As a copy editor, it`s essential to have a grasp of grammatical rules for agreement and disagreement. Ensuring that subjects and verbs, pronouns and antecedents, and singular or plural nouns are in agreement is crucial to effective communication. Here are a few exercises to help sharpen your skills.
Exercise 1: Subject-Verb Agreement
Choose the correct verb to complete each sentence.
1. The group of students _____ excited about the field trip. (is, are)
2. Neither the teacher nor the students _____ happy about the cancellation. (is, are)
3. Each of the books _____ interesting. (is, are)
4. The committee _____ to meet again next week. (plans, plan)
5. The team captain, as well as his teammates, _____ optimistic about the game. (is, are)
Answers: 1. is, 2. is, 3. is, 4. plans, 5. is
Exercise 2: Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement
Choose the appropriate pronoun to complete each sentence.
1. Lucy and _____ have been friends since kindergarten. (I, me)
2. Did you see the movie that _____ recommended? (he, him)
3. Neither Robert nor Josephine knew that the other had _____ tickets. (their, his or her)
4. The cat, like all felines, _____ enjoys napping. (it, they)
5. Each of the students _____ brought _____ lunch to school. (he or she, his or her)
Answers: 1. I, 2. he, 3. his or her, 4. it, 5. he or she, his or her
Exercise 3: Singular or Plural Nouns
Choose the correct form of each noun to complete the sentence.
1. The _____ of bees was buzzing around the hive. (swarm, swarms)
2. The _____ of geese flew overhead. (flock, flocks)
3. The _____ of books on the library shelf was impressive. (collection, collections)
4. The _____ of people at the concert was overwhelming. (crowd, crowds)
5. The _____ of grapes on the vine was plentiful. (cluster, clusters)
Answers: 1. swarm, 2. flock, 3. collection, 4. crowd, 5. cluster
Agreement and disagreement play a vital role in clear and concise communication. Consistently practicing exercises like these can ensure that you have a firm understanding of grammatical rules. With these skills, you`ll be able to catch errors and inconsistencies before they make it to the final copy.