Grammar Unit 2: The Parts of a Sentence

1. Grammar Unit 2:The Parts of a Sentence

2. What is a sentence? • A sentences is a word group that contains a subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought. • Verbs are also called predicates

3. Purposes of a Sentence • Declarative~ A statement • Interrogative~ A question • Imperative ~ A command • Exclamatory ~ Shows emotion • What is the purpose of the following sentences: • Can you picture a robot twenty-five feet tall? • interrogative • Step up and say hello to Beetle. • Imperative • Perhaps you have heard of CAM, an even more advanced robot. • Declarative • What an amazing creation it is! • Exclamatory

4. Subject and Predicates • Sentences consist of two basic parts: • Subject • Tells whom or what the sentence or clause is about • Predicate • Tells something about the subject SUBJECT PREDICATE Some residents of the desert can survive a long drought PREDICATE SUBJECT Particularly noteworthy is the Australian frog. PREDICATE SUBJECT PREDICATE How can an animal survive that long

5. Complete Subject and Predicate • In each of the following examples, the words labeled make up the complete subject and predicate. • A complete subject and predicate are the subject and predicate and their modifiers. SUBJECT PREDICATE Some residents of the desert can survive a long drought PREDICATE SUBJECT Particularly noteworthy is the Australian frog. PREDICATE SUBJECT PREDICATE How can an animal survive that long

6. Simple Subject • The main word or word groups that tells whom or what the sentences is about • The dog with this pedigree is usually nervous. • A dog with this pedigree ~ Complete subject • Dog ~ Simple subject • Both of these cockatiels are for sale. • Both of these cockatiels ~ Complete subject • Cockatiels ~ Simple subject

7. Simple Predicate (Verb) • The main word or words that tells something about the subject. • Spiders snare their prey in intricate webs. • Complete: snare their prey in intricate webs • Simple: snare • Rosa has been looking for you all morning. • Complete: has been looking for you all morning • Simple: has been looking • Have my keys been found? • Complete: Have been found • Simple: Have been found

8. Practice! • Write out the complete subject for each sentence. • Underline the simple subject. • All of the townspeople ran from the burning building. • Only I am able to know what I am thinking. • The saber toothed tiger is a good example of an extinct predator.

9. Answers! • All of the townspeopleran from the burning building. • Only I am able to know what I am thinking. • The saber toothed tigeris a good example of an extinct predator.

10. Practice! • Write out the complete predicate for each sentence. • Underline the simple predicate. • The bird’s feathers were long and colorful. • We went to lunch with Amar and his friend today. • Daniel can come with us to the movie.

11. Answers! • The bird’s feathers were long and colorful. • We went to lunch with Amar and his friend today. • Daniel can come with us to the movie.

12. Sentence Fragments • A word or word group that is capitalized and punctuated as a sentence but that does not contain both a subject and a verb(predicate) or that does not express a complete thought. • The magazine’s essay contest for the tenth-grade American history students. • Sentence fragment: Does not contain a verb • The magazine’s essay contest for the tenth-grade American history students resulted in increased school spirit. • Sentence!

13. Sentence Fragments (cont) • Was chosen as the best one from over two thousand entries. • Fragment: No subject • Her essay was chosen as the best one from over two thousand entries. • Sentence: Subject- essay; Verb- was chosen • When the judges announced the winner. • Fragment: Not a complete thought • When the judges announced the winner, everyoneapplauded. • Sentence!

14. Practice! • Determine if each statement below is a fragment or expresses a complete thought: • If your parents think today’s fashions are weird. • Layers very common in medieval clothing. • When clothes were edged and lined in fur. • In the later Middle Ages, women wore jeweled metal nets over their coiled braids.

15. Answers! • If your parents think today’s fashions are weird. Fragment: Does not express a complete thought • Layers very common in medieval clothing. Fragment: Does not contain a verb • When clothes were edged and lined in fur. Fragment: Does not express a complete thought • In the later Middle Ages, womenwore jeweled metal nets over their coiled braids. Sentence!

16. Clauses! • Independent Clause • An independent (or main) clause expresses a complete thought and can stand by itself as a sentence. They can be joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS), a semicolon, or a semicolon followed by a conjunctive adverb or transitional expression and a comma. The outfielders missed easy fly balls, and the infielders were throwing wildly. The outfielders missed easy fly balls; the infielders were throwing wildly. The outfielders missed easy flay balls; moreover, the infielders were throwing wildly.

17. Subordinate Clause A subordinate (or dependent) clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence. The woman whom we spoke to yesterday told us about sources of financial aid for college applicants. Some scholarships are still available because no students have applied for them.

18. Practice with independent/dependent clauses Read the following sentences. Then, identify each italicized clause as independent or subordinate. 1. Whenever I think of Barbara Jordan, I imagine her as she looks in a picture taken at my mother’s college graduation. subordinate 2. According to my mother, Jordan spoke eloquently about the importance of values in our society. independent 3. Of course, her choice of subject matter surprised no one since Jordan had long been known as an important ethical force in American politics. independent