B ASIC L ANGUAGE S KILLS Packet #

C OMMUNICATION Everyone uses sentences for communication purposes. The sentence is the basic unit of communication. College applications s Research papers Grammar’s practical value is in the formation of a sentence that is used for communication purposes.

S UBJECTS AND V ERBS The Make-up of a Sentence

I NTRODUCTION I A sentence standing by itself, makes sense. Someone, or something, does something or is something. The boy smiles. The girl swam. We are leaving. That movie was terrible. They endured.

I NTRODUCTION II Sentences, in either a phase or clause form, are composed of subjects and verbs. In the following examples, identify the subjects and verbs. (Who is doing the action (verb)?) The phone is ringing. Could you please answer it? Don’t tell anyone where I am! Mom and Dad will not ground me; however, I will grind you up into little pieces in about two more minutes. Having a little sister tries my patience.

S UBJECT The subject is always some form of a noun. Person Place Thing Abstraction Examples The desk seems old. Running can be good for you. The future remains a mystery. To laugh is to survive.

S UBJECT II The subject may consist of two or more separate “actors.” Examples Kevin and I fought constantly. Eating and sleeping were his favorite activities. Men, women and children cried at this movie.

T HE V ERB A verb is a word that shows action. It indicates what the subject does or is or feels.

V ERB II A single verb may be composed of more than one word. Jill was running. Negatives are NOT part of the verb. I will not buy that paper. When a subject performs two or more separate actions, one has a compound verb. Joyce hacked and slashed her way out of the forest.

C HECKING V ERB C HOICE If you are not sure about your choice for the verb, try putting I, you, she, it or they before it and see if a sentence is formed. If anyone of those words fits, you have picked a verb! Example Being in pain isolates you.

T YPES OF S ENTENCES

D ECLARATIVE S ENTENCE You can make a statement. I like my class.

I NTERROGATIVE S ENTENCE You can ask a question. Is Abigail your sister?

I MPERATIVE S ENTENCE You can give a command. Sign the petition.

E XCLAMATORY S ENTENCE You can express surprise or strong emotion. What a day I had!

W ORD O RDER In statements, commands and exclamations, the subject usually comes before the verb. The crowd was on its feet. Stop right there. How thrilled I am to see you! In questions, the verb—or part of the verb— usually comes first. Is Jason at home? May I see him?

C LAUSE VS. P HRASES

C LAUSE

A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb. There are two types of clauses: - Independent Dependent

I NDEPENDENT CLAUSE Contains both a subject & verb and can stand on its own The ocean roared. Allison woke up.

D EPENDENT C LAUSE Contains both a subject & verb but cannot stand on its own. Dependent clauses normally will have one of the following words to begin the sentence: - After; Although; As; Because; Before; How; In order that; Since; When; Where; Which; Who; Whom; Whose

D EPENDENT C LAUSE II Example: - Independent Clause Rosie called her mother Dependent Clause If Rosie called her mother. Even though Rosie called her mother. Since Rosie called her mother. Because Rosie called her mother.

P HASE

P HASE I A phase is a group of related words that does not have a subject and a verb. It might have one, or the other, but it will not have both. Examples: - On the table Tall, dark and handsome The funniest girl Faster than a speeding bullet To sing out loud Who was so kind

P REPOSITIONAL P HASES The most common phase is the prepositional phase. A preposition is used to show the relationship between two things. Example: - The dish is on the table. She crawled under the picket fence. He sits across from me. The tree grew between two houses. She waited for her trip to Mexico.

L IST OF P REPOSITIONS Aboard About Above Across After Against Along Among Around At Before Behind Below Beneath Beside (at the side of) Between Beyond By Down During Except For From Always different from another Not to/than In Shows position in one place Inside Into Movement from one place to another

P REPOSITIONS II Near Of Off On Onto Opposite Over Past Since Through Till To Toward Under Until Up Upon With Within Without

P REPOSITIONAL P HASES The subject of a sentence is NEVER in a prepositional phase. Example: - From the back of the freezing room in the old school, Cher, under three sweaters, sneezed into the tissue in her right hand. *Cross out the prepositional phases*

P REPOSITIONAL P HASES II From the back of the freezing room in the old school, Cher, under three sweaters, sneezed into the tissue in her right hand.

C OMMON S ENTENCE P ROBLEMS

F RAGMENTS A sentence fragment is a piece of a sentence, either a phase or a dependent clause.

D EPENDENT C LAUSE Rashid offered to buy the books. Since he was going to the bookstore. Before you sit down. Would you get me a cup of coffee?

U SE – ING AND TO P HASES Jerry refused to give up the resource. Insisting it was his. Jasmeka left a note on the kitchen counter. To remind her husband to feed the cat.

S UPPLYING A DDITIONAL D ETAILS Beginning sentences incorrectly with words such as: Also Including In addition Such as For example Especially Except Example: - Everybody criticized my screenplay. Except the actor in the leading role. Sam liked to try new foods. For example, sushi and pickled plums.

R UN - ON A run-on sentence is one in which two independent clauses are run together without adequate signals (punctuation) to notify the reader. Example: - The movie is good the book is better. The girls played baseball, the boys went swimming.