ENGLISH I
MODULE 2
ENG 321
NOUN PHRASES
So FAR, The Sentences in Module 1 were sentences in which the
complete subject consisted of one word—a noun. However, sometimes two
or more words are used for the subject. When several words are used
together like that, they are called a noun phrase. The noun phrase is the
complete subject. For example, when applying the Verb-Subject
Identification Procedure to the sentence:
The old gray mare limped down the lane.
What is the verb? Right! “limped” so we write a “V” above it. Then
When we ask the “Who/What Question,” what group of words gives the
right answer? “The Old Gray mare.” The old gray mare is the complete
subject. The word “mare” is the main subject. It is the most important word
in the complete subject.
S
V
The old gray mare limped down the lane.
This is how the sentence is identified for the Verb-Subject Identification
Procedure.
Worksheet #1
Noun Phrases
Obtain a Module 2 Answer Sheet for the worksheets. In the area marked for Worksheet
#1, complete the assignment below. WRITE ONLY ON THE ANSWER SHEET
AND NOT IN THIS MODULE.
On the sentences below, mark the verb with a “V” and the main subject with an “S”
on the answer sheet.
1. The old gray mare limped down the lane.
2. The silver-winged plane soared.
3. Johnny’s baby sister cried for hours.
4. The first three girls giggled.
5. Fourteen good pilots died in the war.
6. The chairman of the meeting left early.
7. The chrome-plated motorcycles glistened in the sun.
8. The pioneers in our family fled from England.
9. The dog’s buried bones rotted in the ground
10. Carol’s best china plate broke into a hundred pieces.
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ENGLISH I
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Verb Phrases
Just like several words can form the subject of a sentence, the verb
can consist of two or more words. This is called a verb phrase. In the
sentence below, the verb phrase is, “must have gone.”
S
V
The bus must have gone by now.
These three words form the complete verb. The word “gone” is the main
verb. It shows the action. Without it, the action of the bus would be
unknown.
Verb phrases are formed by putting one or more helping verbs in front
of a main verb. Here is a list of helping verbs.
HELPING VERBS
am☺
are☺
is☺
can
could
may
might
must
do
does
shall
should
has
have
had
was☺
were☺
will
would
be☻
been☻
being☻
The linking verbs: am, are, is, was & were [look for ☺]can be used in front of
another verb. Two or more of these helping can be used in combination with one of
the helping verbs that starts with the letter “h.” One can also use a helping verb in
combination with “be☻,” “been☻,” or “being☻,” in front of the main verb. These
three words are at the bottom of the list because they are not used by themselves in
front of a main verb. They can only be used in combination with other helping
verbs.
Any time you are asked to identify the verb of a sentence, you should identify
the helping verb or verbs and the main verb in any sentence that has a verb phrase.
After you find the action verb, always check to see if there are one or more helping
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verbs to the left of the action verb. Make an arch above the helping verbs and the
main verb, and write a “V” above the arch.
Worksheet #2
Verb Phrases
In the area marked for Worksheet #2, complete the assignment below. WRITE ONLY
ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND NOT IN THIS MODULE.
On the sentences below, mark the verb(s) with an arch and a “V” and the main
subject with an “S” on the answer sheet.
S
V
1. The bus must have gone by now.
2. My best friend could not work tonight.
3. The light green grapes have been eaten.
4. The committee of environmentalists is working to solve the smog problem.
5. Steven’s aunt is not following her new diet.
S
V
6. The old rickety wagon should not have been filled to the top.
7. The merry pied piper would have played a happy tune.
8. A stray sunbeam could have pierced through the clouds.
9. The paint on the old gray house was peeling.
10. The peace treaty might have been signed today.
Sometimes words in sentences show action without being the main verb of
the sentence.
Chad hoped to go sledding.
In this sentence, several words represent things you can do: hoped, go, and
sledding. Which one is the main verb of the sentence? Any verb that has the word
“to” in front of it is an infinitive; it is not the main verb of the sentence. When you
have a sentence with several action words in it, check for the word “to.” Never
identify as the main verb a word that has “to” in front of it.
Types of Simple Sentences
There are other kinds of simple subjects than those with only one subject and
only one verb. A second kind of simple sentence contains two or more subjects.
When two or more subjects appear in a sentence, it is called a compound subject.
S
S
V
Bill and Sue want to go to the movies.
In the same respect, the third kind of simple sentence contains two or more verbs.
When two or more verbs appear in a sentence, it is called a compound verb.
