Elements of a Good French Business Letter

Writing a good French business letter depends on one thing: knowing the correct formulas. Here they are in one table: lists of the various formulas needed for effective French commercial correspondence  or  correspondance commerciale.   First, lets sketch out broad brush what components are in all commercial correspondence, from top to bottom. Components of a French Business Letter The date of writingThe address of the recipientThe  salutation or greetingThe body of the letter, always written in the more formal plural you (vous)A polite pre-close (optional)The close and the signature In  French business letters, its best to be as  polite  and formal as possible. This means you will choose the language that sounds professional, that is polite and formal and that suits the subject at hand, whether youre initiating a business transaction or accepting a job offer. These qualities should hold true for the entire letter. If the writer is writing on his or her own behalf, then the letter can be written in the first person singular (je). If the writer is composing the letter on behalf of a company, everything should be expressed in the first person plural (nous). Verb conjugations  should match the pronoun thats used. Whether a woman or man is writing, the  adjectives  should agree in gender and number. In the table below, click on the topics that apply to the kind of letter you want to write, then take a look at the helpful  sample letter  at the bottom of the table  to get an idea of how to pull it all together correctly. Were looking at two main types of commercial correspondence in this table: business letters and job-related letters. Each has its own requirements. Tips Remember to always  vouvoie. That is absolutely essential.The more formal and  polite  you are, the better.The job-related formulas can be used in conjunction with the appropriate business letter formulas such as expressing pleasure or regret.When youre done, if at all possible, ask a native speaker to proofread your letter before you send it.

Growth Prospects E Commerce And Strategic Acquisitions Essay

Opportunities are meant to take advantage of once being noticed. Like how Amazon took notice of its data in the early 2000’s, it needs to take notice of other opportunities that are laid before them. The opportunities that they should continue to focus would be growth prospects e-commerce and strategic acquisitions. Growth prospects e-commerce E-commerce has continued to be a business trend and it continued to grow in 2015. According to the data the Stefany Zaroban got from the U.S. Commerce Department, the web sales in 2015 totaled â€Å"$341.7 billion for the year, a 14.6% increase over 2014’s $298.3 billion† (Zaroban, 2016). This reveals that Amazon would continue to have the chance to increase their sales as well as an increase to bringing in more customers. According to the data that GlobalData received, U.S. had around â€Å"300 million internet users in the year 2014 which was an increase of 7% over the previous years† (GlobalData). These statistics show that with the increase of online shoppers every year and the definite advance in technology in the future, more people will shop online than to go to retail stores. Strategic Acquisitions According to Amazon’s history and timeline, they were able to add features to Amazon every year. Like in 2014 of December, they were able to add a one-hour delivery for prime members, add in HBO GO on Amazon Fire TV, Ultra HD Movies and TV Shows on Amazon Instant Video, included in a ‘Make an Offer’ for customers, and much more throughoutShow MoreRelatedAlibaba.Com Case Study1496 Words   |  6 Pagesfirm that it will need to be successful in the future. ORGANIZATIONAL CONTROL Guide the use of strategy, indicate how to compare actual results with expected results, and suggest corrective actions to take when the difference is unacceptable. Strategic Controls Organizational Controls Financial Controls RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE †¢ Strategy has much more important influence on the structure than the reverse. †¢ When changing strategies the firm should simultaneously changeRead MoreThe, Inc. ( Amazon.com ) Is An E Commerce Company1513 Words   |  7 Pagescom) is an e-commerce company. The Company sells a range of products and services through its Websites. The Company s products are offered through consumer-facing Websites, which include merchandise and content that it purchases for resale from vendors and those offered by third-party sellers. It designs its Websites to enable products to be sold by the Company and by third parties across various product categories. It also manufactures and sells electronic devices, including Kindle e-readers, FireRead MoreThe Networked Ebay Environment : Ebay1476 Words   |  6 PagesThe Networked Ebay Environment Ebay is the 2nd largest e-commerce retail industry globally which offers the facility to purchase an item online based on either fixed-price or auction mechanisms. It is purely a marketplace - just a platform for sellers and buyers to come together and sell goods. It has no products of its own and hence is a humungous network of buyers and sellers. The sellers can be businesses (large merchants like Apple, Nike etc. who have their digital stores listed on Ebay) orRead MoreFrom A Merger Essay2724 Words   |  11 PagesPAPAER 1 Flipkart-Myntra; From a Merger to an Acquisition by Farhat Fatima. 