Ready… set… combine!
Step One: Create a sentence with a compound predicate (= one subject, two
predicates). Use action verbs (highly visible).
Example with subject underlined, compound predicates in italics:
Zeke stumbled and fell into the end zone to win the game.
Step Two: Add two sentences, each providing additional information about the
subject through the use of nouns.
a.) Zeke is a quarterback at Rockville High School.
b.) Zeke is a senior at Rockville High School.
Step Three: Create a single sentence that changes one of the compound predicates
in step one into a participle and leaves the other as the sentence’s predicate. The
participle functions as an adjective. It is underlined below while the predicate (still
an action verb) remains italicized.
Stumbling, Zeke fell into the end zone to win the game.
Add additional modifiers to the participle and make it a participial phrase.
Stumbling like a clumsy colt, Zeke fell into the end zone to win the game.
Step Four: Now combine the nouns in step two to create an appositive phrase as
well. The combination of participial phrase plus appositive phrase plus action verb
will make for a more sophisticated sentence! (Note: the participial phrase is
underlined, the appositive phrase is in bold-print, and the action verb/predicate is
italicized.)
Stumbling like a clumsy colt, Zeke – a senior quarterback at Rockville High
School – fell into the end zone to win the game.
Step Five: Using the lined sheet provided, repeat the above process using your own
sentences. The end result should show a sophisticated sentence using a participle or
participial phrase, an appositive or appositive phrase, and an action verb/predicate,
which provides action for the sentence’s subject/noun.
Ready… set… combine!
Step One: Create a sentence with a compound predicate (= one subject, two
predicates). Use action verbs (highly visible).
____________________________________________________________________________________ .
Step Two: Add two sentences, each providing additional information about the
subject through the use of nouns.
a.) _________________________________________________________________________________.
b.) _________________________________________________________________________________.
Step Three: Create a single sentence that changes one of the compound predicates
in step one into a participle and leaves the other as the sentence’s predicate. The
participle functions as an adjective. It is underlined below while the predicate (still
an action verb) remains italicized.
______________________________________________________________________________________________.
Add additional modifiers to the participle and make it a participial phrase.
______________________________________________________________________________________________.
Step Four: Now combine the nouns in step two to create an appositive phrase as
well. The combination of participial phrase plus appositive phrase plus action verb
will make for a more sophisticated sentence! (Note: the participial phrase is
underlined, the appositive phrase is in bold-print, and the action verb/predicate is
italicized.)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________.
The end result should show a sophisticated sentence using a participle or participial
phrase, an appositive or appositive phrase, and an action verb/predicate, which
provides action for the sentence’s subject/noun.