REVIEW: Sentence Parts

Please read the following information carefully and use it to complete your notes sheet. We will review this information in class periodically before the end of the semester, so it is important that you record accurate information and do not lose this sheet.

Complete Sentences and Sentence Subjects

As you may know, a COMPLETE SENTENCE includes a SUBJECT, a VERB, and a COMPLETE THOUGHT.

The SUBJECT of a sentence is the "do-er" and is a noun or a pronoun. The subject of the sentence is what carries out the verb of the sentence.

Examples (the subjects are underlined):

• Jane slept through her alarm.
• The verb is slept. So, if we ask, "who or what slept?" the answer is Jane. Therefore, Jane is the subject because she is the "do-er."
• I ran all the way home.
• Verb=ran. Who ran? I did, so I is the subject.
• My teacher has a very loud voice.
• Verb=has. Who has? My teacher has, so my teacher is the subject.

Most of the time the subject is at the beginning of the sentence, but sometimes there are introductory phrases, clauses, or words that come before the subject. In these cases, you just need to identify the main verb of the sentence and find the subject that way.

Examples (the subjects are underlined):

• After all that work, my dad took a nap in the recliner.
• After all that work is the introductory clause of the sentence; the main verb of the sentence is "took." So, who took? Well, my dad did, so my dad is the subject.
• After school Hank went straight to his bedroom to work on Calculus.
• Even though the words "after school" come before Hank, we know that Hank is the subject because the main verb in the sentence is "went" and we know that Hank is the one who went.

Other Sentence Parts: Direct Objects, Indirect Objects, Objects of the Preposition, Predicate Nominatives, and Predicate Adjectives

So, now that we've reviewed what you need to have a complete sentence and how to find the subject of the sentence, let's review the other things sentences may have:

• Direct Object=the receiver of the action; the noun or pronoun being acted upon by the verb.
• Examples (D.O. is underlined):
• Molly tossed her backpack on the floor.
• verb=tossed; what did she toss? her backpack
• I ate Mom's cookie dough before she could make the cookies.
• verb=ate; what was eaten? Mom's cookie dough.

• Indirect Object=the receiver of the direct object; the noun or pronoun that receives the D.O.
• Examples (I.O. is underlined)
• Julie ordered food for Kim.
• verb=ordered; ordered what? food. So, food is the D.O. Well, who or what received the food? Kim did, so Kim is the I.O.
• Dad always buys Mom flowers on their anniversary.
• verb=buys. Buys what? flowers. Who receives the flower? Mom does, so Mom is the I.O.

• Object of the Preposition=the associated words that come after a preposition.
• Examples (object of the preposition is underlined):
• Mary put your dress in the closet.
• in=preposition; the closet is associated with "in" and it comes right after, so it is the object of the preposition (O.P.)
• I can't believe you went to the concert and left your ticket in the car!
• to=first preposition; the concert is associated so it is the O.P. for "to;" in=second preposition; the car is associated so it is the O.P. for "in."

• Predicate Nominative=a noun following a linking verb that restates, renames, or stands for the subject of the sentence.
• Examples (predicate nominative is underlined):
• My mom is a nurse.
• Mom=subject; nurse renames that subject, so it is the predicate nominative.
• The fans were an embarrassment to the football team.
• The fans=subject; an embarrassment renames that subject, so it is the predicate nominative.

• Predicate Adjective=an adjective following a linking verb that modifies or describes the subject of the sentence.
• Examples (predicate adjective is underlined):
• My best friend is sick.
• My best friend=subject; sick comes after the linking verb "is" and describes the subject, so it is the predicate adjective.
• Black car seats become hot in the direct sun.
• Black car seats=subject; hot comes after the linking verb "become" and describes the subject, so it is the predicate adjective.