1. INTRODUCTION Mergers and acquisitions represent the ultimate in change for a business. No other event is more difficult, difficult, or chaotic as a merger and acquisition. According to oxford, the term merger means the combination of two commercial companies into one. the term acquisition refers to the acquisition of assets by a company from another company. In an acquisition, the both companies may continue to existRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Chocolate Cream By Using Premium Cocoa And A Secret Formula1200 Words   |  5 Pagessmooth, rich taste as well as the convenient shape and packaging of the Chocoberry chocolate. Chocoberry has an opportunity market new products in US market which shows potential to increase market share, profitability, brand awareness, customer acquisition and retention. Recovery in consumer spending during 2010 resulted in a quick rebound of chocolate sales. Currently the market share is divided into three major players; The Hershey Company (25.4%), Mars Inc. (20.6%), and Nestle SA (10.3%). LindtRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Business Model And Customer Centric Essay1772 Words   |  8 Pagesgroceries and much, much more. Its lucrative business model and customer-centric business model are considered its major strengths. Although there are risks associated with competition and exchange rates, its expansion plans, acquisition and positive outlook for e-Retailing will make significant strides in building and growing its future expansion. Strengths - Operational Network The company has a strong operational network and this leverage assists in helps it in supplying theirRead MoreOutsourcing : A Company Can Save The Cost1514 Words   |  7 Pagesactivities are not a core capabilities of the company, it reduces time and speeds up the process, allow organizational flexibility, and allows concentration on the core business competencies that the company does best. Normally, before making any strategic move, a cost-benefit analysis is performed to decide, if off-shore, on-shore or service contract to another firm is necessary and the best move from a strategy perspective. Off-shore outsourcing adds a complex foreign supplier, global trade intoRead MoreAir Products : A Leading Producer Of Industrial Gases1162 Words   |  5 Pagesgasses and chemicals company. A market leader in the global electronics and chemical processing industries, Air Products is also the world’s largest hydrogen producer. It is also a Fortune 500 company (Air Products 2015). The company’s four â€Å"global growth platforms† are electronics, performance materials, refinery hydrogen, energy solutions, and health care. These areas represent more than half of company sales. Nearly 75% of the company’s capital spending and Research and Development spending areRead MoreEbay in China - Case Study4122 Words   |  17 Pages21/11/2011 E-Bay Strategy In China Alliance or Acquisition? Case Study Strategic Management Gabriela Ã…  alamonovà ¡ Barbora Jandovà ¡ Pierrick Boissel Julien Meunier Alexandre Godet SUMMARY I. The Input Stage ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · CAGE VRIO Analysis CPM matrix EFE matrix IFE matrix II. The Matching Stage ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · BCG matrix SPACE matrix GSM matrix III. The Decision Stage ï‚ · ï‚ · Matrix Analysis QSPM matrix IV. Questions ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Assessment of eBay ´s choice of market entry strategy for China, listing both the advantagesRead MoreEbay in China - Case Study4108 Words   |  17 Pages21/11/2011 E-Bay Strategy In China Alliance or Acquisition? Case Study Strategic Management Gabriela Ã…  alamonovà ¡ Barbora Jandovà ¡ Pierrick Boissel Julien Meunier Alexandre Godet SUMMARY I. The Input Stage ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · CAGE VRIO Analysis CPM matrix EFE matrix IFE matrix II. The Matching Stage ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · BCG matrix SPACE matrix GSM matrix III. The Decision Stage ï‚ · ï‚ · Matrix Analysis QSPM matrix IV. Questions ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · Assessment of eBay ´s choice of market entry strategy for China, listing

Beauty Free Essays

What is Beauty? Everyone looks at beauty differently and everyone has his or her own definition of it. In today’s society beauty is seen as a person’s psychical appearance, what clothes they wear, their hair and make-up, and even the shape of their body. The World English Dictionary’s first definition states beauty as â€Å"the combination of all qualities of a person or thing that delights the senses and pleases the mind. We will write a custom essay sample on Beauty or any similar topic only for you Order Now †(â€Å"Beauty† N. pag. ) I agree with this definition because I believe beauty goes deeper than the appearance of a person that it is the combination of all a person’s qualities. Too many people do not see beauty for what it really is but only see it as a psychical quality. Beauty is more than skin deep; beauty is kindness, gratefulness, courage, unselfish love, and happiness. A person’s beauty is not something that should be measured on how they appear physically, but is something that should be measured on their kindness. People’s kindness can show them for who they really are showing their true beauty. To be kind is to be generous and caring of others. It is being able to help others when they need it, to be respectful of everyone, and to show fairness no matter what. Kindness is beauty because kindness is a person showing respect for the feelings of another individual. It is to be aware of their actions and how their actions are affecting others. They treat others the way they hope to be treated. Ninon de L’Enclos said â€Å"That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful† (N. pag). I believe this is how people should describe and see beauty today because