Language Arts
“Every part of a sentence must work together like a team.” — Lady Flawless
🎯 Your Mission
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Match subjects with the correct verbs.
Keep verb tense consistent.
Use clear pronouns.
Maintain parallel structure.
Correct commonly confused words.
Remove unnecessary or unclear language.
🎙️ Lady Flawless Intro
Lady Flawless displays a sentence:
The students is ready.
She shakes her head:
“Something does not match.”
Then she corrects it:
The students are ready.
“The subject and verb must agree. On the GED, you will look for parts of sentences that do not work together.”
🧠 The Flawless Grammar Check
When editing, ask:
Does the subject match the verb?
Does the verb tense remain consistent?
Is every pronoun clear?
Do items in a list follow the same pattern?
Is the correct word being used?
Can the sentence be clearer or shorter?
⭐ Rule 1: Subject-Verb Agreement
A singular subject needs a singular verb.
The student completes the assignment.
A plural subject needs a plural verb.
The students complete the assignment.
Watch the Words Between Them
The list of available courses is on the website.
The subject is list, not courses.
Words Such as “Each” and “Every”
Each employee receives a handbook.
Every student needs identification.
⭐ Rule 2: Consistent Verb Tense
Verb tense tells when an action happens.
Incorrect
Yesterday, Maya completed the application and submits it.
The sentence changes from past to present.
Correct
Yesterday, Maya completed the application and submitted it.
Both actions happened in the past.
⭐ Rule 3: Clear Pronouns
A pronoun replaces a noun.
Examples include:
He
She
It
They
Them
Their
The reader should always understand who or what the pronoun represents.
Unclear
When Keisha spoke with Maria, she was confused.
Who was confused—Keisha or Maria?
Clear
Keisha was confused when she spoke with Maria.
⭐ Rule 4: Parallel Structure
Items in a list should follow the same grammatical pattern.
Incorrect
The job requires greeting visitors, answering calls, and records must be maintained.
Correct
The job requires greeting visitors, answering calls, and maintaining records.
All three items now use the same structure:
Greeting
Answering
Maintaining
⭐ Rule 5: Commonly Confused Words
Their
Shows possession:
The students completed their assignments.
There
Refers to a place:
Place the assignments over there.
They’re
Means they are:
They’re completing the assignments.
Your
Shows possession:
Bring your identification.
You’re
Means you are:
You’re ready to begin.
Affect
Usually means to influence something:
The schedule could affect attendance.
Effect
Usually means a result:
The new schedule had a positive effect.
⭐ Rule 6: Clear and Concise Writing
Strong writing communicates the message without unnecessary words.
Wordy
Due to the fact that the bus was late, Simone arrived late.
Clearer
Because the bus was late, Simone arrived late.
Redundant
Marcus repeated the directions again.
Clearer
Marcus repeated the directions.
The word repeated already means “said again.”
📖 Original Editing Passage
Read the unedited passage:
Each of the new employees receive a handbook on Monday. The handbook explains the attendance policy and listed the required training sessions. Employees are expected to reading the handbook, complete the forms, and attending orientation. When Jordan spoke with Andre, he said the schedule was confusing. Their going to meet with the supervisor because the schedule could effect their training.
🔍 Find the Errors
Subject-Verb Agreement
Each of the new employees receive
Because the subject is each, the verb should be receives.
Verb Tense
The handbook explains and listed
The verbs should use the same tense:
The handbook explains and lists
Parallel Structure
To reading, complete, and attending
Correct pattern:
To read, complete, and attend
Unclear Pronoun
He said the schedule was confusing.
The reader does not know whether he means Jordan or Andre.
Confused Words
Their going
They’re means they are.
Could effect
The sentence needs the verb affect.
✅ Corrected Passage
Each of the new employees receives a handbook on Monday. The handbook explains the attendance policy and lists the required training sessions. Employees are expected to read the handbook, complete the forms, and attend orientation. Jordan told Andre that the schedule was confusing. They’re going to meet with the supervisor because the schedule could affect their training.
🎮Question 1
Which sentence has correct subject-verb agreement?
A. Each employee receive a handbook.
B. Each employee receives a handbook.
C. Each employees receives a handbook.
D. Each employee receiving a handbook.
✅ Correct Answer: B
🎮Question 2
Which revision maintains consistent verb tense?
Original:
Yesterday, Carla reviewed the instructions and begins the assignment.
A. Yesterday, Carla reviews the instructions and began the assignment.
B. Yesterday, Carla reviewed the instructions and began the assignment.
C. Yesterday, Carla reviewing the instructions and begins the assignment.
D. Yesterday, Carla reviews and beginning the assignment.
✅ Correct Answer: B
Both verbs are correctly written in the past tense.
🎮Question 3
Which sentence uses parallel structure?
A. The course teaches reading charts, writing reports, and how data is analyzed.
B. The course teaches chart reading, reports, and to analyze data.
C. The course teaches reading charts, writing reports, and analyzing data.
D. The course teaches to read charts, writing reports, and data analysis.
✅ Correct Answer: C
🎮 Question 4
Which revision makes the pronoun clear?
Original:
When Tasha called Renee, she was driving.
A. When Tasha called Renee, she was driving.
B. Tasha called Renee while Renee was driving.
C. She called her while she was driving.
D. When she called, she was driving her.
✅ Correct Answer: B
The revision clearly identifies Renee as the person driving.
🎮 Question 5
Which sentence uses the correct word?
A. The new schedule could effect employee attendance.
B. The new schedule could affect employee attendance.
C. The new schedule could effected employee attendance. employee
D. The new schedule could have an affect employee attendance.
✅ Correct Answer: B
Affect is the verb meaning to influence.
💻Drop-Down Editing
Choose the correct option for each blank:
Every participant [receive / receives] a course schedule.
Participants should bring [there / their / they’re] identification.
The instructor explains the assignment and [answered / answers] questions.
The course teaches students to read carefully, identify evidence, and [writing / write] clearly.
✅ Correct Answers
Receives
Their
Answers
Write
🚫 Watch Out for Grammar Traps
A wrong answer may:
Match a nearby noun instead of the real subject.
Change verb tense without a reason.
Use a pronoun with an unclear meaning.
Break the pattern of a list.
Use a familiar word that sounds correct but has a different meaning.
Add words without improving the sentence.
⭐ Exit Ticket
Which sentence is written correctly?
A. Each employee complete their assigned training.
B. The employees completes the assigned training.
C. Each employee completes the assigned training.
D. Each employees completing the assigned training.
✅ Correct Answer: C
🎤 Lady Flawless Outro
“Champ, clear writing is teamwork.”
“Match the subject and verb, keep the tense steady, make every pronoun clear, and use the correct words.”
“Then remove anything your sentence does not need.”