Sentences! What are they made of???

What is a sentence? A sentence is a word group that contains a subject and a verb and that expresses a complete thought A sentence fragment is a word or word group that is capitalized and punctuated as a sentence but that does not contain both subject and a verb or that does not express a complete thought. Fragment: The magazine essay contest for tenth-grade American history students. [no verb]

Subjects and Predicates Sentences consist of two basic parts: subjects and predicates The subject tells whom or what the sentence or clause is about, and the predicate tells something about the subject SUBJECTPREDICATE Some residents of the desertcan survive a long drought. PREDICATESUBJECTPREDICATE For up to three yearsitcan live without rainfall. In the examples above, all the words labeled subject make up the complete subject; all the words labeled predicate make up the complete predicate

The Subject The simple subject is the main word or word group that tells whom or what the sentence is about. The complete subject consists of the simple subject and any word or word groups used to modify the simple subject SIMPLE SUBJECT:The view from the observatory on the top floor of the building is extraordinary. COMPLETE SUBJECT: The view from the observatory on the top floor of the building is extraordinary.

The Predicate The simple predicate, or verb, is the main word or word group that tells something about the subject. The simple predicate may be a one-word verb or verb phrase (a main verb with one or more helping verbs. The complete predicate consists of the simple predicate and all of the words used to modify the simple predicate and to complete its meaning. SIMPLE PREDICATE (VERB):The victorious athletes were surrounded by admirers. COMPLETE PREDICATE: The victorious athletes were surrounded by admirers.

The Compound Subject and the Compound Verb A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are joined by a conjunction and that have the same verb. EXAMPLES: Michelle or Mandy will lead the petition drive. When were East Germany and West Germany reunited? A compound verb consist of two or more verbs that are joined by a conjunction and that have the same subject. EXAMPLES:Mary Bethune founded Bethune College and twice served as its president. Gabrielle and Margaret read the book but missed the movie.

How to Find the Subject of a Sentence To find the subject of the sentence, ask Who? or What? before the verb. EXAMPLE:In the auditorium, friends and relatives of the graduates awaited the ceremony. [Who awaited? Friends and relatives awaited.] Here is the last history assignment for the week. [What is? Assignment is.]

Keep the following four guidelines in mind whenever you are trying to find the subject of a sentence:

Guideline 1 The subject in a sentence expressing a command or a request is always understood to be you, even if the word you does not appear in the sentence. EXAMPLES: Command: Always document the source of a direct quotation. [Who documents? You document.] Request: Please write soon. [Who writes? You write.]

Guideline 2 The subject of a sentence is never the object of a prepositional phrase. EXAMPLES:A committee of students investigated the allegations. [Who investigated? Committee investigated. Students is the object of the preposition Of.] One of the parks in Texas is the sight of the Battle at the Alamo. [What is named? One is named. Parks is the object of the preposition Of. Austin, Texas is the object of the preposition In.] From the alley came the wail of a siren. [What came? Wail came. Alley is the object of the preposition From. Siren is the object of the preposition Of.

Guideline 3 The subject in a sentence expressing a question usually follows the verb or comes between the parts of a verb phrase. EXAMPLE: Are these jeans on sale? [What are on sale? Jeans are.] Where are the children playing after school? [Who are playing? Children are playing]

Guideline 4 The word there or here is almost never the subject of the sentence. In the following sentences, there and here are adverbs telling where. EXAMPLES: There goes Rebecca. [Who goes? Rebeccca goes] Here is our receipt? [What is? Receipt is]