beauty should be seen not how people see each other, but as how people treat one other. Beauty is not the type or style of clothes a person wears, but beauty is being grateful. It is people being thankful and appreciative. For their family and friends, for the stuff their parents provide for them. Gratefulness is beauty because people who are grateful acknowledge what they have been given in life and are not greedy for more but are happy for what they have. people who are grateful have beauty because they are not unappreciative or ungrateful but they say thank you when they receive a gift or service no matter how little or small it was. This is beauty because eople should look at beauty as the actions of others whether they are appreciative or selfish. Beauty is not dependent on the shape of a person’s body, but it is the unselfish love they have and share to others. People who are able to love everyone in their life without judging or mistreating others have beauty. Unselfish love is being able to love people for who they are and not strive to change them but to accept them for everything they are. Unselfish love is being able to put someone else’s needs first, and to care for others no matter who they are. This is beauty because people should see beauty should be seen on the love that people have on one other. It can be a difficult task to have unselfish love and not many people today can say they are able to go without judging others or being hurtful. Beauty is having courage. Beauty is people having the courage to stand up for what they believe in no matter what other say or do. It is people being able to look past what others want them to do or think and to do what is right for themselves and others. It is being able to go for their goals no matter how frightening the journey looks. Courage is beauty because people with courage are able to stand up for themselves, to go for their dreams, and to do the right thing no matter what. People should see this as beauty because courage is nothing small it takes a strong person to have courage in life. Beauty is how a person’s hair and makeup looks, but it is a person’s happiness. people with happiness are able to show joy and satisfaction in their lives. They are over all happy not only with themselves but also with life. Happiness is beauty because to be happy is to have the feeling of delightfulness and contentment. When people have happiness that does not mean that they will never get sad or down occasionally, but it means that they will be able to push past the down times in their life and remember that tomorrow is always a new day. A person with happiness will remember to keep their head up because they know things will get better. Everyone has his or her own definitions of beauty. Some people see beauty as the appearance of a person. They think that beauty is defined as the type or style of clothes they have, or how their hair and makeup look, and some even define beauty as the shape of a person’s body. However, some people are more like me and define beauty by what is on the inside. Some believe beauty comes from a person’s personality or their characteristics. As Kevyn Aucoin says, â€Å"beauty has a lot to do with character. † (N. pag. ). I agree with Kevyn Aucoin, I do not think that beauty should be looked at as the physical appearance of a person. I believe beauty is a person’s kindness, gratefulness, courage, unselfish love, and their happiness. How to cite Beauty, Papers

Investments Exam free essay sample

Market Orders: buy or sell orders that are to be executed immediately at current market prices; bid price-price a dealer is willing to purchase a security; ask price- price a dealer will sell a security Limit Orders: an order specifying a price at which an investor is willing to buy or sell a security Stop Order: trade is not to be executed unless stock hits a price limit; Stop- Loss- stock is to be sold if its price falls below a certain level; Stop-Buy- stock is to be bought when its price rises above certain limit Algorithmic trading- the use of a computer program to make rapid trading decisions High Frequency trading- subset of algorithmic trading that relies on computer programs to make very rapid trading decisions; strategy lies with the firms to identify profit opportunities the fastest?bid ask spreads, cross-market Arab.Dark pools- electronic trading networks where participants can anonymously buy/sell large blocks of securities (10,000+ shares) Margin- the portion of the pur chase price contributed by the investor, remainder is borrowed from the broker- limit on how much you can borrow (50% must be paid in cash) Margin Call: requires the investor to add new cash to the margin account hen the value Of the securities fall below the loan Chapter Four Investment Companies- financial intermediaries that invest the funds of individual investors in securities or other assets; each investor has a claim to the portfolio the investment company establishes Net Asset Value (NAVA)- value of each share in portfolio; assets minus liabilities expressed on a per share basis (Market Value of Assets-Liabilities)/shares outstanding Open-ended fund- fund that issues or redeems its shares at NAVA; when investors want to cash out their shares of a portfolio they sell them back to he fund at NAVA Closed-end fund- shares may not be redeemed in these funds but traded at prices that can differ from NAVA; when investors want to cash out shares they must sell their shares to other investors. We will write a custom essay sample on Investments Exam or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Pooled portfolios with fixed number of shares, price determined by supply and demand.Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reedits)- similar to closed end funds; invest in real estate or loans secured by real estate Hedge Fund- private investment pool, open to wealthy/institutional investors, that is exempt from most SEC regulations because they are structured as riveter partnerships and can pursue other investment options such as derivatives, short sales, leverage Mutual Fund- common name for an open-ended investment company; charge investors a load- sales commission on mutual fund, which is usually around 6%; performance generally does not beat the market when you take fees into account Front-end load: paid when you purchase the shares Back end load: exit fee when you sell your shares 1 b-1 Charges: annual fees charged by a mutual fund to pay for marketing and distribution costs; don t take fee up front, take % every yearTaxation- paid by investors in mutual funds not by fund itself Mon ey Market Funds- invest in commercial paper, repurchase agreements, or certificates of deposit; high quantity low risk, very liquid investments, pay almost nothing Equity Funds- invest primarily in stock Bond Funds- invest in longer term funds but further specialization in this sector Balanced Funds- Invest in both stocks and bonds- some are funds Of funds: mutual funds invest in shares of other mutual funds Index Funds- tries to match the performance of a broad market index Exchange-traded Funds- offshoots of mutual funds that allow investors to read index portfolios; portfolio can get larger or smaller as people buy and sell; trades on an exchange; shares can change in number- if buyers>sellers, more shares created.If sellers>buyers, less shares created Chapter Five Holding period return (HP); rate of return over a given investment period; (end price-beginning price+dividend)/beginning price Arithmetic average: the sum of returns in each period divided by the number of periods Geo metric average: the single per-period return that gives the same cumulative performance as the sequence of actual returns * *better presentation Dollar weighted average return: the internal rate Of return on an investment Risk: degree of confidence we have in what we expect will happen to future H Pros Normal Distribution- central to the theory and practices of investments; measures .

Sports And Aggressive Behavior Essays - Dispute Resolution, Emotions

Sports and Aggressive Behavior Sport and aggressive behavior, Do sports create aggressive behavior, or simply attract people who are already aggressive? Aggression and sport have gone together as long as sports have been around, be it the players themselves, to the parents, coaches, or spectators, they just seem to be an inseparable part of each other. The term violence is defined as physical assault based on total disregard for the well being of self and others, or the intent to injure another person ( 2. Coakley). Intimidation usually does not cause physical harm, but often is designed to produce psychological consequences, enabling one person to physically over power or dominate another. These statements as defined by the author, Jay J. Coakley, is what people today have made a must part on sport. Pleasure and participation sports absolutely cannot be grouped with power and performance sports when in relation to aggression.Pleasure sports are simply played for pleasure. Score is usually not kept. The athletes participating are usually on occasion doing it for fun and exercise. A majority of athletes who have been playing sports since they were little, have probably been pounded into their heads that to be successful in sport, you need to be aggressive, and at some times, unnecessary. Also that to get what you want, you have to go at it with all force. Not that this is wrong but, this attitude in today's society has been a major problem factor to the athletes when they get older, to get into trouble with the law. Those long-term effects of so called discipline, patterns develops these destructive behaviors. (9. Montague) Although some people are still in belief that aggressive behaviors in all forms, are grounded into instincts, but they also relate these actions to sports. Their parents played, who were known for their aggressive behavior, so the child feels that they have to live up to that expectation.( 6. Storr) Athletes do have to be aggressive to a point, so that the team can form a strategy to win. There is also a limit to aggression when it turns into violence. People might say that it's not aggression or violence, it's just adrenaline pumping. Adrenaline isn't even similar to violence. Aggression, maybe, but nothing that would be harmful to anyone else. This might be a factor to why contact sports are so popular. For example, football, hockey, rugby, wrestling, and boxing. Contrary to predictions of instinct theory, several studies show that contact sports exist and thrive in the same societies that have high rates of aggression and violence. Unfortunately, another belief is that contact sports teach discipline, self-respect, and self-defense. (8. May ) Contact sports aren't a positive way to teach these things. Being physically tough helps, but it also needs to be left on the field when the game is over. This can also lead to the abuse of family, girlfriends, boyfriends, friends, and any other person who gets in their "way", because athletes use these sports as a way to get their aggression and angers out. ( 10. Hauser, Powers, Noam ) Other's might argue that it's skill, and not in the least way violent. Although we really can't give a straight and to the point answer to the question "Is aggression an Instinct?" We can say that in man, as in other