Chapter 2
Effective sentences and word choices
- A subject is a noun or pronoun that tells us what the sentence is about. The subject is usually
found in the beginning of the sentence before the predicate/verb.
Ex: He ran a 5 minute mile.
Ex: She fell down the stairs.
- A predicate/verb is the part of the sentence that tells something about the subject. It is usually
found after the subject.
Action verb- Tells what the subject is doing.
Linking Verb- connects or "links" the subject to a word defining or
describing the subject. (common linking verbs: is, are, was, am, be, like)
Ex: Ms. McHugh is very old.
Ex: I ran 4 miles yesterday.
- A sentence MUST have a subject and a predicate to be a complete sentence.
Ex: He woke up early.
Ex: Ran home from school.
- A sentence fragment is a group of words that is punctuated like a complete sentence but does
not express a complete thought. It is missing a subject, predicate or both.
Ex: The world's first skyscraper.
Ex: Ran home from school.
- A Run-on sentence is two or more sentences that have been incorrectly written as one
sentence.
Compounds
- A CONJUNCTION is a joiner, a word that connects (conjoins) parts of a sentence.
- F.A.N.B.O.Y.S.: For-And-Nor-But-Or-Yet-So.
- A COORDINATING CONJUNCTION connects two independent clauses/sentences, it is often
accompanied by a comma.
Ex: He ran home, and he ate his lunch.
-A COMPOUND SUBJECT is two or more subjects. They are connected by a conjunction.
Ex: Sally and Jim went to the store.
Ex: Bob, George and I ate our lunch.
- A COMPOUND PREDICATE is two or more predicates. They are connected by a conjunction.
Ex: Sam skipped and jumped on the playground.
Ex: Jake and Robert are running and sprinting on the track.
- A COMPOUND SENTENCE is two or more sentences connected with a comma and coordinating
conjunctions, OR a semicolon.
Ex: Sam crashed his car, but he was not hurt.
Ex: My mom is pretty, and she is kind.
Ex: Andrue is mean; he thinks Ms. McHugh is old
- If a compound sentence is written incorrectly, it is a RUN-ON sentence. A RUN-ON
SENTENCE is two or more sentences that have been incorrectly written as one sentence.
Ex: He is funny and he is smart.
Ex: Lynn is kind, she is also pretty.
Ex: Grace fell out the window I hope she is okay.
Types of Sentences
- A sentence must have a subject, a verb and a complete thought.
There are four types of sentences.
- An INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE is a sentence that asks a question. It ends in a question mark.
Ex: What did you have for breakfast?
- A DECLARATIVE SENTENCE
is a sentence that states something. It ends with a period.
Ex: Camps R Us has a camp during the Christmas break.
- An EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE is a sentence that shows emotion. It ends in an exclamation
mark.
Ex: We get to have cupcakes at lunch!
- An IMPERATIVE SENTENCE is a sentence that gives a command. It ends in a period. A subject
is implied as YOU. Make sure that you do not think an imperative sentence is a sentence
fragment.
Ex: Take out the trash.
Ex: Pick up your pen.
Examples: Simple, Compound, and Run-On Sentences
Directions: Label the following as simple, comound or a run-on sentence.
1. Nineteen students are appearing in this year’s class play.
2. Paul is working on lights, and Emma is helping with the sets and props
3. I tried out for the play I got a small part as the daughter of one of the main characters.
4. My family and some of my friends will attend both performances of the play.
5. Ken and Maureen made the posters and hung them around school.
6. Janine sold tickets Alec put an ad in the school paper.
7. We will perform on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
8. Did Kim make her own costume, or did her mother and aunt make it?
9. Jessie bought a ticket for Friday, but she came on Saturday instead.
10. Ms. Hanson directed the play, and Mr. Akeem and Mr. Williams directed the music.
Examples: Kinds of Sentences
Directions: Label the type of sentences.
1. I bought a new radio for use during emergencies.
2. What a wonderful idea!
3. Turn on the radio.
4. Does the radio work?
5. The radio operates on batteries.
Example: Sentences and Sentence Fragments
Directions: label eacha s a sentence or sentence fragment.
1.
___I like apple pie.______________
2.
___Ate all the pie. ________
3.
_Why did Ms. Diesu eat all my pie?___
4.
_My very kind friend Ms. Costello.__
5.
__Bring me a new pie.__________
Name: ________________________________________________
Directions:
a.
Find the subject and underline it once. *Subject is the noun or pronoun the sentence
is about. The Subject is usually found in the beginning of the sentence before the
predicate/verb.
b. Find the predicate and underline it twice. *The predicate/verb is the part of the
sentence that tells something about the subject. It is usually found after the subject.
c. Label the predicate as AV (action verb) or LV (linking verb)
1. Douglas looks handsome in his pirate costume.
2. The band sounds wonderful.
3. Mom and Dad play golf on Saturdays.
4. Our neighbors have cats.
5. Greg is a singer.
6. Horatio achieved success.
7. Jackie ordered a new baseball glove.
8. The baby is a boy.
9. Sam forgot her homework.
10. Peter is happy.
Sentence Fragments
* An incomplete sentence is called a sentence fragment. A fragment lacks either a subject, a
predicate, or does not communicate a complete thought. Here are some examples of sentence
fragments:
Example: Saw that it was time to leave. = lacks a subject
Example: The king and all his men. = lacks a predicate
Example: Before we went to soccer practice. = does not communicate a complete thought
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Directions: Underling the subject once and the predicate twice. Decide whether each group of
words is a sentence (S) or a fragment (F).
