The Sentence and Its Parts Simple Subjects and Predicates

Complete Sentences Every sentence has two basic parts: a subject and a predicate The SUBJECT tells whom or what the sentence is about The PREDICATE tells what the subject is or does or what happens to the subject

Example Huge cresting waves pound the sailboat. Which part is the subject and which is the predicate?

Huge cresting waves pound the sailboat. Huge cresting waves is the subject. It tells what the sentence is about Pound the sailboat is the predicate. It tells what the subject does.

Simple Subjects and Predicates The basic elements of a sentence are the simple subject and the simple predicate. The simple subject is the key word or words in the subject. The simple predicate is the verb or verb phrase that tells something about the subject. Simple subjects and simple predicates do not include any modifying words, phrases, or clauses

Example The violent storm battered the sailboat. Simple Subject? Simple Predicate?

Answer The violent storm battered the sailboat. Simple subject? Simple predicate? battered

Fragments If you can’t find a simple subject and predicate in your “sentence,” you’ve created a fragment.

Example: The imposing figure of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial. This is a fragment because it is missing a simple predicate. There is a simple subject, figure, but we don’t know what the subject is, does, or what happens to the subject.

Change the fragments into complete sentences Tell what is missing, either a subject, predicate, or both, and then rewrite as a complete sentence. 1. While we were dancing. 2. Snores like a defective chainsaw. 3. The address written on the envelope.

More Practice Turn to page 39 and complete exercises A and B.

Complete Subjects and Predicates Complete subjects include the simple subject and all the words that modify, or tell more about, it. Complete predicates include the simple predicate and all the words that modify, or tell more about, it.

Example Disaster movies fascinate nearly everyone. Complete Subject? Complete Predicate?

Answer Disaster movies fascinate nearly everyone. Complete Subject? Complete Predicate? fascinate nearly everyone.

TIP Notice that every word in a sentence is part of either the complete subject or the complete predicate.

Your turn Page 42, A1-10