SENTENCE
EXPANSION
Take 2
Focusing Writing Through
Structures:
The BASIC ACTION SENTENCE
THE BASIC ACTION
SENTENCE:
WHO or WHAT + ACTION
(subject + predicate)
MST=Main Sentence Trunk
The Basic Action Sentence
Subject and Predicate
The basic action sentence has two parts: the
part that tells:
1. WHO or WHAT is doing the action, plus
the ACTION itself. The ACTION tells what
the subject did in the past, is doing now, or
will do in the future.
The WHO or WHAT part is often called the
subject of the sentence. The ACTION part
is often called the predicate.
Examples
who + action
1. MST=The boy rode on a sled.
what + action
2. MST=The wagon rolled down the hill.
SAMPLE 'WHO/WHAT's"
the baker, the fireman, the cat,
the shark, the magician, the dancer. the spider, the
artist, the surfer,
the clown, the dinosaur, the thief, the teacher, the train,
the airplane,
SAMPLE ACTIONS:
…ran to the store, barked, swam in the ocean,
…painted a picture. put out the fire. scared the
…people. performed a trick, ate apple pie,
…arrived early, practiced a new dance,
…decided to play.jumped, taught the class
THE TRUNK
The trunk is the main part of a tree!
Without it a tree would not be possible.
The Basic Action:
Sentence is like the trunk of a tree in that
there could be NO sentence without it.
The Basic Action Sentence (the part that
tells WHO or WHAT plus the ACTION)
might be thought of as the MAIN
SENTENCE TRUNK. Just as there would
be no tree without a trunk, there would be
no sentence without a MAIN SENTENCE
TRUNK!
WHO or WHAT + ACTION GROUP 1
and ACTION GROUP 2.
(subject + compound predicate)
In the Basic Action Sentence, the WHO or
WHAT may do two separate actions.
EXAMPLE:
who + action group 1 and action group
The man jumped from the roof and landed
on his feet.
YOUR TURN
DIRECTIONS:
Write a sentence with the pattern:
WHO or WHAT + action group 1 and action group 2.
EXAMPLE:
what + action group 1 and action group 2.
The penguin threw a snowball and hit the other
penguin in the head.
DIRECTIONS:
Write a 2 sentence narrative sequence
Sentence 1: use the following pattern:
WHO or WHAT +
ACTION GROUP 1 and ACTION GROUP 2.
Sentence 2: make it short
EXAMPLE #1:
Sentence 1:The girl danced peacefully and twirled with grace in her
beautiful, flowing gown.
Sentence 2: She looked like an angel.
EXAMPLE #2
Sentence 1: The bird sat on a small branch in the oak tree and chirped a
sweet tune.
Sentence 2: Then, it flew away.
*GOLDEN RULE REMINDER: Vary phrase length!*
In the Basic Action Sentence, the
WHO or WHAT may do three
separate actions. Use commas to
separate each action group.
EXAMPLE:
who + action group 1, action group 2, and action group 3.
The squirrel sat on a limb, held a
nut in his paws, and began to eat.
WRITE!
Write a sentence with the following pattern that
has three action groups:
WHO or WHAT +
action group 1, action group 2, and action group 3.
EXAMPLE:
The cat batted at the ball, looked around, and ran
up the curtain with great speed.
Look at the pattern: long, short, long .
WRITE
Write a two sentence sequence (a two sentence
story) with the following pattern:
Sentence 1: WHO/WHAT + action.
Sentence 2: WHO/WHAT + action group 1, action
group 2, and action group 3.
EXAMPLE:
WHO + Action.
WHO+ action group , action group 2, and action 3.
The lady called for help. She picked up the phone,
dialed 911, and nervously waited to report the
accident.
LET’S PRACTICE!
Who/What=________________
ACTION/VERB= _________________.
TOPIC: ______________