Page 626 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing
P. 626
The members of the softball team (practices, practice) every
afternoon until five.
Example 2
The color of the draperies matches the stripe woven into the
fabric of the sofa.
The verb agrees with its subject, color, not with the object of the
preposition.
Practice 13-4 Eliminating Prepositional Phrases
In the following sentences, cross out the prepositional phrases to find
the subject of the sentence. Then underline the subject and double-
underline the correct verb.
1. The hands on the clock (seems, seem) to have stopped.
2. The layers of grime on the old desk (obscures, obscure) its
beautiful finish.
3. The loudness of the music in the cardio room of the fitness
center (makes, make) Yolanda’s head ache.
4. As the stairs of the escalator (disappears, disappear) into the
floor, a child stands watching in amazement.
5. The computers in the library of the college (attracts, attract)
many students.
