2006-11-15 11:29:56 · 3 answers · asked by 173keebz 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
sorry wrong question this is the real question
how do i figure out which verb to use in a sentence like "this is one of those situations that drive/drives me crazy
2006-11-15 11:45:06 · update #1
It depends if it is past tense or present tense. It "drove" you crazy (happened yesterday) or it "drives" you crazy (happening right now). Also, for past tense, "this WAS one of those ....."
2006-11-15 11:39:59 · answer #1 · answered by KC 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you underline the noun in your clause/sentence
("this" or "one") it is singular. So you would use "drives."
Since you would say THIS drives me crazy,
you would say THIS is one of those things that drives me crazy.
The subject is singular. Another clue is "one"
One (of those things) drives me crazy.
If you said THOSE drive me crazy,
or THOSE are the types of problems that drive me crazy,
the subject is plural. Another clue is "types"
Those types (of things) drive me crazy.
Those types drive me crazy.
In short, if you can substitute it/this then it is singular.
If you can substitute those/they then it is plural.
Another trick is to leave off the prepositional phrase.
Women [of the world] drive me nuts.
Women drive me nuts.
A woman [of the world] is what I want.
A woman is what I want.
Check if the verb works when you use the noun by itself and leave out the prepositional phrase.
2006-11-15 11:53:40 · answer #2 · answered by emilynghiem 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One thing that helps me is to eliminate the prepositional phrases.
This is one,......., that drives me crazy.
one is the subject and requires the plural verb.
of those situations is the prepositional phrase and the sentence can stand alone without it.
2006-11-15 11:57:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