Parts of a Sentence
Overview, Subject, and Predicate
Sentence
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Word group that contains:
– Subject
– Verb
– Complete thought
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If it does not contain ALL THREE, it is a
sentence fragment.
Sentence or Fragment?
The contest for tenth-grade students.
 The contest for tenth-grade students ends
next week.
 Was chosen as the best one.
 Her essay was chosen as the best one.
 When the judges announced the winner.
 When the judges announced the winner,
everyone applauded.
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Practice: Fragment or Sentence
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1. Vampire bats only in the tropics of Central and South
America.
2. Most horror tales about vampires bats are not true.
3. Vampire bats very small mammals.
4. Although they do bite other animals.
5. That they do not drain their victims of blood.
6. Their small teeth are as sharp as needles.
7. While animals are sleeping.
8. But can be dangerous.
9. Some vampire bats carriers of rabies.
Practice: Fragment or Sentence
1. Vampire bats only in the tropics of Central and South
America. (verb)
 2. Most horror tales about vampires bats are not true.
(c)
 3. Vampire bats very small mammals. (verb)
 4. Although they do bite other animals. (incomplete)
 5. That they do not drain their victims of blood.
(incomplete)
 6. Their small teeth are as sharp as needles. (c)
 7. While animals are sleeping. (incomplete)
 8. But can be dangerous. (subj)
 9. Some vampire bats carriers of rabies. (verb)
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Subjects and Predicates
Sentences consist of two basic parts: subjects
and predicates
 Subject: who/what the sentence is about
 Predicate: something about the subject.

– Always has verb!!
Some residents of the desert can survive a long
drought.
 Particularly noteworthy is the Australian frog.
 For up to three years it can live without rainfall.
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Subject
Simple Subject: main word/word group;
who/what the sentence is about
 Complete Subject: simple subject plus any
words/word groups that modify it
 A dog with this pedigree is usually nervous.

– dog
– a dog with this pedigree
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Both of these birds are for sale.
– both
– both of these birds
Predicate
Simple Predicate: VERB; main word/word group
that tells something about subject
 Complete Predicate: verb and all words that
modify verb and complete the meaning
 Spiders snare their prey in intricate webs.

– snare
– snare their prey in intricate webs
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Rosa has been looking for you all morning.
– has been looking
– has been looking for you all morning
Write the sentence. Identify the
subject and verb/verb phrases
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Despite their fragile appearance, butterflies have a
great deal of stamina.
– Despite their fragile appearance, butterflies have a great
deal of stamina.
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They often fly more than 1000 miles.
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The painted lady butterfly has been seen in the middle
of the Atlantic Ocean.
– They often fly more than 1000 miles.
– The painted lady butterfly has been seen in the middle of
the Atlantic Ocean.
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This species was once spotted over the Arctic Circle.
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Millions of these insects flutter across North America.
– This species was once spotted over the Arctic Circle.
– Millions of these insects flutter across North America.