Example: Don’t think I can do it.
______F_____
1) Daniel can come.
1) ____________
2) I didn’t know that.
2) ____________
3) Went to the store.
3) ____________
4) Singing loudly all day long.
4) ____________
5) Once they get here.
5) ____________
6) What time will they be here?
6) ____________
7) Went to the beach and it was fun.
7) ____________
8) Without increasing his test scores.
8) ____________
9) A high quality car.
9) ____________
10) The thunder scared us all.
10) ____________
11) Annie and her best friend Julia.
11) ____________
12) I am very tired, but I cannot sleep.
12) ____________
13) Five slices of pizza.
13) ____________
14) Until 2:30 in the morning!
14) ____________
15) While Thomas was making dinner.
15) ____________
Simple Subjects and Predicates
* Every sentence has two main parts: a simple subject and a simple predicate.
The simple subject of a sentence is the main word in the complete subject. It is always a noun
or a pronoun. Sometimes, the simple subject is also the complete subject.
Example: Most birds can fly.
Example: They can fly because they have wings.
________________________________________________________________________
Directions: Underline the subject once and the predicate twice in the following sentences.
Example: David’s entire family ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant last night.
1) Daniel can come with us to the movie.
2) Li is my best friend.
3) The moon is shining bright.
4) Cassia is writing a letter.
5) Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.
6) The firemen are extinguishing the fire.
7) We went to lunch with Amar and his friend today.
8) Juan and Julian worked so hard on their project.
9) A large number of swimmers competed in the race this year.
10) The tired old man came in from the rain.
11) People really need to stop littering.
12) I am very hungry.
13) Oh my gosh, I forgot my homework!
14) This beautiful 15th century painting is priceless.
15) The wild bunny hopped across the road.
16) The bird’s feathers were long and colorful.
Name:__________________________________
11/20/14
Ms. McHugh
Unit 1 Grammar
4 Types of Sentences- Directions: On the line, identify the type of sentence. You should know
the four types of sentences.
____________________1. Have you seen Venus Williams on the tennis court?
____________________2. She won a Grand Slam tennis title in 2000.
____________________3. What a fabulous player she is!
____________________4. She can hit a serve of 121 miles per hour.
____________________5. Sign up for tennis lessons this summer.
____________________6. I bought a new radio for use during emergencies.
____________________7. What a wonderful idea!
____________________8. Turn on the radio and listen to this program.
____________________9. Does this radio work without electricity?
____________________10. The radio operates by solar power.
Sentence and Sentence Fragments- Directions: Write Sentence or Fragment for each item. If it is
a fragment, rewrite it to be a complete sentence. At the top of the paper write down your
favorite color.
1. The word dinosaur means “terrible lizard.”
___________________________________________________
2. Weighed thousands of pounds.
____________________________________________________
3. Some dinosaurs were twenty feet tall.
____________________________________________________
4. Many dinosaurs ate plants.
____________________________________________________
5. Were good fighters.
____________________________________________________
6. Near the lake not far from the shore.
____________________________________________________
7. Use the kayak or the canoe.
____________________________________________________
8. Folds into a small rectangle.
____________________________________________________
9. Put the lantern under the seat.
____________________________________________________
10. The campsite is available for three nights.
____________________________________________________
Simple, Compound, and Run-On Sentences- Directions: On the line, identify the sentence as
simple, compound or run-on.
1. Many baseball players were in the armed services during World War II.
____________________________________________________
2. Did you watch the game, or did you read the story about it in the newspaper?
____________________________________________________
3. The women played in baseball stadiums in the Midwest they earned from $55 to $125 per
week.
____________________________________________________
4. The women played hard, but they had to wear feminine attire.
____________________________________________________
5. I practice my pitching and batting every day after school.
____________________________________________________
Subjects and Predicate- Directions: Underline the subject once and the predicate twice then label
the predicate as Action or Linking.
Ex: Ms. McHugh
is the ELA teacher.
1. Everyone brought a notebook to the lecture.
2. The presentation lasted an hour.
3. Many people send cards or gifts on Valentine’s Day.
4. We learned about customs in various countries.
5. The bald eagle is the national emblem of the United States.
6. The long wanderings of Odysseus lasted ten years.
7. Many Japanese women wear traditional kimonos on special occasions.
8. The family’s pictures were stored inside an old suitcase.
9. I also bought several souvenirs.
10. That silver ring fit me perfectly.
11. Andrea and Josh are good friends.
12. Send in your resume.
13. Job applicants either apply in person or send resume by mail.
14. Tessa likes the new school but misses her old friends.
15. Turn on the T.V.