What Makes a Complete Sentence

 A complete sentence contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.  The Subject: ◦ Most subjects are nouns and pronouns. ◦ Usually, but not always, found near the beginning of the sentence.  The Verb: ◦ The verb tells something about the subject.

 The subject of a sentence is the word or group of words that names the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action or is described. ◦ The subject answers the question Who? or What? before the verb. Examples:  The pantry is full.  Mr. Miller broke his new mug.  Glue will fix the mug.

 The verb in a sentence tells what the subject does, what is done to the subject, or what the condition of the subject is. Examples:  My sister won first place.  Her speech was presented at the ceremony.  She seemed nervous.

 My injured wrist is bothering me again.  The creation of a television show is a complex process.  The teacher spoke to her first-period class.  The puppy grew impatient.

 The simple subject is the main noun or pronoun in the sentence. (In Red)  The simple predicate is the verb or verb phrase in the sentence. (In Purple) Example: Megan’s long blonde hair had fallen on the floor when it was cut.

 The complete subject of a sentence consists of the subject and any of the words related to it. (Circled)  The complete predicate of a sentence consists of the verb and any words related to it. (Underlined) Example: Megan’s long blonde hair had fallen on the floor when it was cut.

 The woman in blue danced in front of the stage.  The baby cried all night.  The angry dog at the park barked on its walk.  I went to the movie theater.

 A compound subject is two or more subjects that have the same verb and are joined by a conjunction such as and or or. Example:  Parrots and hamsters are small house pets.  A compound verb is two or more verbs that have the same subject and are joined by a conjunction such as and or or. Example:  The committee may or may not succeed.

 Examples:  Jim and Kara danced and sang at the party.  Practice:  The dolphins and the trainer work well together and give an entertaining show.