The SentenceThe Sentence

SubjectSubject VerbVerb

TheThe athlete athlete ranran. .

The sentence has a The sentence has a SubjectSubject and a and a VerbVerb, , and expresses a and expresses a complete thought.complete thought.

The SentenceThe Sentence TheThe athlete athlete rarann. . Here’s the most important Here’s the most important

point in clear writing and point in clear writing and correct grammar:correct grammar:

To write well and to write To write well and to write correctly, you must know correctly, you must know the the SubjectSubject and the and the VerbVerb!!

TheThe athlete athlete ((……) the 100 meters in ) the 100 meters in world record time.world record time.

Without the Without the VerbVerb, you , you lose the action.lose the action.

That’s because theThat’s because the SubjectSubject is what the is what the Sentence is about, Sentence is about, and the and the VerbVerb is what is what the the SubjectSubject does. does.

TheThe athlete athlete

TheThe athlete athlete ((ranran)) the 100 meters in the 100 meters in

world record timeworld record time.. SubjectSubject VerbVerb

TheThe athlete athlete ranran..

Bring back the Bring back the VerbVerb, , and you bring back and you bring back the Action.the Action.

Know the Know the SubjectSubject and the and the VerbVerb

Knowing the Knowing the SubjectSubject and the and the VerbVerb leads leads to clear sentences.to clear sentences.

Clear sentences leads Clear sentences leads to clear essays.to clear essays.

Clear essays leads to Clear essays leads to success in college success in college and at work!and at work!

Action VerbAction Verb

TheThe athlete athlete ranran the 100 meters in the 100 meters in world record time.world record time.

To find the Action Verb, ask the To find the Action Verb, ask the question: “Can you doquestion: “Can you do [[itit]] all all day?” about each word in the day?” about each word in the Sentence.Sentence.

Action VerbAction Verb

TheThe athlete athlete ranran the 100 the 100 meters in world record meters in world record time.time.

““Can you Can you [athlete][athlete] all day?” No. all day?” No.

““Can you Can you [[runrun]] all day?” Yes. So all day?” Yes. So ““runrun”” is the is the Action VerbAction Verb..

The SubjectThe Subject

TheThe athlete athlete ranran the 100 meters the 100 meters

in world record time.in world record time.

TheThe SubjectSubject tells who or tells who or what is doing the action what is doing the action expressed by the Action expressed by the Action VerbVerb. .

The SubjectThe Subject

WhoWho ranran the the 100 meters?100 meters?

TheThe athleteathlete ranran, , soso

athleteathlete is the is the Subject.Subject.

Subject Subject PronounsPronouns

To keep from repeating the To keep from repeating the same Subject over and over, same Subject over and over, use pronouns:use pronouns:

[[I, You, He, She, It, I, You, He, She, It, TheyThey]]

• TheThe athlete athlete ranran..• HeHe ranran..

Subject PronounsSubject Pronouns

TheThe athlete athlete ranran.. HeHe ranran..Both Both athleteathlete andand HeHe areare SubjectsSubjects..

Underline the Subject and put the Underline the Subject and put the Verb in bold.Verb in bold.

Identify the Identify the VerbVerb first, by asking the question: “Can I do it all first, by asking the question: “Can I do it all day?” of each word in the sentence!day?” of each word in the sentence!

1.1.I keep the butter in the fridge.I keep the butter in the fridge.

2.2.They returned the painting without delay.They returned the painting without delay.

3.3.In the morning, they will be repairing the road.In the morning, they will be repairing the road.

4.4.John's mother lives in Scotland and has six John's mother lives in Scotland and has six grandchildren.grandchildren.

5.5.Living in Colorado, my friend John wrote a best-Living in Colorado, my friend John wrote a best-selling novel. selling novel.

Linking VerbsLinking VerbsLinking VerbsLinking Verbs do not express do not express

action. They “link” the action. They “link” the SubjectSubject to to word that describes the word that describes the SubjectSubject. .

