Grammar Bellringer #6
Finding Subjects & Verbs #1
Auxiliary Verbs List
1. am
9. do
17. may
23. can
2. is
10. doing
18. might
24. will
3. are
11. does
19. must
25. ought
4. was
12. did
26. shall
5. were
6. be
13. have
20. could
7. been
14. having
21. should
8. being
15. Had
22. would
16. has
How to Find the Main Subject & Main Verb in a Sentence
1.) Identify and mark all prepositional phrases and infinitives.
• Your main subject & verb are never inside these.
2.) Now, ask yourself: who or what the sentence is about- this is your main subject.
• The subject can be anywhere in the sentence.
• You can have compound subjects (more than one subject).
• Understood “you” subject for imperative/command sentences.
3.) Now, ask yourself: what is the subject doing?- this is your main verb.
• You can have compound verbs (more than one verb).
• Include auxiliary verbs (refer to list) that are being connected/linked to the main verb.
Ex. Ellie left school without her backpack to catch the bus in time.
She and her friends will arrive to the party after the movie.
Practice:
1. Write the following sentences 2. Label all prepositional phrases 3. Mark out infinitives 4. Underline the main subject once, main
verb twice.
1.My friend Carlos will be calling me to meet me at the basketball
court later.
2.Without an early notice you could be given a warning on your
late arrival to class.
3.Behind us on the busy freeway was a green army ambulance.
4.Please help in the garden to prepare for the contest.
5.The boy and his brown collie ran from the accident in the park.