Midterm Notes
Sentence- Is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
Sentence Fragment-
Is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.
It is a kind of mistake that people sometimes make in writing English.
A sentence fragment, which might be clear in conversation is not clear in writing. In,
writing English sentences, always write in complete sentences, not in sentence fragments.
In writing, a sentence always begins with a capital letter. A sentence always ends with a
punctuation mark. (a period, question mark, or exclamation point)
Four kinds of sentences
1. Declarative – A sentence which states a fact.
(ex. The sun is shining today.)
2. Interrogative- A sentence which asks a question.
(ex. Do you have any plans for this afternoon?)
3. Exclamatory- A sentence which expresses a strong emotion.
(ex. What a beautiful day for a picnic!)
4. Imperative – A sentence which makes a request or gives an order.
(Ex. Come with me!)
2 main parts of a sentence- subject and predicate
Subject – tells what the sentence is talking about.
It may include one word long or it may be a number of words.
The most important word in the subject is the simple subject.
The other words in the subject is there to give more information about the subject.
The subject then is one part of the sentence, the other part which are not part of the
subject is considered as part of the predicate.
Predicate- describes something that the subject is or does. The most important part of the
predicate is the verb.
Verb- A word that expresses action or state of being.
Ex. My younger sister Ingrid once worked as a costume designer.
My younger sister Ingrid- Subject
Ingrid- Is simple subject
The rest of the sentence is predicate.
Worked – is the verb
Ex. She enjoys creating things with her hands.
Subject- She
Verb- Enjoys
Compound Subject- a compound subject is two or more things that works together as the subject,
joined by the words “and” of the word “or”
Ex. Dogs and cats sometimes enjoy living togerther
Dogs and cats – Subject (Compound subject)
Dogs, cats – Simple subject
Sometimes enjoy living together- Predicate
Enjoy- Verb
Compound verb- A compound verb is two or more verbs that describes what the subject does,
joined by the words “and” of the words “or”.
Ex. The giant Tree bent and swayed in the wind.
Subject- the giant tree
Simple subject- Tree
Predicate- bent and swayed in the wind
Verb- bent, swayed
Compound verb- bent and swayed
Two main parts of a sentence
The subject: who or what the sentence is about
= Most important word=simple subject
The predicate: what the subject is or does
=most important word= the verb
Directions: Read the following groups of words. In each one, find the subject and the predicate.
Underline the complete subject, and put a second underline beneath the simple subject. Then
circle the complete predicate, and underline the verb.
1. Fifty-three officers received medals at the Police Department awards ceremony.
2. Bored with the grown-up conversation, little Amy fell asleep under the kitchen table.
3. The number of businesses in this country has increased every year for the past decade.
4. According to scientists, birds and dinosaurs are biologically related.
5. All day and all night unceasingly fell the rain
1. Fifty-three officers received medals at the Police Department awards ceremony.
Subject: Fifty-three officers
Wimple subject: Officers
Verb: Received
2. Bored with the grown-up conversation, little Amy fell asleep under the kitchen table.
Subject- Bored with the grown-up conversation, little Amy
Simple subject-Amy
Verb- Fell
3. The number of businesses in this country has increased every year for the past decade.
Subject- The number of businesses in this country
Simple subject- number
Verbs- has increased
4. According to scientists, birds and dinosaurs are biologically related.
Subject- According to scientists, birds and dinosaurs
Simple subject- birds and dinosaurs (compound subject)
Verb- are
5. All day and all night unceasingly fell the rain
Subject- the rain
Simple subject- rain
Verb- fell
Clauses- A group of words that includes both a subject and a verb.
2 kinds of Clauses
1. Independent Clause: Can stand alone as a sentence because it expresses a complete
thought
Ex. Europa is one of the moons of Jupiter.
2. Subordinate Clause: means following or less important than;
Cant stand alone as a sentence because it doesn’t express a complete thought.
A subordinate clause usually starts with a subordinating conjuction: ex. If, after,
because, since, although, when, until.
Ex. Because Europa has oceans filled with water, like the Earth.
4 types of Sentence Structure.
1. Simple Sentence- Consists of one independent clause.
Ex. Life may exist on Europa
2. Compound Sentence- Contains two or more independent clauses joined either by a
comma, and a coordinating conjunction or by a semicolon
Note: most common coordinating conjunction (And, Or, But)
Ex. Many Astronomers believe in extraterrestrial life, (but, and, ;) others disagree.
3. Complex Sentence- contains an independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses.
Ex. If extraterrestrial life is ever discovered, it will change human history.
4. Compound- Complex Sentence – contains two or more independent clauses and one or
more subordinate clauses.
Ex. Although no sign of life on other worlds has yet been found, the search continues,
and many predict success.
Grammatical Errors
A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence- that is a sentence fragment
A Run-on sentence: includes two or more independent clauses that are joined only
by a comma or by nothing at all.
Run-on Sentence- Ex. Visit the city science museum, you’ll see some fascinating
exhibits about outer space.
