Nominative Case Nouns
Subject:
Where: They are usually at the front of the sentence in front of the verb.
What: They are the noun or nouns that do the verb.
Clue: Find the verb and ask “who” or “what” is doing it.
Example: Susan walked three miles to her home.
Subject Compliment:
Where: They are always behind the linking verb toward the back of the sentence.
What: They are nouns that restate the subjects in front of them.
Clue: Find the subject and verb and ask the question “who” or “what”, look
behind the linking verb for the answer. (Remember, these can not be in
prepositional phrases.)
Example: My sister is the girl in the third row.
Direct Address:
Where: They can be in the front, middle, or end of the sentence.
What: They are the nouns (usually people) that are being spoken to in the
sentence.
Clue: Most direct addresses are people, and commas always set them off.
Example: Go to the store, Sarah, and buy some bread.
Appositives:
Where: They are always directly behind the noun they replace. (No verb is
between them).
What: They are nouns that repeat or restate a noun in front of them.
Clue: They are similar to subject compliments without the linking verb between
them, and commas sometimes set them off.
Appositives in the Nominative case can restate subjects and subject compliments
Example: Joseph, my neighbor, gave me a ride to school.
Diagramming Nominative Case Parts of Speech:
Direct Address
Subject (Appositive)
That replace Subj.
Link Verb
Subject Compliment (Appositive)
That replace SC
Nouns in the Objective Case
Direct Object:
Where: They are behind the action verb.
What: They are nouns that receive action from the verb.
Clue: Find the subject and verb and ask “who” or “what”, look behind the verb for
the answer. (Remember DO’s can not be in prepositional phrases).
Example: Tony received the award for his speech.
Object of Preposition:
Where: They are the noun or nouns located behind the prepositions in the
prepositional phrases.
What: They are nouns that complete the prepositional phrases.
Clue: You must know your prepositions!! Ask who or what after your preposition.
Example: Jenny went {to the store} yesterday.
Indirect Object:
Where: They are behind the action verb and in front of the direct object.
What: They are nouns that receive the direct object from the subject.
Clue: Find the verb and direct object and ask “to whom” or “for whom”,
Look behind the verb and in front of the direct object for the answer. You will
NOT have an indirect object without a direct object, and they can never be in
prepositional phrases.
Example: The teacher gave the class a test.
Appositives:
Where: They are directly behind the noun they replace. (There is no verb between
them.
What: They are nouns that repeat or restate a noun in front of them.
Clue: They are similar to subject compliments without the linking verb between
them, and commas sometimes set them off.
Appositives in the Objective case restate direct objects, objects of the prepositions,
and indirect objects.
Example: I gave the bone to Spike, my friend’s dog.
Diagramming Objective Case Parts of Speech
Subject
action verb
Direct Object (Appositive)
that replace DO
Obj.
of prep
Ind.
obj.
Possessive Case
Singular Nouns: always add (‘s) example: dog = dog’s
Plural Nouns that do not end in “s”: always add (‘s) example: oxen = oxen’s
Plural Nouns that do end in “s”: always add (‘) example: frogs = frogs’
Common linking verbs:
Is
am
Be
being
Could be
Have been
are
was
were
been
should be
can be
will be
has been
These words are sometimes linking verbs:
Appear
smell
taste
feel
sound
become became
Linking verbs connect subjects to subject compliments.
Ex: The winner was Tom.
subj.
S.C.
If you add an action verb on to a linking verb, then the entire verb becomes an
action verb.
Ex: My favorite spot is basketball.
linking
verb
Tom is playing basketball.
action
verb