© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e Subjects and Verbs Chapter Twenty

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e subjectsverbsThe basic building blocks of English sentences are subjects and verbs. subject –Who or what the sentence speaks about is called the subject. verb –What the sentence says about the subject is called the verb.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e Find the Subject. Who or what is the sentence about? 1. My best friend studies marine biology. Friend 2. Sharks attack their prey. Sharks 3. Michael works on a submarine. Michael

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e Find the Verb…. There are three ways to find the verb. 1. My best friend studies marine biology. Studies 1. Sharks attack their prey. Attack! #1: What does the subject do?

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e Find the Verb…. #2: Put a pronoun in front of the word you think is a verb. #2: Put a pronoun (I, you, he, she, it, or they) in front of the word you think is a verb. If the result makes sense, you have a verb.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e Find the Verb…. linking verbs #3: Recognize the linking verbs. They do not show action. Instead, they give information. I am tall. Bob seems unhappy.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e Many verbs consist of more than one word. “helping” verb.The verb often has a “helping” verb. is writing –Mike is writing a report about the great white shark. are studying –We are studying about the jaws and teeth of sharks.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e not, just, never, alwaysonlyWords like not, just, never, always, and only are NOT part of the verb. doessleepA shark does not sleep. have fearedPeople have always feared sharks. LOOKS“to”  When what LOOKS like a verb has a “to” in front of it, it is not a verb. like ­Sharks like to live in cold water. Notes:

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e No - ing word by itself is the verb of the sentence. ( It may be part of the verb, but it must have a helping verb in front of it.) When hunting for sharks, people rarely use the term fishing. Not the verb Verb Michael is hunting for sharks tomorrow.. Verb (with a helper)

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e A sentence may have more than one verb. swamattacked –The shark swam and attacked. A sentence may have more than one subject. –Dolphins whales –Dolphins and whales have some protection from sharks. Compound Subjects and Verbs

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e subject prepositional phraseThe subject of a sentence never appears within a prepositional phrase. prepositional phraseA prepositional phrase is simply a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with an object. Distinguishing Subjects from Prepositional Phrases

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e exhibitSubject: exhibit isVerb: is An interesting exhibit of a killer whale is very. popular at the new aquarium. Prepositional phrases: of a killer whale at the new aquarium Distinguishing Subjects from Prepositional Phrases

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e brotherSubject: brother expectsVerb: expects Identify the subjects and verbs in the and verbs in thefollowing. My brother expects to go on an important job interview soon.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e heSubject: he practicedVerb: practiced Identify the subjects and verbs in the following. He practiced for this interview in an interesting way.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e preparingSubject: preparing wasVerb: was Preparing for an interview was a very important part of the process. Identify the subjects and verbs in the and verbs in thefollowing.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e BillSubject: Bill wentVerb: went Identify the subjects and verbs in the and verbs in thefollowing. Relative clause subject:he Relative clause verb: did want Bill went on job interviews for positions that he did not really want.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e heSubject: he isVerb: is Identify the subjects and verbs in the and verbs in thefollowing. Now he is more relaxed about meeting with employers and answering questions.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e dressSubject: dress isVerb: is Identify the subjects and verbs in the and verbs in thefollowing. Appropriate dress is important, too. important, too.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e applicantsSubject: applicants wrote / spokeVerbs: wrote / spoke The job applicants wrote essays about their values and spoke in front of a small group. Identify the subjects and verbs in the and verbs in thefollowing.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e BillSubject: Bill should have researchedVerb: should have researched Identify the subjects and verbs in the and verbs in thefollowing. Of course, Bill should have researched the company beforehand.

Chapter 20 © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. English Skills, 8e English Skills with Readings, 6e candidateSubject:candidate wantsVerb: wants Identify the subjects and verbs in the and verbs in thefollowing. A worthy candidate for a job wants to give a good impression.