{"id":280,"date":"2016-05-19T20:41:38","date_gmt":"2016-05-19T20:41:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/waymaker-level2-english\/?post_type=chapter&p=280"},"modified":"2016-10-14T18:19:58","modified_gmt":"2016-10-14T18:19:58","slug":"try-it-verbs","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/cuny-ccny-introtocollegecomp\/chapter\/try-it-verbs\/","title":{"raw":"Try It: Verbs","rendered":"Try It: Verbs"},"content":{"raw":"

Verb Tense and Agreement<\/h2>\r\nAs you read the following passage, identify any errors in tense or agreement. Explain how to fix these errors in the text frame below.\u00a0The sentence have been numbered to aid in your comments.\r\n

(1) Elizabeth Cochran Seaman (1864\u20131922), known by her pen name Nellie Bly, was an American journalist. (2) She were also a writer, an industrialist, an inventor, and a charity worker. (3) At that time, women in journalism customarily used pen names. (4) The editor chosen \"Nellie Bly,\" adopted\u00a0from the title character in the popular song Nelly Bly<\/em> by Stephen Foster. (5) Bly\u00a0originally intended that her pseudonym be \"Nelly Bly,\" but her editor wrote \"Nellie\" by mistake and the error stuck.<\/p>\r\n

(6) Bly best\u00a0is known for two accomplishments:\u00a0her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, in emulation of Jules Verne's fictional character Phileas Fogg, and her\u00a0expos\u00e9 in which she faked insanity to study a mental institution from within. (7) She is\u00a0a pioneer in several fields, and she launches\u00a0a new kind of investigative journalism.<\/p>\r\n[practice-area rows=\"4\"][\/practice-area]\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"523735\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"523735\"]\r\n\r\nIn sentence 2, the linking verb\u00a0were<\/em> is used instead of\u00a0was<\/em>. Despite the fact that there are many objects in this sentence (a writer, an industrialist, an inventor, and a charity worker), the correct verb here is\u00a0was<\/em>.\u00a0The verb should agree with the subject of the sentence, not the object.\r\n\r\nIn sentence 4, the past participle\u00a0chosen<\/em> is used where the simple past tense should be used: \"The editor\u00a0chose<\/strong>\u00a0. . .\"\r\n\r\nSentence 6 has an issue with word order. Even though the helping verb\u00a0is<\/em> works with the past participle\u00a0known<\/em> in this sentence, it is okay to divide\u00a0the words with a modifier. The sentence should read: \"Bly is best know for two accomplishments.\"\r\n\r\nThe second paragraph\u00a0has some errors in tense. Now that we've corrected it, sentence 6 states that \"Bly is best known for two accomplishments,\" and sentence 7 says \"She is a pioneer . . . , and she launches.\" However, sentence 7 should be in the past tense:\u00a0\"She was<\/strong>\u00a0a pioneer . . . , and she launched<\/strong>.\" Sentence 6 is a passive sentence: Bly is not doing any action in it.\u00a0Since Bly passed away in 1922, all her actions are\u00a0in the past. Thus, sentence 7, which details things she did, should be in the past.\r\n\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n

Non-Finite Verbs<\/h2>\r\nRead the following passage and identify the different types of non-finite verbs within, as well as the roles they perform. Type your answers in the text frame below. The sentence have been numbered to aid in your comments.\r\n

(1) The Australian magpie is a medium-size black and white bird native to Australia. (2) Feeding magpies is a\u00a0common practice among\u00a0households around the country, and there generally is a peaceful co-existence. (3) However,\u00a0in the spring a small minority of breeding magpies (almost always males) become aggressive and swoop and attack passersby.<\/p>\r\n\"an\r\n

(4) The birds\u00a0are known to attack pedestrians at around 160 feet from their nest, and cyclists at around 330 feet. (5) Being unexpectedly swooped while cycling can result in loss of control of the bicycle, which may cause injury.<\/p>\r\n

(6) If it is necessary to walk near a\u00a0nest, wearing a broad-brimmed hat or using an umbrella will deter attacking birds, but beanies and bicycle helmets are of little value because birds attack the sides of the head and neck. (7) Cyclists can deter attack by attaching a long pole with a flag to a bike. (8) Using cable ties on helmets has become common as well, and it appears to be\u00a0an effective deterrent.<\/p>\r\n[practice-area rows=\"4\"][\/practice-area]\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"306830\"]Show Gerunds[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"306830\"]Gerunds appear in the -ing<\/em> form of a verb. They behave like\u00a0nouns.\r\n