S
V
V
Sally swam and played all afternoon.
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Some simple sentences have both a compound subject and a compound verb.
S
S
V
V
The ponies and calves scampered and played in the field.
To summarize, there are four different kinds of simple sentences. These formulas
are represented on the chart below.
S
SS
S
SS
V
V
VV
VV
You should follow four simple steps when you want to write a simple
sentence.
Pick a formula
Step 1:
(this means you choose one of the formulas from
the chart above. Some may have these on a card. Some desks have the
cards on them.)
Step 2:
Explore words to fit the formula.(Once you’ve chosen a
formula, explore words to fit the formula. This means to find words that
best express the idea you have in mind. You may use noun phrases and
verb phrases to fit the idea.)
Step 3:
Note the words.(Once you’ve thought of the words, write them
down. When you write the words, capitalize the first letter of the first
word in the sentence, and put a period at the end of the sentence. Your
sentence will not be a sentence if you do not capitalize the first word and
put end punctuation.)
Step 4:
Search and check.
(After you’ve written the sentence, do the
Search and Check step. This fourth step helps ensure that your sentence is
complete and fits the formula you chose in step 1. First identify the verb
or verb phrase; second ask the who/what question to help you find the
subject or subjects.)√Capital letter; End punctuation. Makes sense.
After you have identified the verbs and subjects, you’ll need to do the
“Check” part of the Search and Check Step. You’ll need to read the who
sentence one last time to see if it makes sense and to make sure you haven’t
left out any words. Also check to see that you began the sentence with a
capital letter. Now does it make sense. Then you’re done.
Take a look at the first letters that are bigger in each step. The mnemonic
device “PENS” is the check device for WRITING A SENTENCE.
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Worksheet #3
Formulas for Simple sentences
In the area marked for Worksheet #3, complete the assignment below.
WRITE ONLY ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND NOT IN THIS
MODULE.
Write a sentence for each of the formulas given.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
S
SS
S
SS
S
V
V
VV
VV
VV
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
SS VV
S
V
SS V
SSS V
Write the mnemonic device for
writing sentences
PRONOUNS
Pronouns are words that stand for nouns or for words that take
the place of nouns. Pronouns get their meaning from the words they
stand for. These words are called antecedents.
Personal pronouns refer to the person speaking (first person), the
person spoken to (second person) or the person, place, or thing spoken
about (third person).
Personal Pronouns
singular
I, me
my, mine
Plural
we, us
our, ours
2nd person
you
your, yours
you,
your, yours
3rd person
he, him, his
she, her, hers
it, its
they, them
their, theirs
their, theirs
st
1 person
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Reflexive pronouns end in –self or –selves. They point back to a noun
or pronoun earlier in the sentence. Intensive pronouns end in –self or –
selves and simply add emphasis to a noun or pronoun in the sentence.
Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
Singular
Plural
myself
ourselves
yourself
yourselves
himself, herself
themselves
itself
1st person
2nd person
3rd person
Joy helped herself to some turkey.
REFLEXIVE
The mayor herself attended the carnival. INTENSIVE
Demonstrative, Relative, and Interrogative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns direct attention to specific people,
places, or things.
Demonstrative Pronouns
Singular
this, that
Plural
these, those
A relative pronoun begins a subordinate (minor) clause and
connects it to another idea in the sentence.
Relative Pronouns
that
which
who
whom
whose
An interrogative pronoun is used to begin a question.
what
which
who
whom
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whose
ENGLISH I
MODULE 2
ENG 321
Indefinite pronouns refer to people, places, or things, often
without specifying which ones.
Indefinite Pronouns
Singular
Another
everyone
Anybody everything
Anyone
little
Anything much
Each
neither
Either
nobody
Everybody no one
Singular
Or
Plural
Plural
nothing
Both All
one
Few Any
other
Many More
somebody Others Most
someone several None
something
some
Worksheet #4
Pronouns
In the area marked for Worksheet #4, complete the assignment below.
WRITE ONLY ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND NOT IN THIS
MODULE.
Label each underlined pronoun as personal, interrogative, relative,
demonstrative, reflexive, intensive, or indefinite.
1. Who is the boy I saw in that class?
2. When I go home, I will rest.
3. Will she go with us?
4. I myself would like to do my work.
5. This one is mine.
6. I hit myself on the head.
7. Everybody needs to go to school.
Choose the pronoun that best fits the sentence.
