ELA.8.C.3.1 8.10.D

Prepositions 8th Grade

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): 8.10.D
edit drafts using standard English conventions, including: complete complex sentences with subject-verb agreement and avoidance of splices, run-ons, and fragments; consistent, appropriate use of verb tenses and active and passive voice; prepositions and prepositional phrases and their influence on subject-verb agreement; pronoun-antecedent agremment; correct capitalization; punctuation, including commas in nonrestrictive phrases and clauses, semicolons, colons, and parentheses; and correct spelling, including commonly confused terms such as its/it's, affect/effect, there/their/they're, and to/two/too;
Florida - Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking: ELA.8.C.3.1
Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

Prepositional Phrases & Subject-Verb Agreement

The subjects of sentences and clauses must agree in number with their verbs. However, nouns in prepositional phrases cannot serve as the subjects of sentences or clauses.

☄TIP: Temporarily eliminating distracting prepositional phrases from sentences and clauses can make it easier to determine correct subject-verb agreement.

The paintings in the new exhibit at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth [ are / is ] fascinating and complex.

Sometimes, a sentence with multiple prepositional phrases may camouflage a compound subject.

The first version of the document on the hard drive and the second version of the document on the flash drive [ is / are ] virtually identical.

Sometimes, prepositional phrases may camouflage a collective noun that is the subject of a clause or sentence. Collective nouns usually agree with singular verbs.

The flock of birds with the colorful bills [ is / are ] flying south for the winter.

Some indefinite pronouns are always singular, even if prepositional phrases following them include plural objects.

Each of the elephants [ consume / consumes ] 200-600 pounds of vegetation daily.

Some indefinite pronouns are always plural. They always agree with plural verbs.

Few of their ideas are viable business propositions.

Other indefinite pronouns can be singular or plural, depending on the context. Often, a prepositional phrase following one of these pronouns can help determine if it is singular or plural.

Some of the cranberries [ is / are ] ripe enough to harvest.

Some of the news on the television [ is / are ] distressing.

❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋

Go to the next page to practice working with prepositions and prepositional phrases.

Prepositions

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): 8.10.D

Florida - Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking: ELA.8.C.3.1

Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

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