Sentences Back to basics

Sentences We begin by identifying two parts of speech that are in every complete sentence: nouns and verbs. A noun is a word that names something: a person, place, thing, or idea. A common noun is a general name: song, musician, foreigner A proper noun is a specific name: Let It Be, Beatles, Englishman

Sentences A verb is a word that expresses action or state of being. action: run, carried, screamed state of being: is, are, seemed

Sentences A verb may consist of one word or of several words. It may be composed of a main verb and one or more helping verbs. helping verb + main verb = verb will return will return would expect would expect is leaving is leaving must have shown must have shown

Sentences There are two basic parts to a sentence The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about. We know a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea. So the subject will always contain a noun. The predicate is the idea expressed about the subject. It usually tells what the subject is; what the subject did; or what happened to the subject. The predicate contains the verb.

Sentences EXAMPLES Subject (who or what) Predicate (idea expressed about the subject) The volcano erupted again. A reporter relayed the news. My cousin became an artist. The subway riders raced for the door.

Sentences The complete subject includes all the words that identify the person, place, thing, or idea the sentence is about. The busy volcano erupted again. What is the complete subject? The busy volcano. The simple subject names exactly what or whom the sentence is about. What is the simple subject? volcano

Sentences The complete predicate includes all the words that tell or ask something about the subject. The busy volcano erupted again. What is the complete predicate? erupted again. The simple predicate is the verb. What is the simple predicate (the verb)? erupted.

Sentences Examples: Write this sentence down: The question confused me. Draw a line between the complete subject and the complete predicate. What is the complete subject? What is the complete predicate?

Sentences Example: Write this down The black stove glowed like a lighted pumpkin. What is the simple subject? (one word) What is the simple predicate (the verb)? (one word)

Sentences MORE PRACTICE: The soft mud under my feet cushioned my toes. Complete subject: Complete predicate: Our leadoff hitter ripped a ground-rule double. Simple subject: Simple predicate: All four tires need air.

Sentences Every complete sentence has a subject and a predicate. Is this a complete sentence? The book on the floor. I stepped on the book on the floor.

Sentences Is this a complete sentence? The hippie hat on his head. The hippie hat on his head leaned at a humorous angle. OK, next: sentence clauses

Sentences Sentences contain clauses A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate. An independent clause can stand alone; it expresses a complete thought (it is a complete sentence). A subordinate clause cannot stand alone; it does not make sense without the rest of the sentence.

Sentences After the families came to the United States, they tried hard to fit into American culture. The boldfaced clause is a subordinate clause: It needs the rest of the sentence to make sense. The narrator’s mother liked to invent gadgets, and her father worked at a more traditional job. The two boldfaced clauses each express a complete thought. They are independent clauses joined by the conjunction “and.” Now, you practice on this handout.

Sentences: Comma Splices Two independent clauses (or two complete thoughts) within one sentence cannot be separated by a comma alone. When that occurs, we have what’s called a comma “splice.”

Sentences: Comma Splices Example: Henry probably still would end up like he does, no one can ever tell what is happening to him or her next in life. We have two independent clauses: Henry probably still would end up like he does. No one can ever tell what is happening to him or her next in life. But they are erroneously “spliced. You cannot join two independent clauses with only a comma.

Sentences: Comma Splices Fix the comma “splice” in three ways: Simply replace the comma with a semi-colon. Henry probably still would end up like he does; no one can ever tell what is happening to him or her next in life. Keep the comma, but add a subordinating or coordinating conjunction. Henry probably still would end up like he does, but no one can ever tell what is happening to him or her next in life. Replace the comma with a period and form two sentences. Henry probably still would end up like he does. No one can ever tell what is happening to him or her next in life.

Sentences: Comma Splices Example: It was more than that, the crops were not rotated. Fix: It was more than that; the crops were not rotated. It was more than that. The crops were not rotated.

Sentences: Comma Splices Identify and correct the comma splices in these sentences. Use a semi-colon: Because of their circumstances, the world was cruel to them, they had no chance for a prosperous life. Form two sentences: Because of the Dust Bowl, they decide to go west, nature simply gives them a push. Use a conjunction: It could be argued that Jackie Brown should have pursued an education, it’s not that simple.