Sentence Writing Strategies

1. Sentence Writing Strategies

2. Simple Sentences • A simple sentence is an independent clause that has a subject and a predicate.

3. Independent Clause • A group of words that makes a complete statement and has a subject and a predicate.

4. Subject • The person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about. It’s always a noun. • All subjects are nouns, but not all nouns are the subject of the sentence.

5. Predicate • The predicate shows the state of being or action of the subject of the sentence. • Action can be physical or mental or state of being (is/are). • All predicates are verbs, but not all verbs are predicates.

6. Subject-Verb Identification Procedure • Step 1: Find the verb. • Step 2: Ask yourself “Who or What?” is doing the action to find the subject.

7. 4 Types of Simple Sentences • SV Jill sat. • SSV Jill and Jan sat. • SVV Jill sat and ate. • SSVV Jill and Jan sat and ate. s=subject v=verb

8. Noun Phrase • When two or more words are used together for the subject • These typically describe the subject, give us information about the subject • The noun phrase is the Complete Subject

9. Head Word of Subject • Is the one word that names what the sentence is about. • Example: • The old gray horsegrazed in the field. • Head word = horse • Complete subject= old gray horse

10. Verb Phrase • When one or more helping verbs is in front of a mainverb • The verb phrase is the Complete Verb

11. 23 Helping Verbs • Shall, should • Will, was, were, would • Is • May, might, must • Be, being, been • Can, could • Has, have, had • Am, are • Do, does, did

12. Helping Verbs • Helping verbs can be right in front of the verb or a few words away. • Example: • I could have walked to the park. • Main Verb= walked • Helping Verbs= could have

13. Complete Verb • Includes the main verb and the helping verbs. • Example: • She may be goingto the mall today. • Main verb= going • Complete Verb= may be going

14. Verbs Can Move • Verbs can come before the subject • Example: Down the street ran the bulls.

15. Verbs Can Move • Sometimes the subject will appear between the helping verb and the verb. • Example: Willyougo to the movie tonight?

16. Infinitives • Any verb that has the word “to” in front of it is an infinitive – it is NOT the main verb • Infinitive= to + verb

17. Infinitive • Iam going to eatcake. • I = Subject • Am Going=Complete verb (helping verb + main verb) • To eat = infinitive

18. Compound Subjects • When there are two or more subjects in an independent clause • Bill and Suewant to go to the movies. • SSV

19. Compound Verbs • When there are two or more verbs in an independent clause • Sally swamand playedall afternoon • SVV

20. Compound Subjects and Compound Verbs • When there are two or more subjects and verbs • The ponies and calvesscampered and played in the field. • SSVV

21. Practice • What is a simple sentence? • A simple sentence is an independent clause that has a subject and a predicate.

22. Practice • How many independent clauses are in a simple sentence? • One

23. Practice • What’s a subject? • The person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about. It’s always a noun. • What’s a predicate (verb)? • The action or state of being of the subject of the sentence

24. Practice • An independent clause has two important parts; what are they? • A subject and a Verb (predicate).

25. Practice • What’s a compound subject? • When there are two or more subjects in an independent clause • What are compound verbs? • When there are two or more verbs in an independent clause

26. Practice • What is the head word of the subject? • The one word that names what the sentence is about. • What makes up a complete verb? • The main verb and the helping verb

27. Practice • What are the simple sentence formulas? • SV • SSV • SVV • SSVV

28. Practice • The tree fell down. • S=tree, V=fell • Here are the cookies. • S=cookies, V=are • Are you going to the mall? • S=you, V=going, Helping verb=are