Parts of a Sentence

1. Parts of a Sentence Subjects and Predicates

2. Complete Sentences • In order for a sentence to be complete it needs to have two basic parts. • a subject • a predicate

3. What is a subject? • The subject is who or what the sentence is about. • More specifics: • The subject of a sentence typically • occurs at the beginning of the sentence • consists of a noun phrase • indicates the topic of the discussion • The subject is either the “doer” of the action or the thing that the action is being done to.

4. What is a Predicate? • The predicate is what the subject is doing, is feeling, or is. It is the action of the sentence. • More specifics: • The predicate typically • follows the subject • starts with a verb indicating an action or state of being • conveys a thought about the subject.

5. Subjects Predicates Examples • My neighborhas a mean dog. • Ilike to eat sweets. • The funny moviemade us laugh. • The announcerspoke too quickly.

6. Parts of a Sentence Phrases and Clauses

7. Complete Sentences • Now it gets a little complicated. • Not all nouns are subjects and sometimes even when a sentence has a subject and predicate it isn’t complete. • This is when phrases and clauses need to be considered.

8. Phrases • A phrase is a collection of words that may have nouns or verbals, but it does not have a subject doing a verb. • Examples: • smashing into a fence • before the first test • after the devastation • broken into thousands of pieces These phrases have nouns and verbs, but none of the nouns are actually doing the verbs

9. Clauses • A clause is a collection of words that has a subject that is actively doing a verb. • Examples: • I despise individuals of low character • when the saints go marching in • He is uglier than a rabid raccoon. • because she smiled at him.

10. Two Types of Clauses • Independent • An independent clause can stand on its own as a complete sentence. • Dependent or Subordinate • A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence.

11. Independent Clauses • We call clauses independent when they can stand independently by themselves, without any extra words attached, and be complete sentences. • Examples: • I love swimming. • He ate. • She went home after school.

12. Dependent Clauses • Dependent clauses have a subject doing a verb, but they have a subordinate conjunction placed in front of the clause. • That subordinate conjunction means that the clause can't stand independently by itself and become a complete sentence. • The dependent clause is dependent upon another clause--it can't make a complete sentence by itself, even though it has a subject doing a verb.

13. Subordinating Conjunctions Examples: • after • how • although • if • unless • as • until • when • as long as • whenever • as much as • now that • where • as soon as • wherever • as though • since • while • because • so that • before • than • even if • that • even though • though

14. Subordinating Conjunctions • These words tell us that there is more information that needs to be said or written. • When all you have is a dependent clause you are left asking questions. • Examples: • After the storm flooded the city • As soon as Ana eats dinner • While Iwas exercising These clauses all have a subject and predicate, but they are not expressing a complete idea. We still need to know what happened.