Transcript Sentence Structure

Sentence Structure
What is a sentence?
A sentence is a group of words that
expresses a complete thought.
 I am going to school.
 My mother is going grocery shopping.
 That movie was hysterical!
 Every sentence has two basic parts, a
subject and a predicate.

Subject

The subject is the part of the sentence
that names who or what the sentence is
about.

The simple subject is the key noun or
pronoun that tell who or what the sentence
is about
Alexie Sherman writes.
 Everyone will attend.
 Cookies were baking.

Predicate

The predicate is the part of the sentence
that says something about the subject.

The simple predicate is the verb or verb
phrase that expresses the action or state of
being of the subject of the sentence
Mary drives.
 Ginny swims.
 I like to sleep.

The Complete Subject and
Predicate
The complete subject consists of the
simple subject and all the words that
modify it.
 The complete predicate consist of the
simple predicate (verb or verb phrase)
and all the words that modify it.


The Mississippi River flows south through
the center of the United States.
Order of Subject and Predicate
In English the subject usually comes
before the verb.
 Exceptions to this rule:


In commands and request, the subject is
usually not stated
[You] Listen!
 [You] Please see me.
 [You] Be careful

Inverted Order

A sentence written in inverted order, in
which the predicate comes before the
subject, is used to add emphasis to the
subject.
Under the moonlight sat the old cypress
tree.
 Above the forest circled three hawks.

Practice
Identify the simple subject and simple
predicate:
1. At the edge of the forest stood a
watchful deer.
2. Please pass the salt.
3. Here is your first period classroom.
4. Devastating were the effects of the
tornado!
More Exceptions …
Questions often begin with a verb or a
helping verb.
 Helping (Auxiliary) verbs

Forms of BE (am, is, was were, being,
been)
 Forms of HAVE (has, have, had, having)
 Other helping verbs (can, could, may, might,
must, do, does, did, shall, should, will,
would)

Examples

Did he reply?

Have you read Nikki Giovanni’s poetry?

What do they sing?
Direct Objects

Answers the question what? or whom?
after an action verb

The subject of a sentence usually performs
the action directed by the verb. Direct
objects are nouns, pronouns, or words
acting as noun that the action is directed
toward or received by.
Examples

Mary sold her computer.


(Mary sold what?)
Claudia watched the teacher

(Claudia watched who?)
Indirect Objects
Answers the question to whom? For
whom? to what? After an action verb
 A sentence can only have an indirect
object if it has an direct object

The indirect object always comes between
the verb and the direct object
 If you add the word to or for in front of an
indirect object, the sentence will still make
sense

Examples

Rami left Jennifer a message

Rami left a message for Jennifer
Identify the direct and indirect
objects
1. Max asked Sally a question about the dance.
2. I Have told him the answer several times.
3. The students ate their lunch in silence.
4. I saw Alice in the hallway during the class
change.
5. Jim failed English last semester.