Grammar Unit 2:
The Parts of a Sentence
What is a sentence?
A sentences is a word group that
contains a subject and a verb that
expresses a complete thought.
Verbs are also called predicates
Purposes of a Sentence
 Declarative~ A statement
 Interrogative~ A question
 Imperative ~ A command
 Exclamatory ~ Shows emotion
 What is the purpose of the following sentences:
 Can you picture a robot twenty-five feet tall?
 interrogative
 Step up and say hello to Beetle.
 Imperative
 Perhaps you have heard of CAM, an even more advanced robot.
 Declarative
 What an amazing creation it is!
 Exclamatory
Subject and Predicates
 Sentences consist of two basic parts:
 Subject
 Tells whom or what the sentence or clause is about
 Predicate
 Tells something about the subject
SUBJECT
PREDICATE
Some residents of the desert
can survive a long drought
PREDICATE
SUBJECT
Particularly noteworthy is
the Australian frog.
PREDICATE
How can
SUBJECT
an animal
PREDICATE
survive that long
Complete Subject and Predicate
 In each of the following examples, the words labeled make
up the complete subject and predicate.
 A complete subject and predicate are the subject and
predicate and their modifiers.
SUBJECT
Some residents of the desert
PREDICATE
Particularly noteworthy is
PREDICATE
How can
PREDICATE
can survive a long drought
SUBJECT
the Australian frog.
SUBJECT
an animal
PREDICATE
survive that long
Simple Subject
 The main word or word groups that tells whom or what the
sentences is about
 The dog with this pedigree is usually nervous.
 A dog with this pedigree ~ Complete subject
 Dog ~ Simple subject
 Both of these cockatiels are for sale.
 Both of these cockatiels ~ Complete subject
 Cockatiels ~ Simple subject
Simple Predicate (Verb)
 The main word or words that tells something about the
subject.
 Spiders snare their prey in intricate webs.
 Complete: snare their prey in intricate webs
 Simple: snare
 Rosa has been looking for you all morning.
 Complete: has been looking for you all morning
 Simple: has been looking
 Have my keys been found?
 Complete: Have been found
 Simple: Have been found
Practice!
 Write out the complete subject for each sentence.
 Underline the simple subject.
1.
All of the townspeople ran from the burning building.
2.
Only I am able to know what I am thinking.
3.
The saber toothed tiger is a good example of an extinct
predator.
Answers!
1.
All of the townspeople ran from the burning building.
2.
Only I am able to know what I am thinking.
3.
The saber toothed tiger is a good example of an extinct
predator.
Practice!
 Write out the complete predicate for each sentence.
 Underline the simple predicate.
The bird’s feathers were long and colorful.
2. We went to lunch with Amar and his friend today.
3. Daniel can come with us to the movie.
1.
Answers!
The bird’s feathers were long and colorful.
2. We went to lunch with Amar and his friend today.
3. Daniel can come with us to the movie.
1.
Sentence Fragments
 A word or word group that is capitalized and punctuated as a
sentence but that does not contain both a subject and a
verb(predicate) or that does not express a complete thought.
 The magazine’s essay contest for the tenth-grade American
history students.
 Sentence fragment: Does not contain a verb
 The magazine’s essay contest for the tenth-grade American
history students resulted in increased school spirit.
 Sentence!
Sentence Fragments (cont)
 Was chosen as the best one from over two thousand entries.
 Fragment: No subject
 Her essay was chosen as the best one from over two thousand
entries.
 Sentence: Subject- essay; Verb- was chosen
 When the judges announced the winner.
 Fragment: Not a complete thought
 When the judges announced the winner, everyone
applauded.
 Sentence!
Practice!
 Determine if each statement below is a fragment or
expresses a complete thought:
If your parents think today’s fashions are weird.
2. Layers very common in medieval clothing.
3. When clothes were edged and lined in fur.
4. In the later Middle Ages, women wore jeweled metal nets
over their coiled braids.
1.
Answers!
1.
If your parents think today’s fashions are weird.
Fragment: Does not express a complete thought
2.
Layers very common in medieval clothing.
Fragment: Does not contain a verb
3.
When clothes were edged and lined in fur.
Fragment: Does not express a complete thought
1.
In the later Middle Ages, women wore jeweled metal nets
over their coiled braids.
Sentence!
Clauses!
 Independent Clause
 An independent (or main) clause expresses a complete thought and
can stand by itself as a sentence.
They can be joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction
(FANBOYS), a semicolon, or a semicolon followed by a conjunctive
adverb or transitional expression and a comma.
The outfielders missed easy fly balls, and the infielders were throwing
wildly.
The outfielders missed easy fly balls; the infielders were throwing
wildly.
The outfielders missed easy flay balls; moreover, the infielders were
throwing wildly.
Subordinate Clause
A subordinate (or dependent) clause does not express a
complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
The woman whom we spoke to yesterday told us about sources
of financial aid for college applicants.
Some scholarships are still available because no students have
applied for them.
Practice with independent/dependent
clauses
Read the following sentences. Then, identify each italicized clause as
independent or subordinate.
1.Whenever I think of Barbara Jordan, I imagine her as she looks in a picture
taken at my mother’s college graduation.
subordinate
2. According to my mother, Jordan spoke eloquently about the importance of
values in our society.
independent
3. Of course, her choice of subject matter surprised no one since Jordan had long
been known as an important ethical force in American politics.
independent