8. Jerry and (him, he) lost their dog.
9. With (whom, who) are you going to stay in Houston?
10. That horse lost (its, it’s) race.
11. The player (who, which) caught the pass run for a touchdown.
12. The dog bit both her and (I, me).
13. (We, Us) and the other campers enjoyed the trip.
14. Get George and (he, him) some water.
15. George and (they, them) bought the Christmas tree.
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Verbals
A verbal is the form of a verb used as a noun, adjective or adverb. Gerunds are forms of
the verb that function as nouns. They always end in "ing." Participles are forms of the
verb that function as adjectives. They can end in "ed," "en," or "ing." Infinitives are
forms of the verb that may acts as adjectives, adverbs or nouns. They include "to" plus
the base form of the verb, as in "to run."
Gerunds
A gerund is a verb participle (most commonly the present participle) that is used as a
noun. They always end in "ing." e.g.
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Reading is a relaxing diversion.
She disliked dancing.
A gerund can also consist of more than one word (although the first word is still a present
participle) e.g.
He was happy at having finished his studies.
A gerund can also be preceded by possessive pronouns e.g.
His coming of age was a cause of celebration.
Their doubting of your word shouldn't trouble you.
Participles
[In the following examples, the participle is bold and the verb is underlined.]
●As the colonies became a new nation dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal, public schools had another purpose.
○First find the subject and verb of each clause: COLONIES BECAME and
SCHOOLS HAD. With that done, we can see that DEDICATED is not the
subject. Instead, it describes the word NATION. Therfore, it is an adjective. A
form of a verb that ends in ED, EN or ING and acts as an adjective is a
participle.

Transformed by the national economy, urban factories developed a need of
disciplined, obedient workers.
o The subject (factories) DEVELOPED. So what does TRANSFORMED do?
It describes FACTORIES.
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Learning to solve problems in groups, the students began to understand how to fit
within the social structure.
o Identify the subject and verb. What is this sentence about? STUDENTS.
What is the verb? BEGAN. What part of the sentence does LEARNING go
with? The subject. It describes STUDENTS, so it is a form of the verb
acting as an adjective—a participle.
The steps to finding a participle:
1. Find the subject and verb to eliminate any confusion
2. Decide what part of the sentence the verbal belongs to.
Infinitive
[In the following examples, the infinitive is bold and the verb is underlined.]

Supporters of the Internet fail to mention that it contains a lot of trash
packaged to look like reliable information.
o

Students need to learn the parts of speech.
o

The subject is SUPPORTERS. The verb is FAIL. The infinitive TO
MENTION is the object of the verb. Therefore, it is a noun.
The subject is STUDENTS. The verb is NEED. The infinitive TO LEARN
is the object of the verb. Therefore, it is a noun.
The ants have arrived to grab the leftovers from the picnic.
o
The subject is ANTS. The verb is HAVE ARRIVED. The infinitive TO
GRAB is an adverb explaining why or where they have arrived.
WORKSHEET #5
In the area marked for Worksheet #5, complete the assignment below.
WRITE ONLY ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND NOT IN THIS
MODULE.
Identify the underlined part of speech
1. The thief arrested for the robbery shot at the security guard.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
2. The flag waving in the wind is inspirational.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
3. They are sure the extra planning will make a difference in the end.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
4. Jamal's confusing message did nothing to solve the mystery.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
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5. Godzilla made a game of smashing all of the red cars parked near the lake.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
6. The politician's broken promises were all that the voters remembered.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
7. Delighted with the opportunity to learn, Christine took the internship in New York.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
8. While playing the tuba, Orin felt as if his world was perfect.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
9. The shows offers everyone a chance to be a millionaire.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
10. Samuel decided that missing the lecture every day was hurting his grade.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
11. The kittens crouching under the bed have refused to come out.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
12. The swimmer, driven by the need to be the best in the world, made himself sick with
anxiety.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
13. My friend was surprised by the lighting in the theater.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
14. Brenda seemed surprised with the team's decision to withdraw.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
15. Completing the obstacle course is harder than it looks.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
16. Billy refused to accept the idea that his birthday cake was gone.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
17. The marathon runner, pushed to the edge of endurance, collapsed at the finish line.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
18. Fred's arguing every call is getting frustrating.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
19. Al hopes that giving the players a break will improve their attitudes.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
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20. The completed meal was so beautiful that we hesitated to eat it.
a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive
Once you have finished the answer sheet, turn it in and get a
Module 2 test.
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