Transcript Grammar for Grown-ups
Writing Simple Sentences
Defining Simple Sentences
A simple sentence is made up of a single
complete subject
and the
complete verb(s)
that tell what the subject does, did, or will do.
A simple sentence consists of one independent clause (group of related words with both a subject and a verb.) It is independent because it can stand alone as a complete thought.
Complete Subjects
o A
complete subject
words that describe it.
is the
simple subject
of the sentence—a noun or a pronoun that tells who or what is being talked about—and all of the o She called me yesterday.
(
She
is both the simple subject and the complete subject of this sentence.) o The old gray mare is in the pasture.
(The simple subject of this sentence is
mare
; the complete subject is
the old gray mare
.)
Compound Subjects
A
compound subject
complete subject.
consists of two or more simple subjects joined with
and
or
or
. A compound subject is still considered a single o My uncle David, Harold, and Harold’s six year-old twin brothers all went to the movie together.
(This sentence has three simple subjects—
David , Harold
, and
brothers brothers
—but the phrase
My uncle David, Harold, and Harold’s six-year-old twin
makes up a single complete subject.)
Understood Subject
Sometimes the subject of a sentence is understood rather than directly stated.
o Stop!
(The simple and complete subject,
you
, is understood.)
Complete Verbs
A
complete verb
is made up of a single main verb and all of the helping verbs that accompany it.
o The mare is in the pasture.
(The main verb, which is also the complete verb in this sentence, is
is
.) o She has been calling me every day for a week.
(The main verb is
calling
, and the helping verbs are
has
and
been
, so the complete verb is
has been calling
.)
Compound Verbs
Verbs
can be compound, too. Two or more complete verbs joined with
and
or
or
that refer to the same subject are considered a
compound verb
.
o They have planned the wedding and will spend their honeymoon in Key West.
(The main verbs in this sentence are
planned spend
, and the complete verbs are
have
and
planned
and
will spend
a compound verb because both verbs explain what the subject,
they
. This sentence contains , did.)
Simple & Compound Subjects & Verbs
A simple sentence can be very simple, containing only a simple
subject
and a main
verb
, or it can contain a compound
subject
or a compound
verb
(or both).
o o
I
waited
.
The
grizzled old doctor and his coughing, sputtering car
made
their way to the office.
o o
Tony
took sat
on the bench and
let
Dora and Michael
bought
a walk in the park.
out a sigh.
sandwiches and
Finding the Subject(s)
o The
subject
is the topic of the sentence, who or what is taking an action or being talked about.
o Class starts early in the morning.
o I am glad to be at school.
Subjects can be nouns or pronouns.
o o A
noun
thing: is a word that names a person, place or Abdullah, Lincoln University, classrooms… o o A
pronoun
is a word that stands for a noun: he, it, they …
Subjects, like nouns, can be singular or plural.
o This class is fun.
singular o My classes are fun.
plural o My teachers and my assignments are fun.
Plural (compound)
Remember Two Important Points about Prepositional Phrases: 1. A prepositional phrase doesn’t make sense by itself, so it can’t be a complete sentence.
o In the front row.
fragment o The student in the front row is smart.
sentence
2. The subject of a sentence will never be found inside a prepositional phrase.
o subjects Each student in this room is intelligent.
prepositional phrases o All students in this room are intelligent.
Finding the Verb(s)
o o All sentences have at least one verb.
The
verb
explains what the subject is doing (action verb) or connects the subject to words that describe it (linking verb).
o o That student works hard.
Action verb
That student is industrious.
Linking verb
Many verbs are made up of more than one word.
o I love grammar.
Main verb o o o o Everyone
should
I
have
love grammar.
Soon you
will
We
are
love grammar too.
loving it already.
loved grammar all my life.
Helping verbs
Word of caution: At times, verb forms (usually ending in –ing) can be the subject of a sentence.
o I am going to the mall.
o
Verb Going
to the mall is my favorite pastime.
Subject!
Verb