Sentence Structure

*A sentence is a group of words expressing a complete thought.

I. Subjects

Definition: The person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is all about!

I. Subjects

A. Complete subject – all the words that tell whom or what the sentence is about.

Some architects create

amazing buildings.

I. Subjects

B. Simple subject – the main noun/pronoun in the complete subject.

Some architects create

amazing buildings.

II. Predicates

Definition: What the subject of the sentence does, or a statement of what the subject is!

II. Predicates

A. Complete predicate– the verb and all the words that complete the verb’s meaning.

Some architects create

amazing buildings.

II. Predicates

B. Simple predicate– the verb or verb phrase

Some architects create

amazing buildings.

II. PredicatesB. Simple Predicates

1. Verb phrases – include a main verb and one or more helping verbsForms of be: am, is, are, was, were,

be, being, beenForms of do: do, does, didForms of have: has, have, hadOthers: may, might, must, can, could,

should, would, shall, will

III. Compound PartsDefinition: More than one subject,

and/or more than one verb! Compounds use conjunctions to join the subjects or verbs. (and, or, but, etc.)

Architects and builders must work together and design the buildings.

III. Compound Parts

A. Compound subject: two or more subjects that share the same verb.

Architects and builders

must work together and

design the buildings.

III. Compound Parts

B. Compound predicate: two or more verbs that share the same subject.

Architects and builders

must work together and

design the buildings.

IV. Sentence Order

A. Normal order: Declarative and exclamatory sentences usually have subject first, then the verb.

Some architects create amazing buildings.

(subject) (predicate/verb)

IV. Sentence Order

B. Unusual order: some sentences place the subjects within the sentence, not at the beginning.

Can you see where to go?

Go to the concession stand.

From the beginning he was lost.

IV. Sentence OrderB. Unusual order

1. Interrogative sentences: subject comes after verb, or between parts of verb phrase

Can you see where to go?

you = subject can see = verb phrase

IV. Sentence OrderB. Unusual order

2. Imperative sentences: subject is usually you, but not usually written

Go to the concession stand.

(you) = understood subject go = verb

IV. Sentence OrderB. Unusual order

3. Inverted sentences: subject often comes after the verb, or subject and verb are after a prepositional phrase

From the beginning he was lost.

There are two ways to go.

Left and right looked the clueless student.