animals, there exists a physiological mechanism, when stimulated, it rises both subjective feelings of anger and to physical changes, which relate to fighting. This is easily set off, and like other emotional responses, it is very stereotyped, and instinctive. Just like one person is like a very angry person; they resemble one another at the psychological level. The way in which humans adapt to and control their feelings of rage. ( 5. Toch) The mechanisms in which these body changes, the functions that come about is still completely misunderstood. ( 5. Toch) Experiments from animal's show that it appears that there is a small area from the base of the brain in which the feeling of anger starts. This, from which is sent to the nervous impulses that cause the blood pressure to rise. This area is called the hypothalamus. Its function is to coordinate responses

Basic Concepts of Soccer Essay Example

Basic Concepts of Soccer Essay Example Basic Concepts of Soccer Essay Basic Concepts of Soccer Essay Remember, playing soccer with this age group does not require soccer skills. All you need Is a positive attitude, a willingness to be silly, and of course a little patience. The goal for this age group is to introduce them to the basic concepts of soccer (dribbling, kicking, running, scoring goals), help them Improve their social skills and most Importantly have fun! Before you start playing make sure the little ones, have a size 3 soccer ball, cleats/ athletic shoes, shin guards and a water bottle. Now for the fun apart Step One: Meet and Greet/Warm-ups- Introduce yourself to the players. Talk about soccer a little bit. Warm up by doing stretches, such as jumping jacks, arms, legs, running in place. Step Two: Demonstrate how to kick the ball and what art of the foot to use (laces not toes) Step Three: Kicking the ball- you can have the players line up in front of each other and practice kicking the ball to each other. Step Four: Teach the players how to dribble the ball- Then you can have kids dribble from end of the field to the other, using the red light, green light method. Step Five: You want to teach the players how to trap the ball, this way they will be able to properly stop the ball if it comes In front of them. Step Six: Scoring the goal- Teach the players how to score a goal Step Seven: Protect the goal- Here you want to teach the players how to protect the goal to prevent any balls from going In Thats it, you have officially taught a toddler the fundamentals of the basic soccer moves, now comes the fun part, let loose and play a game of soccer, letting them incorporate all the new things they learned. Ministration speech By thyroid deed is a positive attitude, a willingness to be silly, and of course a little patience. The kicking, running, scoring goals), help them improve their social skills and most importantly have fun! Now for the fun part! Step One: Meet and Greensward-ups- Introduce yourself to the players, talk about soccer a little bit. Warm up by doing stretches, such as Jumping Jacks, arms, legs, able to properly stop the ball if it comes in front of them. Goal to prevent any balls from going in Thats it, you have officially taught a toddler the fundamentals of the basic soccer

Subject-Verb Agreement for ACT English Tips and Practice

Subject-Verb Agreement for ACT English Tips and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In this article, we shall delve into the fun-filled world of subject-verb agreement on the ACT. Subject-verb agreement questions on ACT English are less common than punctuation questions; however, you can count on having at least a couple of subject-verb agreement on your ACT English section, so understanding this grammatical rule can easily help you improve your ACT English score. While the grammar rule itself is relatively simple, the questions related to it can be challenging and a bit tricky. In this article, I’ll teach you strategies and tipsto become a master of all things subject-verb agreement on the ACT. In this post, I’ll do the following: Give you a clear understanding of subject-verb agreement. Explain why and how subject-verb agreement questions on ACT English can be tricky. Offer general strategies that can help you correctly answer subject-verb agreement questions. Provide you with practice questions so you can test what you’ve learned. Review: Definition of a Subject The subject of a sentence is the noun that corresponds with the verb in the sentence. In a sentence where there is an action, the subject is the noun that does the action. Doer of action=subject. Here's an example sentence: Justin rescued a kitten from a burning building. What is the subject? Justin. Why? Well, he is the hero who did the rescuing. Similarly, in a sentence with a description, typically using a form of the verb "to be," the subject is the noun that is being described. See: Justin is not funny. Once again, "Justin" is the subject because he is the person who is not funny. Now that we understand the concept of a subject, I'll define and explain subject-verb agreeement for you. Explanation of Subject-Verb Agreement Subject-verb agreement is a rule that states that all subjects must agree with their verbs in number. If a subject is singular, then you must use a singular verb. If a subject is plural, then you must use a plural verb. On the ACT, most subject-verb agreement questions deal with verb forms in the third-person singular (he/she/it/one) and third-person plural (they). In the present and present perfect verb tenses, third-person singular verb forms end in an "s." Third-person plural verb forms do not. Look at this incorrectly written sentence in the present tense: The reality