Courtesy of Joanne Anderson, A.H.S.

Definition of a Sentence

n     a group of words

n     contains a subject and a verb

n     expresses a complete thought

Subject and Predicate

n     A sentence consists of two parts:

u  The subject

u  The predicate

n     Example:

Simple Predicate and Complete Predicate

n     The principal word or group of words in the complete predicate is called the simple predicate, or the verb.

u  Spiders snare their prey in an intricate web.

Verb Phrase

n     A verb may consist of more than one word:

u  Are walking, will walk, might have walked.

« Has Sally helped you?

Simple Subject and Complete Subject

n     The main word or group of words in the complete subject.

u  A dog with his pedigree is usually nervous.

n     Caution: remember that noun and subject do not mean the same thing.

How to Find the Subject

n      Always pick out the verb first:

u   The shutters on that house are painted green.

«  Verb = are painted

«  Ask: Who or what are painted?

«  Shutters = subject.

n      The subject is never in a prepositional phrase.

u   One of my relatives has taken a trip.

Subject in Unusual Place

n      When a sentence begins with here or there:

u   There are two apples in the refrigerator.

«  Ask: who or what are in the refrigerator?  Answer = Apples (subject)

n      Sentences that ask questions:

u   Were your friends early?

«  Turn them into statements:

u   Your friends were early.

«  Subject = friends         

Sentences without Subject

n     Requests or commands leave the subject out:

u  Rake the yard.

u  Pick up the fallen branches.

« The subject is understood to be you.

u  (You) Rake the yard.

u  (You) Pick up the fallen branches.

Compound Subjects

n     Two or more subjects connected by and or or and having the same verb are called compound subjects.

u  Mr. Oliver and his daughter planted a vegetable garden.

Compound Verbs

n     Two or more verbs joined by a connecting word and having the same subject are called compound verb.

u  We danced the rumba and sampled the meat pies.

Fragments

n     Sentences must have a subject, verb, and a complete thought.

u  Frag: “Because she concentrates.”

u  Complete thought: “She does well in tennis because she concentrates.”

Complements

n      A word or group of words that completes the meaning begun by the subject and verb.

     S        V             C

“Snow covered the hillside.”

n      Ask: snow covered what?

u   The hillside = complement

n      A complement is never part of a prepositional phrase, nor is it an adverb.

The Subject Complement

n      A noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows a linking verb.

n      It identifies, describes, or explains the subject.

n      If it is a noun or pronoun, then it is a predicate nominative:

u   Jerry is a soccer player.

n      If it is a adjective, then it is a predicate adjective:

u   Susan seems confident.

Linking Verbs

n     Common linking verbs:

u  Be, become, feel, smell, taste, look, grow, seem, appear, remain, sound, stay.

n     And any form of to be:

u  Is, was, were, have been, will be, can be, etc.

Distinguishing Between Subject and Complement

             S                      V                    C

Martin Luther King, Jr., is a national hero

   V    S        C

Was he a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize?

Becomes:  He was a recipient of the Nobel . . .

                        C                      S              V

What a fine speaker the Reverend King was!

Becomes: The Reverend King was a fine speaker.

Anything following a form of to be is a predicate nominative or a predicate adjective.      

Direct Objects

n     A word or group of words that directly receives the action expressed by the verb or shows the results of the action.  It answers to the question: what? Or whom? after an action verb.

            S            V         DO

The mechanic fixed our car.

Indirect Objects

n     A noun or pronoun in the predicate that precedes the direct object.  It tells to whom or for whom the action of the verb is done.

  S      V      IO     A       DO

Jeff served me fresh vegetables.

n     Indirect objects are never in prepositional phrases, nor adverbs.

Sentence Classifications

n     Declarative: makes a statement

u  A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

n     Imperative: gives a command

u  Pass the turkey.  Speak softly.

n     Interrogative: asks a question.

u  Who is the new student?

n     Exclamatory: expresses feeling

u  It is so windy today!