Upload
julianna-ami-hunter
View
280
Download
3
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Basic Sentence Structure
Complete sentence—has a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought
Subject—a word or group of words that answers the question “who?” or “what?” about the verb
Verb—tells what the subject does, what is done to the subject, or what the condition of the subject is Ex: Bobby gave her a ticket to the show. [put
one line under the subj. and two lines under the verb]
Basic Sentence StructureA group of words expresses a
complete thought if it can stand by itself and still make senseEx: The man in the cowboy hat. Is the statement a complete
sentence/thought?If the sentence is not a complete
thought, it is called a fragment
Finding the Subject and Verb in a Sentence Locate the verb first: ask yourself these
questions:1. What word(s) show action? If there are none, are there
forms of the verb “be”? (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been)
2. Are there helping verbs surrounding the main verb? (am, was, must, may, can, etc.)
Next, locate the subject: ask yourself these questions:
1. Who/what is doing the action? This word(s) is the subject of the sentence.
Remember: Subjects and verbs can be compound!
Compound Subjects and Verbs
Subjects and verbs can be compound (more than one) Ex: Ted and Louise are both musicians.
[underline the subjects] Ex: She composes, plays, and often
directs her own pieces. [underline the verbs]
*Compound subjects and verbs are usually connected by conjunctions and/or commas
Hard-to-find Subjects Ways to find subjects in confusing
sentences:1. In sentences that give orders or
directions, the subject is an understood “you.”
Ex: (you) Drive carefully.2. In questions, the subject usually comes
after the verb. This is known as an inverted sentence.
Sometimes it will help if you reword a sentence that is inverted.
Ex: Are the songs very long? [underline subj. & verb]
How would you reword this sentence into a statement?
Hard-to-find Subjects3. “Here” or “There” is never the
subject of a sentence. (Sentences that begin with “here” or “there” are inverted sentences.)
There goes the team. [underline the subj. & verb]
Here are the invitations. [underline the subj.& verb]
RememberThe subject of the sentence is NEVER the object of a preposition!
ComplementsComplement—a word or group of
words that completes the meaning of the subject or verb
Types: Verb Complements
Direct Object Indirect Object
Subject complements Predicate nominatives (nouns and pronouns) Predicate adjectives
Types of Complements
Direct object—a noun or pronoun that receives the action of a verb
Find the verb then ask “what?” Ex: Jane drove her car.Direct objects can be compound If the sentence is a question, the
direct object may be at the beginning before the verb What does he want from us? [mark the d.o.]
Types of Complements
Indirect Object—a noun or pronoun that comes after an action verb and before the direct object, it names the person or thing to which something is given or for which something is done
Find the d.o. and ask “to/for whom?” or “to/for what?”
Ex: I told them the story. [mark the d.o. and the i.o.]
Indirect objects can be compound
How to find direct and indirect objects in sentences:
1. Find the verb2. Find the subject3. Ask “what?” after the verb, whatever
answers the question is the direct object
4. After the direct object ask the questions “to/for whom?” OR “to/for what?”, whatever answers the questions is the indirect object
Types of Complements Predicate nominatives (nouns/pronouns)—
follows a linking verb and renames or identifies the subject of the sentence Ex: Ronnie will be the captain. [mark sub.,
verb, & p.n.] Can be compound.
Linking verb acts as an = (equals) sign Ex: Ronnie = captain
Predicate Adjectives—follows a linking verb and describes the subject of the sentence Ex: The flight to California was long. [mark
sub.,verb & p.a.] Can be compound
REMEMBER:1. Find the verb—look for action, linking, and
helping words Linking examples—am, is, are, was, were, be,
being, been (more on p. 212, 214) Helping examples—may, might, can, could,
must, did, have (more on p. 218)2. Find the subject—find someone/something
that is doing the action3. Find the direct object—say subj. and verb,
then ask “what?”4. Find the indirect object—find d.o. and then
ask “to/for whom?” OR “to/for what?”5. Find predicate nominatives/adjectives—
subject=____________ (word(s) in the blank is p.n. or p.a.) -always comes with LINKING verb