television star readbooks. This is the corrected version of the sentence: The reality television star reads books. While you may have intuitively known how to correct this sentence, and you could have relied on what "sounds right," you should understand why the original sentence was incorrect. The subject of the sentence is "the reality television star." She is the person who does the reading. Furthermore, since we're referring to one reality star, the subject is singular. Because our subject is singular, the verb needs to be in the singular form. In the present tense, "read" is plural. Therefore, we need to change the verb to the singular form "reads." Let's look at another example with a plural subject. This is our incorrect sentence: The singers performs bad cover songs. How do we correct the sentence? Like this: The singers perform bad cover songs. The subject is "singers" because they are doing the performing. "Singers" is plural, so the verb should be in the plural form. The plural form of the verb is "perform." This rule may seem rather simple; however, of course, the ACT doesn't want to make life too simple for you. Subject-verb agreement questions on the ACT can be challenging. The sentences will be more complex than the ones above, and the subject-verb agreement errors will not be as obvious. How Are These Questions Challenging? Typically, when you encounter subject-verb agreement questions on the ACT, the subject will not be placed directly in front of the verb.The subject will either be separated from the verb by an interrupting phrase or, in rare cases, the sentence will be inverted and the subject will follow the verb. Here are ACT English tips you can use to identify the traps students fall for. Trap #1: Interrupting Phrases Interrupting phrases are phrases that separate the subject from the verb. These phrases make identifying the subject and determining whether the verb should be singular or plural more challenging. We'll take a look at a couple of types of interrupting phrases. You don't need to know all of the specific grammar terms, but you should understand and recognize the effect they have on subject-verb agreement questions. Prepositional Phrases The most common interrupting phrase that appears on the ACT is the prepositional phrase. Simply, a prepositional phrase is a phrase that begins with a preposition. What are prepositions? Prepositions provide additional details about nouns and often answer the questions "Where?", "When?", or provide descriptive information. Take a look at some examples of commonly used prepositions: http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-preposition-definition-uses-examples.html On the ACT, prepositional phrases tend to be inserted between subjects and verbs to distract from errors in subject-verbagreement. Here's an example of an incorrectly written sentence using a prepositional phrase as an interrupting phrase: Changes for the new and improved ACT Writing section is going to be implemented soon. First, let's identify the subject. What is going to be implemented? Changes. The phrase "for the new and improved ACT Writing section" is a prepositional phrase that begins with the preposition "for." The prepositional phrase describes the changes that will be implemented. See how the ACT can trick you by putting a singular noun, "section," right before the verb. However, because "changes" is plural, the verb should be in the plural form. Unfortunately, "is" is singular. Here's how the sentence should look: Changes for the new and improved ACT Writing section are going to be implemented soon. So how do you avoid falling for this common ACT trap? Strategy Cross out the prepositonal phrase and the sentence should still be grammatically correct. Additionally, using this strategy will enable you to more easily identify the subject and determine whether there's an error in subject-verb agreement. Always remember that the subject will never be contained within a prepositional phrase. Let's employ this strategy with the incorrectly written sentence above: Changes for the new and improved ACT Writing section is going to be implemented soon. Now that the subject is right in front of the verb, the subject-verb agreement error is much more obvious. The strategy involves three steps: Cross out the prepositional phrase. Identify the subject. Determine if there's an error in subject-verb agreement. Use this strategy and you'll be much less likely to miss a subject-verb agreement question on the ACT. You're welcome. Actual ACT English Example Question Let's use this strategy with an example taken from an actual ACT: First, let's cross out the prepositional phrase. Equipment for both types of kayaks are similar. We're left with "Equipment are similar." Even if the answer is obvious to you at this point, let's go through the remaining steps. The subject is "equipment," which is singular. The verb is "are," which is plural; therefore, there's an error in subject-verb agreement and the correct answer is G. Based on the context of the passage, the verb should be in the present tense. The other types of interrupting phrases on the ACT serve the same function as the prepositional phrase in subject-verb agreement questions. They separate the subject from the verb. Let's take a look at another common type of interrupting phrase on the ACT. Non-Essential Clauses and Appositives Non-essential clauses describe a noun, often the subject of a sentence. They are surrounded by commas and can be removed without creating grammatical errors or changes in the meaning of a sentence. Here's a sentence with the non-essential clause in bold: My sister, who is very social, was elected class president. The