    \r\n \t
  • \"Feeding magpies\" is the subject of sentence 2; this phrase contains the gerund\u00a0feeding<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • \"Being unexpectedly swooped\" is the subject of sentence 5; this phrase contains the gerund being<\/em>. \"while cycling\" is a\u00a0prepositional phrase. The gerund\u00a0cycling<\/em> is the object of this phrase.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Sentence 6 has two subjects:\u00a0\"<\/em>wearing a broad-brimmed hat\" and \"using an umbrella.\" Each of these subject has a gerund:\u00a0wearing<\/em> and\u00a0using<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • In sentence 7,\u00a0<\/em>\"by attaching a long pole with a flag to a bike\"\u00a0<\/em>is a\u00a0prepositional phrase. The gerund\u00a0attaching<\/em>\u00a0is the object of this phrase.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • \"Using cable ties on helmets\" is the subject of sentence 8; this phrase contains the gerund\u00a0using<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"306880\"]Show Participles[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"306880\"]Present participles also appear as the -ing<\/em> form of a verb. However, they typically act as modifiers rather than nouns. Past participles take unique past participle forms (many of them are identical to the simple past tense). They act as modifiers as well.\r\n
      \r\n \t
    • In sentence 3, breeding<\/em> is a present participle serving as an adjective. It modifies the noun\u00a0magpies<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • In sentence 4,\u00a0known<\/em>\u00a0is a past\u00a0participle. It works with\u00a0the verb\u00a0are<\/em> to form the passive voice.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • In sentence 5,\u00a0swooped<\/em> is a past participle. It works with the gerund\u00a0being<\/em>\u00a0as a part of the subject of the sentence: \"Being unexpectedly swooped while cycling.\" Being swooped<\/em>\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0passive voice construction,\u00a0so it requires the past participle swooped<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • In sentence 6,\u00a0attacking<\/em>\u00a0is a present participle serving as an adjective. It modifies the noun birds<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"306835\"]Show Infinitives[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"306835\"]Infinitives take two different forms: the dictionary form\u00a0of the verb, with or without to<\/em>.\r\n
        \r\n \t
      • In sentence 4,\u00a0to attack<\/em> is the\u00a0to-<\/em>infinitive. It works with the verb phrase\u00a0\"are generally known.\"<\/li>\r\n \t
      • In sentence 5,\u00a0result<\/em> is the bare-infinitive. It works with the verb\u00a0can<\/em>.\u00a0Can<\/em> indicates a possibility in this sentence.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • In sentence 5,\u00a0cause<\/em>\u00a0is the bare-infinitive. It works with the verb may<\/em>. May<\/em>\u00a0indicates a possibility in this sentence.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • In sentence 6,\u00a0to walk<\/em> is the\u00a0to<\/em>-infinitve. It\u00a0is the object of this sentence; this sentence\u00a0follows the\u00a0common construction with the dummy subject it<\/em>.\u00a0Deter<\/em> is the bare-infinitive. It works with the verb will<\/em>. Will<\/em>\u00a0indicates certainty\u00a0in this sentence.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • In sentence 7,\u00a0deter<\/em>\u00a0is the bare-infinitive. It works with the verb can<\/em>. Can<\/em>\u00a0indicates a possibility in this sentence.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • In sentence 8,\u00a0to be<\/em> is the to<\/em>-infinitive. It works with the verb\u00a0appears<\/em>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[\/hidden-answer]","rendered":"

        Verb Tense and Agreement<\/h2>\n

        As you read the following passage, identify any errors in tense or agreement. Explain how to fix these errors in the text frame below.\u00a0The sentence have been numbered to aid in your comments.<\/p>\n

        (1) Elizabeth Cochran Seaman (1864\u20131922), known by her pen name Nellie Bly, was an American journalist. (2) She were also a writer, an industrialist, an inventor, and a charity worker. (3) At that time, women in journalism customarily used pen names. (4) The editor chosen “Nellie Bly,” adopted\u00a0from the title character in the popular song Nelly Bly<\/em> by Stephen Foster. (5) Bly\u00a0originally intended that her pseudonym be “Nelly Bly,” but her editor wrote “Nellie” by mistake and the error stuck.<\/p>\n

        (6) Bly best\u00a0is known for two accomplishments:\u00a0her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, in emulation of Jules Verne’s fictional character Phileas Fogg, and her\u00a0expos\u00e9 in which she faked insanity to study a mental institution from within. (7) She is\u00a0a pioneer in several fields, and she launches\u00a0a new kind of investigative journalism.<\/p>\n