*First, before you do anything, identify any prepositional phrases. Put parenthesis around them.
Other sentence parts (subjects, verbs, & compliments) are NEVER located within the prepositional phrase.
Parts of a Sentence Flow Chart
Subject – the
word that
performs the
action of the verb
or is the topic of
the sentence.
NOUN OR
PRONOUN
Verb – what the
subject does; what
happens to subj.
Linking – shows condition
(am, is, are, was, were, be,
being, been, look, taste, smell,
sound, appear, etc.) Connects
subject to the complement.
Subject Complement
P.N. (Predicate
nominative)–
renames or
identifies subject.
NOUN or
PRONOUN
P.A. (Predicate
Adjective)–
Describes subject.
ADJECTIVE
*** You can NOT have
BOTH a PA and a PN in
the same sentence***
Action – expresses action.
(Mental or Physical Action)
(S AV IO DO)
D.O. (Direct Object) –
receives action of the verb.
(I kicked the ball.)
S+AV+what?+DO
Or
S+AV+whom? =DO
NOUN or PRONOUN
I.O. (Indirect Object) - to/for whom
or what the action is done. (Always
comes BEFORE the direct object).
S+AV+DO+to what or whom?=IO
OR
S+AV+DO+for what or whom? = IO
NOUN or PRONOUN
*** If you do
NOT have a DO,
then you can NOT
have an IO.***
Sentence Chart
Finding the Parts of a Sentence
1. First, put parenthesis around any prepositional phrases.
a. Example: You have gone (to the store) (during
lunch).
b. Example: We learn English (in class).
2. If you have a question, rewrite it as a statement to find the
subject.
a. Example: Have you gone to the store during the
afternoon?
b. Rewrite: You have gone to the store during the
afternoon. (“You” is the subject)
3. Find the Verb Phrase. Decide the following:
a. Is it an action verb?
i. Action Verb (SAVIODO) – Action verbs
usually have a direct object and sometimes
an indirect object.
ii. If it is an action verb it is something that the
subject is actually doing.
b. Is it a state of being/linking verb?
i. Linking verbs (LV and PA or PN) – Linking
verbs connect the subject of the sentence
with a subject complement. Subject
complements are predicate nominatives or
predicate adjectives.
4. Find the Complement:
a. For an action verb (SAVIODO), find the Direct
Object (DO)
i. Direct objects receive the action of the verb.
S+V+who?what? = DO
i. Example: I bought eggs at the store.
ii. Question = I bought what?
iii. Answer = Eggs =Direct Object
b. Then, find the Indirect Object:
i. Indirect Objects tell to whom, to what, for
whom, or for what the action is being done.
S+V+DO+to whom? towhat? for whom?
For what? = IO
i.
Example: I bought my sister eggs at
the store.
ii. Question = I bought eggs for
whom?
iii. Answer= sister = IO
c. If it is a linking verb, decide whether it includes a
Predicate Nominative or a Predicate Adjective.
i. Predicate Nominatives are nouns or
pronouns and rename, identify, or define the
subject of the sentence.
i. Example: Skippy was the Prom
King.
ii. Tip = If you can reverse the order of
the predicate and the subject, it is a
predicate nominative.
iii. Tip Example: The Prom King was
Skippy.
iv. Prom King renames Skippy. Prom
King is the PN.
ii. Predicate adjectives describe the subject by
telling which one, what kind, how much, or
how many.
i. Example: The eggs were cheesy and
delicious.
ii. Question = What kind of eggs were
they?
iii. “cheesy” and “delicious” are
adjectives describing the eggs.
They are PA’s.