non-essential clause is separated by commas and serves to provide descriptive information about my sister. Removing the clause doesn't result in a grammatical error or change in the meaning of the sentence. Check it out: My sister, who is very social, was elected class president. One additional note about non-essential clauses is that a subject-verb agreement error can be contained within the clause itself. Take this sentence, for example: Carbonated beverages, which is delicious, are not good for your health. The verb in the non-essential clause, "is," corresponds with the subject "carbonated beverages." Because the subject is plural, the verb should be in the plural form as well. The sentence should read: Carbonated beverages, which are delicious, are not good for your health. While a non-essential clause usually starts with a relative pronoun (which, who, whose, or where), it doesn't in a phrase known as an appositive. An appositive serves the same purpose as a non-essential clause, but an appositive doesn't contain a verb. Here's a sentence with the appositive in bold: My sister, a very social person, was elected class president. The appositive provides descriptive information about my sister, but the phrase can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence or creating a grammatical error. How will knowing about these phrases help you answer subject-verb agreement questions on the ACT? Read below to find out. Non-Essential Clauses and Appositives on the ACT Just like prepositional phrases, non-essential clauses and appositives will be placed between subjects and verbs to make it less clear if there's an error in subject-verb agreement. Here's a sentence with a non-essential clause. I've underlined the subject and bolded the verb: My boss, who is extremely kind to his employees, give helpful advice. The non-essential clause separates the subject from the verb. The subject is "boss," which is singular, and the verb is "give," which is plural. There's an obvious error in subject-agreement. The sentence should read: My boss, who is extremely kind to his employees, gives helpful advice. On the ACT, you may encounter a similar sentence. Many students will incorrectly assume that the subject is "employees" because that is the noun closest to the verb. While "employees" is plural, the actual subject "boss" is singular. By correctly identifying the subject, you can avoid being tricked by the interrupting phrase. The method you should you use to avoid being tricked is the same one I taught you for prepositional phrases. Strategy In sentences with non-essential clauses or appositives, always cross out those phrases. Doing so makes it much easier to identify errors in subject-verb agreement. Let's use this strategy with the incorrectly written exmple sentence from above: My boss, who is extremely kind to his employees, give helpful advice. After we cross out the non-essential clause, we're left with "My boss give helpful advice." The singular subject is right next to the plural verb. The error in subject-verb agreement should be obvious. Nice! Actual ACT English Example Question Let's put our knowledge to use. Here's another example from a real ACT: In this example, the non-essential clause is surrounded by dashes, which serve the same function as commas in this sentence. The ACT folks threw in that extra curve ball because they also really like testing your knowledge of punctuation. If we cross out the prepositional phrase "of letters" and the non-essential clause, we're left with "Dickinson's last twenty years reveals." The subject is "years," which is plural, so the verb should be in the plural form. The answer is B. Let's briefly discuss one last type of interrupting phrase you may encounter on the ACT. Essential Clauses with "That" Occasionally, an error in subject-verb agreement will involve a clause beginning with "that." The clause will end right before the verb. For sentences with these clauses, simply use the same strategy we used with non-essential clauses. Take a look at this sentence: A book that has an interesting plot and well-developed characters are fun to read. The essential clause begins with "that" and ends right before the verb "are." Just like we did with non-essential clauses, let's cross out the clause. We're left with "A book are fun to read." The singular subject is now right next to the plural verb. Here's the corrected version of the sentence: A book that has an interesting plot and well-developed characters is fun to read. There's another tactic the ACT uses, though much less common, to complicate basic subject-verb agreement questions. Trap #2: Sometimes the Subject Comes After the Verb In rare instances, the typical word order of a sentence will be altered so that a prepositional phrase appears at the beginning of a sentence and the subject follows the verb. In these instances, it can be particularly challenging to identify the subject and determine if there's an error in subject-verb agreeement. In order to illustrate this point, let's look at an example sentence with the prepositional phrase underlined and the verb in bold: In the trunk of my car resides fifteen empty water bottles. We know that a subject can't be contained within a prepositional phrase. Also, we know that a subject is the noun that's doing the action. In the sentence, what's residing? The water bottles. The prepositional phrase provides information about where the water bottles are residing. Because the subject is "water bottles," the verb should be in the plural form. This is the correct version of the sentence: In the trunk of my car reside fifteen empty water bottles. The correctly written sentence may sound