The Sentence
Learn It:
● Sentence - a group of words expressing a complete thought. It begins with a capital letter and concludes with an end mark (period, question mark, exclamation point). Sometimes a group of words looks like a sentence when it is not. You must examine the group of words closely to be sure that it expresses a complete thought.
● Fragment - A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence. Some fragments are incomplete because they lack either a subject or a verb, or both.
Try It: Read the following groups of words and decide which are sentences (s) and which are not (f).
1. _____When the chorus began singing.
2. _____She is tired.
3. _____After the frightening movie when the lights were still dim.
4. _____Beneath the truck on the highway.
5. _____Everyone shared the remaining cookies.
Learn It:
● Subject - The who or what the sentence is about.
● Complete Subject - Includes all of the words in the subject. It tells exactly who/what the sentence is about.
● Simple Subject - The main word in the complete subject. It is usually a noun/pronoun but can be a verb.
Try It: Underline the complete subject in each sentence. Then circle the simple subject.
1. Everyone in the audience stopped talking.
2. The lights flooded the stage.
3. On the stage stood the actors.
4. They said their lines with confidence.
5. The first performance of the play was a great success.
Learn It:
● Predicate - what the subject of the sentence is doing
● Complete Predicate - includes all of the words in the predicate. It tells all about what the subject is or does
● Simple Predicate - The main word in the complete predicate. It is an action verb or a linking verb. It may be one or more words.
Try It: Underline the complete predicate in each sentence. Then circle the simple predicate
1. Everyone in the audience stopped talking.
2. The lights flooded the stage.
3. On the stage stood the actors.
4. They said their lines with confidence.
5. The first performance of the play was a great success.
Learn It:
● Compound Subject: A sentence has more than one subject.
● Compound Verb: A compound verb consists of two or more connected verbs that have the same subject. Remember that some verbs have one or more helping verbs and they must be underlined as well. You cannot separate the main verb from its helping verbs.
Try It: Underline the compound subject once and the compound predicate twice.
1. English and social studies are my two best subjects in school.
2. Mom and Dad dropped me off at school and picked me up.
3. The cute rabbit nibbled on grass and stretched his legs.
4. Susan and Dan grabbed a cab and talked excitedly about their plans.
5. Geese and other birds fly south for the winter.
Learn It:
Sentences may be classified according to purpose. There are FOUR kinds of sentences.
● Declarative Sentences – make a statement and are followed by a period
● Interrogative Sentences – ask a question and are followed by a question mark
● Imperative Sentences – give a command or make a request and are followed by a period, or if it is a really strong statement, they should be followed by an exclamation point.
● Exclamatory Sentences – show excitement or express strong feelings and should be followed by an exclamation point
Try It: Identify the following types of sentences.
D = Declarative Int = Interrogative Imp = Imperative E = Exclamatory
1. _____ Why do we see only one side of the moon?
2. _____ Amelia Earhart was born in 1897.
3. _____ Curiosity is the beginning of knowledge.
4. _____ Who was the mother of Perseus?
5. _____ Don’t you dare talk back to me!
6. _____ Do your homework each night.
7. _____ Finish your work, John.
8. _____ Get out of the way, now!
9. _____ Help! I’m being robbed!
10. _____ Miriam Colon founded the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater.
Learn It:
● Clauses - groups of words that contain a subject and a predicate
● Independent Clauses - part of a sentence that makes a complete sentence on its own.
● Dependent clauses - part of a sentence that contains a subject and a predicate but does not make a complete sentence on its own.
● Coordinating Conjunctions - words used to connect clauses. After, as, because, before, even if, if, once, since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, where, whereas, whether, while, why
Try It: Underline each independent clause once. Underline each dependent clause twice.
1. I am not doing the dishes tonight, unless someone helps me.
2. Because he was talking to a girl, Matthew was late for choir.
3. If I am late for school again, I will have to go to detention.
4. After the Griswolds arrived to Wally World, the security officer told them the park was closed..
5. When Carla wanted to get married, her mother said no.