SubjectSubject Linking VerbLinking Verb AdjectiveAdjective

The The catcat isis curious. curious.

Linking VerbsLinking Verbs

Linking Verbs are Linking Verbs are like looking into a like looking into a mirror. What you mirror. What you see is what you see is what you link the Subject in link the Subject in the sentence to. the sentence to. We could say:We could say:

The The catcat is is curious.curious.

The The catcat is is adorable.adorable.

Linking VerbsLinking VerbsThe The Linking VerbLinking Verb

(“(“isis”)”) linkslinks the the Subject Subject ““catcat” to ” to “curious”“curious” or or “adorable,” words that “adorable,” words that describe the describe the catcat. .

The The catcat is is curious.curious.

The The catcat is is adorable.adorable.

Linking VerbsLinking VerbsMost Most Linking VerbsLinking Verbs are are

forms of only one forms of only one VerbVerb, , called the called the ((to beto be)) VerbVerb. . Here are the basic forms:Here are the basic forms:

Present Present PastPast FutureFuture• I I amam It It waswas It It will will

bebe• You You areare They They werewere• She She isis

Linking VerbsLinking VerbsMake sure you Make sure you memorizememorize these ( these (to to

bebe) ) verb formsverb forms. They are the most . They are the most important important verbsverbs in English. You in English. You cannot succeed without them!cannot succeed without them!

Present Present PastPast FutureFuture• I I amam It It waswas It It will bewill be• You You areare They They werewere• She She isis

Underline the Subject and put the Verb Underline the Subject and put the Verb in bold.in bold.

1.1. Attractive fruits and vegetables are not Attractive fruits and vegetables are not always delicious.always delicious.

2.2. The rind of a ripe honeydew melon is The rind of a ripe honeydew melon is waxy.waxy.

3.3. The story will be around for many years.The story will be around for many years.4.4. These creatures are human movie stars.These creatures are human movie stars.5.5. In 1958, In 1958, Explorer 1Explorer 1 became the first became the first

American satellite. American satellite.

Helping VerbsHelping Verbs

Helping VerbsHelping Verbs join with the Main Verb join with the Main Verb to express to express shades of to express to express shades of timetime or or conditioncondition..

Helping VerbsHelping Verbs are often a form of are often a form of be, be, have, have, or or dodo. For example:. For example:

BE: BE: II [ [amam] ] borrowingborrowing the car. the car.Have: Have: II [ [havehave] ] borrowedborrowed the car. the car.Do: Do: II [did][did] borrowborrow the car. the car.

Helping Verbs -- TimeHelping Verbs -- Time

Because expressing how things happen in Because expressing how things happen in time is complicated, English uses time is complicated, English uses Helping Helping VerbsVerbs to “help” out. For example: to “help” out. For example:

Simple PastSimple Past: : II studiedstudied the assignment. the assignment.

Complex PastComplex Past: : II [ [havehave] ] studiedstudied the the assignment.assignment.

• II [ [have beenhave been] ] studyingstudying the assignment. the assignment.

Helping Verbs -- TimeHelping Verbs -- Time

Because expressing how things Because expressing how things happen in time is complicated, happen in time is complicated, English uses English uses Helping VerbsHelping Verbs to “help” to “help” out. For example:out. For example:

FutureFuture: : II [ [willwill]] studystudy the assignment. the assignment.

Complex FutureComplex Future: : II [ [will havewill have] ] studiedstudied the assignment by Friday.the assignment by Friday.

Helping Verbs -- Helping Verbs -- ConditionCondition

You can also use You can also use Helping VerbsHelping Verbs to to show Condition – what you “should” show Condition – what you “should” or “might” do. For example:or “might” do. For example:

YouYou [ [shouldshould]] gogo to the store. to the store.

YouYou [ [couldcould]] gogo to the store. to the store.

YouYou [ [mightmight]] gogo to the store. to the store.

YouYou [ [maymay]] gogo to the store. to the store.