Basic Sentence

Parts and Patterns

The Sentence
Two Main Parts of a Sentence
Complete subject includes a noun or pronoun
Complete Predicate includes verb that tells something
about the complete subject.
Examples:
Several pilots from various countries have vanished in or near
the Bermuda Triangle.
The Bermuda Triangle , the area in question, lies between
Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico.
The U.S.S. Cyclops disappeared there in 1918.
He wandered around in search of his wallet.
The butterfly with the golden wings landed.

Fragment
Fragment group of words that does not express a
complete thought.
Examples:
Rome was

The Coliseum in Rome in The Coliseum in

begun by Neros successor.

Believed Atlantis lay somewhere west of Gibraltar in

The
Greek philosopher Plato believed Atlantis lay
somewhere
west of Gibraltar.

Fragments as Sentence Parts

To turn fragments into sentences, add whatever sentence
parts are needed to express a complete thought.
Examples:
Fragment w/o complete predicate: Storms in the Bermuda
Triangle.
Sentence: Storms in Bermuda Triangle may have been
responsible for
the disappearance of ships and planes.
Fragment
w/o
disappearances.

complete

subject:

Tells

about

the

Sentence: This book tells about the disappearances.

Fragment w/o complete subject and predicate: In December

Subjects and Verbs

Simple Subjects and Predicates

Simple subject the essential noun or pronoun or
group of words acting as a noun that cannot be left out
of the complete subject.
Simple predicate the essential verb or verb phrases
that cannot be left out of the complete predicates.
Examples:
The balloon in the sky floated aimlessly.
Sick in bed, she had missed the class trip.
Visitors from Italy definitely will be there.

Focusing on Subjects and Verbs

Simple Subject subject
Simple Predicate verb
STEPS IN FINDING THE SUBJECT FIRST
1. First, find the subject by asking, What word is the
sentence telling something about?
2. Then, try to find the verb by asking, What did the
subject do? The answer to this question will be an
action verb.
3. If no word answers the second question, look for a
linking verb or a verb that expresses existence.

Finding the subject first

Examples:
The bee flew into the dogs mouth.
Subject: bee
Question: What did the bee do?
Answer: flew
The cabin is only a shack in the forest.
Subject: cabin
Question: What did the cabin do?
Answer: No answer so look for another kind of verb is.

Steps in finding the Verb first

1. First, find the verbs and its auxiliaries, if any, by
looking for an action verb or linking verb.
2. When you have found the verb, ask who? or what?
before the verb. The answer will be the subject.
Examples:
.Kit ran quickly to first base.
Verb: ran
Question: Who ran?
Answer: Kit
.This book is admired for its plot.
Verb: is admired
Question: What is admired?

Compound Subjects and Verbs

Compound Subject two or more subjects that have
the same verb and are joined by a conjunction such as
and or or.
Examples:
You and she must take the test tomorrow.
Either the duck or the drake will rescue the poor
ducklings.
Snow, ice and flooding made the roads treacherous.

Compound Subjects and Verbs

Compound Verbs two or more verbs that have the
same subject and are joined by a conjunction such as
and or or.
Examples:
The logs in the fire hissed and crackled.
I neither want your help nor need it.
The little children hopped, skipped and jumped
about the meadow.
Compound subject and compound verb
The boys and girls danced and listened to records for

Subjects in Orders and

Directions
Note: In sentence that give orders or directions, the
subject is understood to be you. (implied subject)
Examples:
After beating the eggs, pour them into a skillet.
Michael, come here.

Subjects in Questions
In sentences that ask questions, the subject comes after
the verb. Such sentences are said to be inverted.
In questions, the subject often follows the verb.
Questions that are in inverted order will generally begin
with a verb, with a helping verb, or with one of the
following words: how, what, when, where, which, who,
whose or why.
Examples:
Verb first: Is dinner ready?
Helping verb first: Are you working here?
Adverb first: When will you leave?

Subjects in Questions
Note: Not all question are in inverted order. Sometimes,
questions beginning with adjective or pronoun are in
the usual subject verb-order.
Examples:

Which record is playing?

Who is going on the field trip?

Subjects in Sentences beginning with There or

Here.
In sentence that begin with the word there or here,
subject will usually be found after the verb. There and
here this time answer the question where?
Examples:
There is your train to Kansas City. (Your train to Kansas City is
there.)
Here are the pictures of the wedding. (The pictures of the
wedding are here.)
There goes the senator. (The senator goes there.)

Rephrase the sentence mentally in order to place the

subject in normal position before the verb.

 There were four misspelled words in the articles.

There are two reasons for her resignation.
Note: There and here are used as expletive (used simply
to fill out a sentence).
To find the subject in a sentenced that cannot be
rephrased, drop the word there or here and ask who? Or
what? Before the verb.

Direct Objects and Direct Objects

Complement a word or group of words that completes
the meaning of the predicate of a sentence.
Two Kinds of Complement
1. Direct Objects noun or pronoun that receives the
action of a
transitive action verb.
Examples:

The hailstorm bombarded the picnickers.

