Transcript File - Mrs. Batelka/ELA 7

Subject and Verb Identification:
Notes and Strategies
ELA 7 2016-2017
In order to be complete, a sentence
MUST have:
• a subject
&
• a verb
Ex:
Flowers grow.
subject
verb
Sometimes, sentences have extra
“flavor,” such as introductory phrases,
interrupting phrases, ending phrases,
or other modifiers.
• Under the right conditions, flowers grow.
introductory phrase
• Flowers, such as daisies and tulips, grow.
interrupting phrase
• Flowers of all colors grow to become tall and healthy.
modifier
ending phrase
To find the simple subject and verb
in a sentence, eliminate the extra
information, the “flavor” in the
sentence.
It’s Magic!
Follow these four steps to identify the simple subject
and simple predicate (verb) in any sentence.
1. Eliminate
2. Identify Predicate (verb)
3. Identify Subject
4. Test
Step 1: Eliminate
STEP 1:
Eliminate
Reduce the sentence to its most basic parts by eliminating the following extra
bits of information:
 introductory, interrupting, and ending words, clauses, and phrases
 “to __” phrases
 “of __” phrases
 “here” and “there”
Caution: Reread your reduced sentence. Is it a complete thought?
If not, you eliminated the simple subject and/or simple predicate (verb). Try
again!
The simple subject and simple will never be part of an introductory,
interrupting, and/or ending word, phrase, or clause.
Step 2: Identify Predicate (verb)
STEP 2:
Identify Predicate
Identify the main predicate (verb) in the reduced sentence. It will
either show action or will be a linking verb, which connects the
subject to additional information about it.
 Action
 Linking/State of Being (show existence)
Common state of being verbs are:
- am
- was
- is
- were
-are
- be
- being
- been
Step 3: Identify Subject
STEP 3:

Identify Subject
Determine if the sentence is an imperative sentence (command).
If so, the subject will always be understood (you).
 Ask yourself Who? or What? is performing the action or being
linked to something else.
Step 4: Test
STEP 4:
Test



Write the subject and verb you identified.
Read them together.
Determine if you have a complete thought (even if it is an
underdeveloped sentence).
___________________
subject
___________________
predicate (verb)
=
complete
thought?
Yes, I still have a complete thought. I did it!!
No, this is not a complete thought. Try again.
Example:
Directions: Underline the simple subject in the sentence below. Then,
circle the main verb in the sentence.
After the movie, the group of girls wanted to get some dinner.
• Cross out “to” phrases.
After the movie, the group of girls wanted to get some dinner.
• Cross out “of” phrases.
After the movie, the group of girls wanted to get some dinner.
• Cross out introductory, interrupting, and/or ending elements.
After the movie, the group of girls wanted to get some dinner.
ANSWER: After the movie, the group of girls wanted to get some dinner.
subject
verb
the group wanted
This is a complete thought!