emmanuela]

Quote:

I don't know grammar rules. We were never taught them. I just know what I'm writing/saying/reading and know if it's correct or not.

Same here, I have never once been taught a grammar rule, yet I spend three hours a week in an English class, does that seem wrong to anybody?  

[Kohy]

Emmanuela

Quote:

I don't know grammar rules. We were never taught them. I just know what I'm writing/saying/reading and know if it's correct or not.

Same here, I have never once been taught a grammar rule, yet I spend three hours a week in an English class, does that seem wrong to anybody?

I understand that completely. I feel like I've learned nothing in english except the process of writting reports, argumentative essays and short worded summaries, or analysing poems or short stories.. It was only a few weeks ago though, that our teacher actually took time to teach us the difference between who, and whom, and I must admit. I never knew there were special circumstances that they were to be used.  

[Ithaya]

I swear. English lessons don't teach a thing. I've been fast-tracked and I either failed my English Literature or just scraped a pass. All my knowledge of English is self-taught (except a select few things and some spelling) and centered in language.

I want my old English teacher back. At least she taught us about sensory description (I already used it, I just wasn't aware I did). And she was amusing.  

[Sachiko13]

that's one of the problems with today's schools-they don't start teaching grammar until middle school, when it's too late to change the way it's already programmed into the students' heads.  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

Kids need to be taught the fundamentals of grammar, such as "He and I went to the store", not "Me and him went to the store". *shudders*

Who is there?
With whom did she say she was going?

If they don't teach stuff like that, they can forget all about their argumentive essays.  

[Chanceless]

Shinobi 1977

Kids need to be taught the fundamentals of grammar, such as "He and I went to the store", not "Me and him went to the store". *shudders*

Who is there?
With whom did she say she was going?

If they don't teach stuff like that, they can forget all about their argumentive essays.

It's so true.
The American elementary schools are incinerating their fundamentals -- you people in the UK and elsewhere?...All I'm going to say is that you're damn lucky to have decent schools.

 

[talkintree]

[-Sakasama_No_Chou-]

During English today and or this morning, we were going over a grammar review packet. Well, the rule for the packet was subj. and verb agreement. I got some of the questions wrong. I feel really stupid for not realizing this grammar rule:

When the subject is singular the verb is plural.

Example: The cat(s) walks(v).

When the subject is plural the verb is singular.

Example: The cats(s) walk(v).

Yup. I learned this is class as well. ^^
The dog runs
The dogs run  

[talkintree]

Have you heard this too?

Is it:
mothers-in-law or mother-in-laws?
and is it:
runners-up or is it runner-ups?
^^

Answer:
mothers-in-law
runners-up

Some people forget that the 's' belongs at the beginning of the first word, and not the last word.  

[Embodiment Of The Living]

Psssh, yeah, I will have to agree with the school person, that if we do grammar later on, then it will be next to not having it at all.  

[Ame Yuki Kaze]

I've always said "mothers-in-law", even as a kid. I'd hear it said the other way and it always sounded wrong to me.