10th Grade
Grammar Notes
Chapter Two: The Sentence and Its Parts
Lesson One: Simple Subjects and Predicates
Every sentence has two basic parts: the subject and the predicate.
Subject
The subject tells who or whom the sentence is about.
The simple subject is the key word or words in the subject. It does not include modifiers.
Hint: To find the subject ask who or what performed the action of the verb.
Predicate
The predicate tells what the subject is or does or what happens to the subject.
The simple predicate is the verb or verb phrase. It tells something about the subject. It does
not include modifiers.
Lesson Two: Complete Subjects and Predicates
Complete Subject = includes the simple subject and all the words that modify it.
Complete Predicate = includes the verb and all the words that modify it.
*** Every word in the sentence is included in one of these two parts! ***
Hint: Draw a line in front of the verb. Everything to the left of the line is the
complete subject. Everything to the right of the line is the complete predicate.
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10th Grade
Grammar Notes
Lesson Three: Compound Sentence Parts
A sentence can have more than one subject and verb.
Compound Subject = made up of two or more simple subjects that share a verb. Joined by
a conjunction or a connecting word.
Compound subjects influence their verbs. If they are joined by and, they take a plural verb, if
they are joined by or, they should match the one closer to them.
Compound Verb = made up of two or more verbs or verb phrases that are joined by a
conjunction and share the same subject.
Compound Predicate = made up of a compound verb and all the words that go with each
verb.
Lesson Four: Kinds of Sentences
A sentence can be used to make a statement, ask a question, give a command, or show
feeling.
Declarative
 A declarative sentence expresses a statement of fact, wish, intent, or feeling. It always
ends with a period.
Interrogative
 An interrogative sentence asks a question and ends with a question mark.
Imperative
 An imperative sentence gives a command, request, or direction, and usually ends with
a period.
 If the command or request is strong it may end with an exclamation point.
 The subject of this sentence is you even though the word is not found in the sentence.
Exclamatory
 An exclamatory sentence expresses strong feelings and ends with an exclamation
point.
 When an exclamatory sentence is preceded by another exclamation, either a period
or an exclamation mark may be used at the end of the second sentence.
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10th Grade
Grammar Notes
Lesson Five: Subjects in Unusual Positions
In most sentences the subject is placed before the verb. In some sentences,
however, the subject appears after the verb, while in others it is not stated at all.
Inverted Sentences
In an inverted sentence, the subject appears after the verb or between the
words that make up the verb phrase.
Ex: In the closet are cameras. (Subject = cameras)
Hint: Frequently inverted sentences start with prepositional phrases. The subject
cannot be part of a prepositional phrase, cross the phrase out so it doesn’t trick
you.
Sentences Beginning with
Here or There
When a sentence begins with here or there, the subject usually follows the verb.
Ex: Here is the mail. (Subject = Mail)
Hint: You can restate these sentences by flipping them (The mail is here.)
Questions
In most questions, the subject appears after the verb or between the words that
make up the verb phrase.
Ex: Where is my coffee? (Subject = coffee.)
Hint: Another way to figure this out is to answer the question (My coffee is there.)
The subject of the answer is the subject of the question.
Imperative Sentences
The subject of an imperative sentence is always you, even when not directly
stated.
Ex: Take out the trash. (Who is supposed to take out the trash? You.)
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10th Grade
Grammar Notes
Lesson Six: Subject Complements
A complement is a word or group of words that completes the meaning of a
verb.
These come after linking verbs.
Subject Complements
A subject complement follows a linking verb and describes or renames the
subject. There are two kinds of subject complements:
Predicate Adjectives - an adjective following the linking verb. Says which one,
what kind, how many, or how much.
Predicate Nominatives - nouns and pronouns that rename, identify, or define
subjects.
Remember my hint about linking verbs, they act as an = sign.
Practice with Subject Complements
The soup tastes too spicy.
Your grandmother's favorite pastime was reading books.
My brother has become a car mechanic.
The assignment seems easy.
The location for the party can be wherever you want.
The coldest time of year is in the winter.
The basement smells unusually musty.
Her singing sounds like a dying rooster.
Differentiating between Subject Complements and Direct Objects
The interviewer mispronounced the actor’s name. He corrected the error
and apologized. That was a nice gesture. The actor was not upset. In fact, he
handed the interviewer an autographed photo.
She felt the patient’s pulse. It felt very weak and erratic. She called the
doctor to give a report.
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10th Grade
Grammar Notes
Lesson Seven: Objects of Verbs
Many action verbs require complements called direct objects and indirect objects to
complete their meaning.
Direct Objects
A Direct Object (D.O.) is a word or group of words that names the receiver of the action of
an action verb. It answers what or whom.
Hint: Remember when we were learning about transitive verbs? I said find the subject and
the verb then ask “What (or whom) did subject verb?”
Indirect Objects
An Indirect Object (I.O.) is a word or group of words that tells to what, to whom, or for whom
an action is done. The indirect object usually comes before the direct object in a sentence.
Hint: All sentences with indirect objects also have direct objects, first find the direct object.
Then extend our question to “What did subject verb D.O. to whom (or for whom)?”
Objective Complements
An Objective Complement (O. C.) is a word or group of words that follows a direct object
and renames or describes the direct object. It may be a noun or an adjective.
Hint: All sentences with objective complements also have direct objects, first find the direct
object. Then ask the question “D.O. equals what?” or “D.O. is what?”
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