(Bombarded whom? Ans.: Picnickers)

The workers are repairing the road.
(Repairing what? Ans.: Road)
Note: Only transitive verbs have direct objects.

Examples:

Joshua won the contest.

Paula won yesterday.

Which bus should I take?

Compound Direct Object

Compound Direct Object two or more nouns or
pronouns that receive the action of the same transitive
verb; answers the question whom? Or what?
Examples:

The Hailstorm bombarded Linda and Val.

(Bombarded whom?)
The workers are repairing the road and alley.
(Repairing what?)

Direct Object or Object of

Preposition?
Note: A direct object is never the noun or pronoun at the
end of prepositional phase.
Examples: The
mansion. (DO)

bought

dilapidated

Victorian

They restored the downstairs of the mansion.

(DO)
Soon, they moved into the mansion. (OP)

Indirect Object
Indirect Object noun or pronoun that appears with a
direct object and names the person or thing that
something is given to or done for; can be found after
finding the direct object and ask for/to whom or for/to
what?
Examples:
present.

bought

my

parents

an

anniversary

(bought for whom?)

Lucinda gave her room a fresh coat of paint.
(gave to what?)
Note: Indirect objects generally come before direct

Compound Indirect Object

Compound Indirect Object two or more nouns or
pronouns that appear with a direct object and name the
people or things that something is given to or done for.
Examples:

I bought my mother and father a present.

She gave her room and the hall a last glance.

Indirect Object or Object of

Preposition?
Note: An indirect object never follows preposition like to
or for in a sentence.
Examples:

I gave the conductor a ticket. (IO)

I gave our tickets to the conductor. (OP)

Objective Complement
Objective Complement an adjective or noun that
appears with a direct object and describes or renames
it; to find an objective complement, say the verb and
the direct object and then ask what?
Examples:

She painted her room green.

(Painted room what?)

The coach appointed David captain of the team.
(Appointed David what?)

Subject Complement
Subject Complement a noun, pronoun or adjective
that appears with a linking verb and tells something
about the subject of the sentence; almost always be
found after a linking verb.
Two Kinds of Subject Complements
1. Predicate Nominative
2. Predicate Adjective

Predicate Nominative
Predicate Nominative noun or pronoun that appears
with a linking verb and renames, identifies or explains
the subject of the sentence.
Examples:

The painting of Toledo is a masterpiece.

The new captain of the team will be Sue.

Their first choice was you.

Predicate Adjective
Predicate Adjective an adjective that appears with a
linking verb and describes the subject of the sentence.
Examples:

The air smelled smoky.

The raging fire seemed impossible to control.

Compound Subject Complement

Compound Predicate Nominative two or more
nouns or pronouns that appear with a linking verb and
rename the subject of the sentence.
Example: The contest winners are Rita and Daniel.
Compound Predicate Adjective two or more
adjectives that appear with a linking verb and describe
the subject of the sentence.
Example: The wave seemed powerful and
dangerous.

Basic Sentence
Patterns

Five Basic Patterns with

Complements
S-TV-DO Brian baked an apple pie.
S-TV-IO-DO Sue handed me the book.
S-TV-DO-OC We painted the doghouse pink.
S-LV-PN My favorite meal is spaghetti.
S-LV-PA I feel silly today.
Examples:

1. This soup tastes too salty. (S-LV-PA)

2. The farmer sold us fresh corn and beans. (S-TV-IODO)

3. I call my little brother Skeezix. (S-TV-DO-OC)
4. The mayor was he. (S-LV-PN)

Diagraming Basic
Parts

Diagramming
Diagraming visual means of helping the students
understand how all the different parts of a sentence
relate to each other.
RULES IN DIAGRAMING
1. In a diagram, the subject and verb are placed on a
horizontal line with the subject on the left and the
verb on the right.
Example: Jonathan sneezed.
2. Adjectives and adverbs are placed on slanted lines
directly below the words they modify.

Rules in Diagramming

3. A sentence whose subject is understood to be you

(implied subject) is diagramed in the usual way with
parenthesis around the subject. The capital letter tell you
which word begins the sentence.
Example: (You) Come here.
4. If there or here at the beginning of a sentence is
an adverb, it is diagrammed in the usual way. However if
there or here is just used to get the sentence started,
(expletive) the put the word there above the subject.
Example: There was an accident.
Hooray! We won. (interjections are also expletives)

Rules in Adding Conjunctions

1. Conjunctions that connect words are written on dotted lines drawn

between the words that they connect.
Example: The black and tan dog barked loudly and constantly.
2. Conjunctions that connect compound subjects or compound verbs are
also placed on dotted lines drawn between the words that they connect.
Example: Jean and I neither dance nor sing.
3. In sentence with compound subjects or verbs, a modifier is placed
under the part of the sentence it modifies. If a word modifies both parts
of a compound subject or verb, it is placed under the main line of the
diagram.
Example: My older sister and younger brother left early but arrived
late.

4. Each part of a compound verb has its own helping

verb, each helping verb is placed on the line with its
verb. If a compound verb shares a helping verb, the
helping verb is placed on the main line of the diagram.
Example: Tomorrow I will either swim or fish.