more awkward to you because the singular noun "car" is placed right next to the plural form of a verb. You should focus on the rules and strategies as opposed to just relying on what "sounds right." In extremely rare situations, the subject follows the verb but is not preceded by a prepositional phrase. Check out this sentence: Skipping school is fun, but less fun is its consequences. In this sentence, what is less fun? The "consequences". Therefore, in the second clause, "consequences" is the subject. The verb "is" corresponds with the subject "consequences." Because we have a plural subject and a singular verb, there's an error in subject-verb agreement. This is the corrected version of the sentence: Skipping school is fun, but less fun are its consequences. Is there a way to simplify these types of sentences to help determine if there's an error in subject-verb agreement? Of course. Strategy In sentences in which the subject follows the verb, rearrange the sentence so that it follows the normal structure of subject then verb. Using this strategy will allow you to more easily spot any errors in subject-verb agreement. If you utilize this method in the incorrectly written sentence above, you'd be left with "its consequences is less fun." The plural subject is now right next to the singular verb and the error should be immediately apparent. Now, we'll cover one more unique situation that can complicate the most basic subject-verb agreement questions. Trap #3: Compound Subjects A compound subject is a subject in whichtwo singular nouns are connected by "and."In a sentence with a compound subject, you should use the plural form of the verb. Here's a basic sentence demonstrating this rule: Justin and the ACT are friends. Because the subject is both "Justin" and the "ACT," the verb should be in the plural form. This is a more complicated example in which a prepositional phrase is also placed at the beginning of the sentence: In between the cushions of my couch is change and an old pen. First, let's rearrange the sentence so that the subject comes before the verb. What's in between the cushions? Change and an old pen. So after doing our rearranging, the sentence should read "Change and an old pen is in between the cushions of my couch." The subject is both change and an old pen; therefore, the verb should be in the plural form. This is the corrected sentence: In between the cushions of my couch are change and an old pen. At this point, we're aware of the ways the ACT complicates basic subject-verb agreement questions. We've also learned specific strategies to use when faced with certain types of situations. Here are some general tips to follow to help you correctly answer any subject-verb agreement question you may encounter on the ACT. General Strategies for ACT Subject-Verb Agreement Look for Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement When a Verb Is Underlined If a verb is underlined, make sure there are no errors in subject-verb agreement. Singular and Plural Forms of the Same Verb in the Answer Choices Signal a Possible Error in Subject-Verb Agreement On the ACT, you can often figure out what's being tested based on the underlined phrase and the answer choices. If you see that there are singular and plural forms of the same verb in the answer choices, determine if there's an error in subject-verb agreement. Always Identify the Subject Both subjects of sentences and subjects of clauses must agree with their verbs. For each underlined verb, find the noun that corresponds with that specific verb. Then, determine whether that subject is singular or plural and make sure that the subject and verb agree. The Subject Is Never Part of a Prepositional Phrase Be aware that a subject will not be part of a prepositional phrase. Most subject-verb agreement questions on the ACT separate a subject from a verb with a prepositional phrase. Remember the strategy of crossing out the phrase to aid in answering these questions. Be Able to Recognize the Common Tricks Knowing the common tricks the ACT English section uses on questions that test your knowledge of subject-verb agreement can be helpful. The better you know these tricks, the more quickly you'll be able to recognize them and use the appropriate strategies to correctly answer subject-verb agreement questions. Additional Practice Hopefully, by this point you thoroughly understand subject-verb agreement and how to correctly answer any subject-verb agreement question that may appear on the ACT. I've created some realistic ACT English practice problems to test you on what you've learned. Remember to use the general strategies I referenced above. 1. Beautifully written sentences composed by the prolific and talented author has been integral to his success. A. NO CHANGE B. have been C. was D. is being 2. The size and style of the dress is not to my liking. A. NO CHANGE B. was C. will being D. are 3. The selfish man, who owns five cars and two houses, has been unwilling to give any money to charity. A. NO CHANGE B. were C. have been D. has being 4. Mastery of grammar rules are essential to doing well on ACT English. A. NO CHANGE B. are being C. is D. were 5. Swimming pools that are above ground are often mocked by snobs. A. NO CHANGE B. are being C. is D. will been Answers: 1. B., 2. D, 3. A, 4. C, 5. A What's Next? Now that you're comfortable with subject-verb agreement on the ACT, familiarize yourself with everything that's actually tested on ACT English. You'll probably want to read this article about commas, too. For those overachievers out there, find out how to get a perfect score on ACT English from a perfect scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: