by Donna | Mar 6, 2011
You have been learning the characteristics of a subject and a verb. There are unique subjects, however, as well as unique verbs.
You have already learned that the sentence’s main subject has the following characteristics:
- It is usually in the first part of the
sentence (the subject part of the sentence as opposed to the predicate part).
- It is usually a noun or pronoun.
- It is the word that the whole sentence is about.
- It is the word that tells who or what did the verb.
However, what do you do if a sentence does not appear to contain a subject?
For example, what is the subject in this “sentence”:
Learn your subjects well.
In the sentence that you examined above, it looks like there is no subject!
In this sentence, the subject is you! The sentence is really saying You learn your subjects well.
Sometimes sentences that are direct commands or parts of conversations do not have a subject written down, but the writer intends for the subject to be an understood you.
This is called the understood subject.
Sentences with understood subjects have the following characteristics:
1. They do not have the subject
written. Examples:
1) Do not forget to write to Grandma.
a) Who should not forget?
b) You
2) Try to be a light in your home.
a) Who should try to be a light?
b) You!
2. They are often commands of some type. For
example: Get off the furniture!
3. They usually begin with the verb of the
sentence: Water the plants.
4. Sometimes they can begin with adverbs:
Carefully water the plants.
by Donna | Mar 3, 2011
Find the action verbs (those that are infinitives—to plus a verb and those that are action verbs without to. Remember—a sentence can have many action verbs throughout it.
- Joshua and Jonathan drove to the church early, opened the doors, and began shooting hoops.
- Ray went to work early since he wanted to be home in time to go to basketball practice with Jacob that evening.
- Since the regular coach attended a meeting that day, Josiah coached the kids with enthusiasm.
- Kayla went to work right away, meeting people and helping where ever she was needed.
- Donna loved to write, edit, and teach.
- Kids tend to laugh loudly, play rough, and jump around when the weather starts dumping rain too many days in a row.
- She was going to cook the meal, clean the dining room, and pay bills, but her novel was calling her name.
- They did not want to be late arriving since they were about to perform a very important piece.
by Donna | Mar 3, 2011
Are you ready to see how good you are at finding action verbs? Time for another pop quiz!
Find the action verbs (those that are infinitives—to plus a verb and those that are action verbs without to. Remember—a sentence can have many action verbs throughout it.
- Joshua and Jonathan drove to the church early, opened the doors, and began shooting hoops.
- Ray went to work early since he wanted to be home in time to go to basketball practice with Jacob that evening.
- Since the regular coach attended a meeting that day, Josiah coached the kids with enthusiasm.
- Kayla went to work right away, meeting people and helping where ever she was needed.
- Donna loved to write, edit, and teach.
- Kids tend to laugh loudly, play rough, and jump around when the weather starts dumping rain too many days in a row.
- She was going to cook the meal, clean the dining room, and pay bills, but her novel was calling her name.
- They did not want to be late arriving since they were about to perform a very important piece.
by Donna | Mar 1, 2011
Sometimes a sentence may have two verbs. This is called a compound verb.
If the subject of the sentence does two different things, it has a
compound verb. Examples:
Joshua wrote and edited.
- What did Joshua do?
- Two things:
- Wrote
- Edited
Kayla passed out medicines and took blood pressures.
- What did Kayla do?
- Two things:
- Passed out medicines (passed)
- Took blood pressures (took)
Sometimes a sentence can even have three or more verbs.
Verbs can be all throughout a sentence — in opener, the main part of
the sentence, and clauses at the end.
For example, in the sentences provided below, notice all of the bold fonted action verbs.
- When Cami got to the church, she answered her emails, picked up her mail, and made phone calls but not before she ran into an old friend and chatted for a while.
- If the kids wanted to perform the drama, Kara knew that they must learn to listen carefully to instructions rather than playing around during class.
by Donna | Feb 27, 2011
In the sentences provided, highlight the main subjects.
Hint: The main subject is usually one of the first few words of a sentence!
1. Sickness is caused by different things.
2. Some animals carry sicknesses. (You may have indicated the one-word subject animals or the describer with the one-word subject.)
3. People can get sick from them.
4. Other diseases are in the air.
5. People breathe them in.
6. Then they get sick.
7. People would get sick less often if they would stay clean.
8. Children need to learn to wash their hands frequently.
- People can use anti-bacterial soap.
- We can “wash away germs.”
by Donna | Feb 24, 2011
In the sentences provided, highlight the main subjects.
Hint: The main subject is usually one of the first few words of a sentence!
1. Sickness is caused by different things.
2. Some animals carry sicknesses.
3. People can get sick from them.
4. Other diseases are in the air.
5. People breathe them in.
6. Then they get sick.
7. People would get sick less often if they would stay clean.
8. Children need to learn to wash their hands frequently.
- People can use anti-bacterial soap.
- We can “wash away germs.”
Answers tomorrow!
