PRACTICE ON SEGMENT

TRANSFORMATION RULES

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020

Paul, along with his friend Frank, registered for an economics
course to meet one of (his, her, their) degree requirements.
When the two of them showed up for (his, her, their) first class,
neither of them recognized (his, her, their) economics
professor. Beginning to lecture, the professor stared at (his,
her, their) notes and mumbled continuously while the class were
trying to keep (itself, themselves) awake. After the lecture was
over, the entire class quickly left the room and then regrouped
(itself, themselves) in the hallway to discuss (its, their)
problem.

Paul, along with his friend Frank,

registered for an economics course to
meet one of his degree requirements.
This man along with his sons always catches the largest fish.

NOTE: Along with means something added to

man; the meaning is similar to this man and his
sons. But only this man and his sons takes a
plural verb. Along with is a preposition.

This man and his sons are the new neighbors.

 man catches fish

larg
alw
alo
Th

th e
is

est
gw

ys
i th

sons
his

Prepositional phrase
“modifier of man”
 th
is man

catch fish

and

larg
alw

the
ay

est
sons

s
his

Compound Noun
phrase
(Compound subject)
 When the two of them showed up for (his, her, their)
first class, neither of them recognized (his, her,
their) economics professor.

neither recognized professor

ec
his
of

on
W
them

om
he
n

ics
two showed
the

of

for
up

them class
th

fir
eir

st
Use singular verbs with certain pronouns: anybody, everybody,
nobody, somebody, anyone, everyone, no one, someone, one,
anything, everything, nothing, something, another, each, either, etc.
Everyone needs food, clothing, and shelter.
Everyone can learn to benefit from his or her mistakes.

Everyone may refer to either masculine or

feminine, so inclusive language must be used.

A person should practice what he or she preaches.

A person may be either a man or a woman, so

inclusive language must be used.
According to widely accepted traditional usage,
the forms he, him, his, and himself are used to
refer to somebody, everybody, everyone,
nobody, person, etc.

exclusive language

However, according to newer usage, the

combinations he or she, him or her, his or her,
himself or herself are used. Because of the word
“or,” these combinations are singular, not plural.

Inclusive language
Use a plural possessive adjective when you are
refering to two or more words joined by and.

Lynn and David are transforming their

basement into a playroom.

However, when each or every precedes singular

words joined by and, a singular possessive
adjective should be used to stand for those
words.

Every girl and young woman needs to choose a

career for herself.
Beginning to lecture, the professor stared at (his,
her, their) notes and mumbled continuously while
the class were trying to keep (itself, themselves)
awake.

RULE: Collective nouns such as group, team,

class, and family take a singular possessive
adjective when the noun refers to the group as a
whole.

The team is practicing for its biggest game.

it + -‘s → its
RULE: Collective nouns such as group, team, class, and
family take a plural possessive adjective or pronoun
when the noun refers to the individual members of the
group.

The team are going their separate ways after the game.

Player 1 going his own way

They + -‘s([r])→ their

Player 2 going his own way

Player 3 going his own way

Etc.
When to use a plural verb

When the members of a collective noun are

performing an action as individuals, use a
plural verb. In this case, all or some members
of the group are doing something
independently of the other members; the group
is not acting together as a unit.

The orchestra are tuning their instruments.

The cast have been practicing their lines.
The flock were running off in every direction.
The staff disagree on the proposal.
In many cases, it may sound more natural
to make the subject plural in form by
adding a word like members:

The members of the orchestra are tuning

their instruments.

The cast members have been practicing their

lines.

The staff members disagree on the proposal.

Beginning to lecture, the professor stared at (his,
her, their) notes and mumbled continuously while
the class were trying to keep (itself, themselves)
awake.

Each student in the class was trying to keep

himself or herself awake.

The class (student₁, student₂, student₃, student₄,

etc.) V [they] → V [themselves]

The class (student₁ V [himself], student₂ V [herself], student₃ V [himself],

student₄ V [herself], etc.) V [they] → V [themselves]
After the lecture was over, the entire class quickly left the
room and then regrouped (itself, themselves) in the hallway
to discuss (its, their) problem.

the entire class (student₁, student₂, student₃, student₄, etc.)

V [they] → V [themselves]

the entire class (student₁ V [himself], student₂ V [herself], student₃ V

[himself], student₄ V [herself], etc.) V [they] → V [themselves]
Neither Paul nor his classmates liked (his, her, their)
economics teacher, and it soon became clear that
either the students or their teacher would have to
change (his, her, their) attitude. Since no one was
willing to risk (his, her, his or her, their) grade by
complaining directly to (his, her, his or her, their)
teacher, everyone agreed that (he, he or she, they)
would just have to suffer through a semester of this
boring class- everyone, that is, except Paul, who
never came to any of the lectures again. Thus,
when he appeared to take the final examination,
each of the students in the room turned (his, her,
his or her, their) shocked face in Paul´s direction.
Neither Paul nor his classmates liked (his, her, their)
economics teacher, and it soon became clear that either
the students or their teacher would have to change (his,
her, their) attitude.

When two words are joined by either … or or neither…

nor, the possessive adjective and verb should agree with
the word that is closer.

Either Dan or Ted will read his article.

Neither the general nor his officers have revealed their secret.
The students were equally shocked when (he, she,
they) saw the examination questions, which
required a thorough knowledge of economics and
(its, their) related areas. When the professor later
marked Paul´s examination paper, (he, she, they)
was anxious to find many errors so (he, she they),
along with several of (his, her, their) colleagues,
examined the paper carefully, but (he, she, they)
could find only one small mistake. Because the
professor was amazed, (he, she, they) called Paul
to his office where he told the student, “A person
must usually attend my class regularly if (he, she,
he or she, they) expects to pass the course.”
Meanwhile, Paul stared nervously at the
huge stack of examination papers with a
rubber band around (it, them). “Paul,” the
professor continued, “several colleagues and
(me, I) went over your paper, and (I, we,
they) found only one small mistake.” Paul
replied apologetically, “Gee, Professor, I’m
sorry about the mistake. I wouldn’t have
made (it, them) if I hadn’t been confused by
your first lecture.”
 V [Nominative case] → V [Objective Case]

  V [NOMINATIVE] → V [OBJECTIVE]
1. (to meet) one of his degree one of his degree requirements
requirements
2. (recognized) his economics his economics professor
professor

3. (stared at) his notes his notes

4. (left) the room the room
5. (to discuss) their problem their problem
6. (liked) their economics teacher their economics teacher
7. (change) his attitude his attitude
8. (to risk) his or her grade his or her grade
9. (to take) the final examination the final examination
10. (turned) his or her shocked face his or her shocked face
11. (saw) the examination questions the examination questions 
12. (required) a thorough knowledge a thorough knowledge of
of economics and its related economics and its related areas
areas
13. (marked) Paul´s examination Paul´s examination paper
paper
14. (to find) many errors many errors
15. (examined) the paper the paper
16. (could find) only one small only one small mistake
mistake
17. (called) Paul Paul
18. (told) the student the student
19. (told) “A person must “A person must
usually attend my class usually attend my class regularly
regularly if he or she expects to pass
if he or she expects to pass the course.”
the course.”
20 (attend) my class my class
21. (expect) to pass the course
22. (to pass) the course
23. (stared at) the huge stack of
examination papers with a rubber
band around it
24. (went over) your paper
25. (found) only one small mistake
26. (replied) “Gee, Professor, I’m sorry
about the mistake. I wouldn’t have
made (it, them) if I hadn’t been
confused by your first lecture.”
27. (wouldn’t have made) it
to pass the course
the course
the huge stack of examination papers
with a rubber band around it
your paper
only one small mistake
“Gee, Professor, I’m sorry about the
mistake. I wouldn’t have made (it, them)
if I hadn’t been confused by your first
lecture.”
it
 Prep [Nominative case] → prep [Objective case]

1. (along with) his friend his friend Frank

Frank
2. (for) an economics course an economics course
3. (for) their first class their first class
4. (of) his degree his degree requirements
requirements
5. (of) they them
6. (in) the hallway the hallway
7. (to) his or her teacher his or her teacher
8. (through) a semester of a semester of this boring
this boring class class
9. (of) this boring class this boring class
10. (except) Paul Paul
12. (to) any of the lectures any of the lectures
13. (of) the lectures the lectures
14. (of) the students in the room the students
15. (in) the room the room
16. (in) Paul´s direction Paul´s direction
17. (of) economics and its related areas economics and its related areas
18. (along with) several of his several of his colleagues
colleagues
19. (of) his colleagues his colleagues
20. (to) his office where he told the his office where he told the
student, “A person must usually student, “A person must usually
attend my class regularly if he or attend my class regularly if he or
she expects to pass the course.”
she expects to pass the course.”
20. (of) examination papers with a examination papers with a rubber band
rubber band around it around it
(with) a rubber band around it a rubber band around it
(around) it it
21. (about) the mistake the mistake
22. (by) your first lecture your first lecture
 NP₁ V [NP₂ (they)] → NP₁ V [NP₂ (themselves)] Where NP₁ = NP₂
V [Nominative Case] → V [Objective Case] Where NP₁ =
NP₂
1. they (the class) themselves
2. they (the class) themselves

V [Nominative Case] → V [Nominative Case] Where … Verb = (to) be

1. she (It was she who came late) she (It was she who came late)
2. they (It was they who did it) they (It was they who did it)

Det + N + PL [these books] → Ø + N + Pl [these]

1. these books these
2. those books those
3. some books some
1. These books are expensive. → These are expensive.
2. Those boys are happy. → Those are happy.
3. Some books are new. → Some are new.
 Det + N + -PL [this hat] → Ø + N + -Pl [this]
1. This book This
2. That book That

1. This book is mine. → This is mine.

2. That hat is yours. → That is yours.
Det + N + -PL [a book] → Det + N + +Pl [some books]
1. A book Some books
2. The book The books
3. This book These books
4. That book Those books
5. Some man Some men

1. A book is here. → Some books are there.

2. The book is here. → The books are there.
3. This book is mine. → These books are yours.
4. That book is black. → Those books are interesting.
5. Some man is outside. → Some men are outside.
REFERENCE
Maclin, A. (2001). Reference Guide to English A Handbook of English as a Second Language.
En Reference Guide to English A Handbook of English as a Second Language. Washington
DC.
QITMAN TROYKA, L., & NUDELMAN, J. (1986). STEPS IN COMPOSITION. En STEPS IN
COMPOSITION. NEW YORK: PRENTICE HALL.