Sentences Overview
A sentence is a complete thought with a subject and a verb.
There are four kinds of sentences:
Declarative
Ex. Here comes Mike. (Makes a statement & ends with a period)
Interrogative
Ex. Do you like him? (Asks a question & ends with a question
mark)
Exclamatory
Ex. Wow, that’s awesome! (Shows strong feelings & has an
exclamation mark at the end.
Imperative
Ex. Be cool. (Gives a command & ends with a period)
A subject is the noun or pronoun the sentence is about.
Ex: The sun is shining brightly on a meadow.
A predicate is the verb and its modifiers that tell about the subject
Ex: The sun is shining brightly on the meadow.
Compound subjects are two our more subjects connected by a conjunction
Ex: Leroy and Shari are working on a project.
Compound predicates are two or more verbs connect by a conjunction
Ex: Brian washed and waxed the car.
Compound sentences are two sentences connected by a conjunction
Ex: Some dogs have long tails, but other dogs don’t.
A sentence fragment looks like a sentence but it isn’t.
Ex: Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high.
A run-on sentence is a sentence that runs on into the next sentence
Ex: We played cards and we dance for a while, then we at around and talked
forever, it was wonderful!
More on Subjects, Predicates, and Complements
Holt Handbook, Chapter 2: The Parts of a Sentence (34-60)
SUBJECT
A simple subject is a word or word group that tells whom or what the sentence is about.
A complete subject consists of the simple subject and any words or word groups that
modify the simple subject (39).
Example: A dog with this pedigree is usually nervous.
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Note: The subject of a sentence is NEVER in a prepositional phrase! A prepositional
phrase consists of a preposition, the object of a preposition and any modifiers of that
object (24).
Commonly used prepositions: after, as, at, before, but (meaning except), during, for, like,
of, since, to, until, with, without
Commonly used compound prepositions: according to, because of, in addition to, in front
of, in spite of, instead of, on account of, prior to, such as
Examples of prepositional phrases:
For the team, of min, through the years, on the top shelf, at all times, along with my niece
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A compound subject combines two subjects with a conjunction.
PREDICATE
The simple predicate, or verb, is the main word or word group (verb phrase: verb +
helping verb/s) that tells something about the subject.
List of commonly used helping verbs: am, are, can, could, did, do, does, had, has, have,
is, may, might, must, shall, should, was, were, will, would
The complete predicate consists of the verb and all the words that modify the verb and
complete its meaning (39).
COMPLEMENTS
Subject Complements
Subject complements complete the meaning/s of linking verbs only (48).
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Tip: To determine whether a verb in a sentence is linking, substitute a form a form of the
verb to be for the verb. If the sentence makes sense, the verb is most likely linking (17)!
Common forms of the verb to be: be, being, am, is, are, was, were, shall be, will be, has
been , have been, had been, shall have been, will have been, can be, may be, might be,
must be, should be, would be, could be, should have been, would have been, could have
been
Other linking verbs: appear, become, fell, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay,
taste, turn
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There are two types of subject complements: predicate nominatives and predicate
adjectives. A predicate nominative is a complement in the form of a noun or pronoun that
follows a linking verb and modifies the subject by identifying it or referring to it.
Example: Some caterpillars become butterflies. The noun “butterflies” follows the
linking verb become and identifies the subject caterpillars. A predicate adjective is a
complement in the form of an adjective that follows a linking verb and modifies the
subject by describing it.
Example: You look happy. The adjective “happy” follows the linking verb look and
describes the subject you.
Object Complements
The object of a verb is a complement that, unlike a subject complement, does not identify
or modify the subject. An object of a verb is noun, pronoun or word group that completes
the meaning of a transitive verb (53).
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Transitive Verb: A verb that expresses action directed toward a person, place thing or
idea (noun or pronoun). A transitive verb always has an object or a word that tells who or
what receives the action of the verb (19).
Example: The cat was chasing a moth. The noun “moth” completes the meaning of the
verb chasing.
Note: Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive but intransitive verbs are verbs that do
not have objects. All linking verbs are intransitive!
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Direct object: answers Whom? Or What? after an action verb. Refer to the example
above. Chasing what? A moth.
Indirect object: answers To what or whom? or For what or whom? after an action verb.
Example: Jeff’s mother gave him some grapes. Again, the direct object (in this case,
grapes) answers what Jeff’s mother gave. To whom did Jeff’s mother give? him = the
indirect object.
Complements Overview
A complement is a word or words in the predicate that complete the meaning of the
subject and the verb.
Ex:
Spike won the Best of Breed in the dog show.
Spike won the award for Most talkative Student.
Spike won the lottery.
A direct object answers What? or Whom? after an action verb. (Tells who or what
receives the action of the verb)
Ex:
Jack and Jill carried a pail.
Ms. Goldfish teachers middle school students.
An indirect object answers To what or whom? or For what or whom? after an action
verb
Ex:
Davis loaned me his book.
Becky got her family tickets for the play.
An object complement is a noun or adjective object required by certain verbs
Ex:
You drive me crazy.
We elected Bill treasurer.
A subject complement is:
A predicate adjective follows a linking verb; modifies the subject
Ex: Ted’s science project is amazing!
A predicate nominative follows a linking verb; refers to the subject
Ex: Ted’s science project is the effect of heat on ants.
Sentences Classified According to Structure
Holt Handbook pp.102-103
A sentence can be classified, depending on its structure, as simple, compound, complex
or compound-complex.
Simple Sentences contain one independent clause and no subordinate clauses.
A simple sentence may contain a compound subject, a compound verb and any number of
phrases.
Example: Cora and Kareem bought party supplies at the mall. (compound subject)
Later, they drove to school and decorated the cafeteria for the Ecology Club’s
annual banquet. (compound verb)
Compound Sentences contain two or more independent clauses and no subordinate
clauses.
A compound sentence is two or more independent clauses joined together by (1) a
comma and a coordinating conjunction, (2) a semi-colon, or (3) a semicolon and a
conjunctive adverb such as therefore, however, or consequently followed by a comma.
Example: Cora hung colorful streamers from the ceiling, and Kareem set party favors on
the tables.
Complex sentences contain one independent clause and at least one subordinate clause.
Example: When they had finished their work, they complimented each other on the
results. (Underline the independent clause, then circle the subordinate clause)
Compound-complex sentences contain two or more independent clauses and at least one
subordinate clause.
Example: Cora waited for just the right moment to ask Kareem to the banquet, and he
promptly accepted her invitation, adding that he had been planning to ask her. (Underline
the independent clauses, then circle the subordinate clause/s)
Style Tip: Paragraphs with repetitive sentence structure (esp. simple) can be monotnous
to read. Draw your readers in by varying your sentence structure, and add meaningful
variation that calls attention to your purpose!
Computer Tip: By inserting a return or a page break after every period, you can easily
view the sentences in a vertical list and compare the structures of each sentence! Then,
make your revisions for accuracy and style!