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Introduction
In this module, we'll look at sentence structures in which subjects and verbs
are more radically separated than those dealt with in "Matching Subjects to
Verbs Despite Prepositional Phrases and Indefinite Pronouns." We'll look
declarative, interrogative, imperative, and inverted sentence structures.
Let's look at four different sentence constructions.
Declarative (a statement):
"The boy fell down."
Interrogative (a question):
"Did the boy fall down"?
Imperative (an order):
"Sit down."
Inverted (delayed subject):
"Down fell the boy."
We'll look first at identifying and matching subjects and verbs in interrogative
sentences; then we'll have a look at imperative sentences and at inverted
sentences.
Interrogative Sentences
An interrogative sentence asks a question. We recognize the interrogative
sentence by the question mark (?) serving as end-sentence punctuation. Only
interrogative sentences starting with "wh" pronouns (who, whom, whoever,
whomever, etc.) seem to be troublesome while interrogative sentences
starting with interrogative adverbs (how, when, why, where, wherever, etc.)
are quite straightforward.
Interrogative Pronouns
To identify the subject and the verb, we need to disregard the questioning "wh"
word that starts the sentence. Let's try a couple of sentences. We'll follow a
procedure that you can adopt if you wish.
Sentence:
"Whom is he going to see tonight"?
No Wh-Word
Some interrogative sentences do not start with any wh-word. In these
sentences, simply identify the verb then identify its subject. But be careful
because the verb is usually out of the regular order that you're used to seeing.
Sentence:
"Did Sue and her friends go to the concert"?
Identify the verb.
We identify "did go."
Identify the subject.
We identify "Sue friends" as the simple subjects of the verb "did go."
Interrogative Adverbs
It is important to remember that an interrogative adverb can never be the
subject of any verb. So when you run into an interrogative sentence that start
with an adverb, disregard the adverb as you did with the "wh" interrogative
pronouns at the beginning of this module.
Sentence:
"How did she know where to find us"?
1. Identify the interrogative adverb.
We identify "How."
2. Ignore (remove) the adverb.
The sentence now looks like this.
"
did she know where to find us."
3. Identify the verb.
We identify "did know."
Identify the subject of "did know."
We identify "she."
Imperative Sentences
Example
"Switch on the power first."
We identify the verb "switch."
We identify the subject as (you): you understood.
Inverted Sentences
Review
Exercises
For all 10 questions, analyze the sentence and then select the answer that
correctly indicates the simple subject and its complete verb. The answers
appear after the last question.
1. Does working hard assure one of promotion?
A. promotion assure
B. promotion working hard
C. working hard does assure
2. Why have some people become bored with politics?
A. people have become
B. some become bored
C. people become
3. Who will teach children about morals and integrity?
A. children teach
B. children will teach
C. who will teach
4. Whom did they choose for president?
A. whom did choose
B. they did
C. they did choose
5. Take this medicine with food or milk before going to sleep.
A. you take
B. medicine take
C. medicine going to sleep
6. Turn right at the upcoming intersection.
A. intersection upcoming
B. you turn
C. you upcoming
7. As softly as a breeze came her whispered voice.
A. breeze came
B. breeze whispered
C. voice came