AMAZING BUT TRUE

The Hawaiian triggerfish is calledhumuhumunukunukukuăpua’a in theHawaiian language. Though the nameseems long, it is actually very concise.Humuhumu means “to fit piecestogether” and nukunukukuăpua’a means“nose like pig”. Thus, one word takes theplace of eight English words.

The English language has the largest vocabulary of any language, with616,500 words and 400,000 technical terms. Amazingly, though, all ofthe possible sentences you can make with these words have only twobasic parts: subjects and predicates. In fact, every day, as you think,talk, and write, you are forming hundreds of sentences with just thesetwo components.

SUBJECTS AND PREDICATES

The world’s tallest woman stands almost eight feet tall !

SUBJECT PREDICATE

The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about.

The predicate tells what the subject is or does or

what happens to the subject.

COMPLETE SUBJECTS AND PREDICATES

Every generation develops its own foolish fads.

COMPLETE SUBJECT COMPLETE PREDICATE

The complete subject includes the simple subject and

all the words that modify it.

The complete predicate includes the verb and all the

words that modify it.

Draw a line between the complete subject and the complete predicate.

1. Unusual contests have drawn many participants over the years.

2. Crazy tests of endurance swept the nation during the 1920s.

3. The toughest test of endurance was the Bunion Derby.

4. Andy Payne won the transcontinental footrace in 573 hours.

SIMPLE SUBJECTS AND PREDICATES

The world’s tallest woman stands almost eight feet tall !

SUBJECT PREDICATE

The simple subject is the key word in the subject

without including modifiers.

The simple predicate is the verb or verb phrase that

tells something about the subject without including

modifiers.

SIMPLE SUBJECT SIMPLE PREDICATE

Underline the simple subjects and circle the simple predicates.

1. María Fernanda Cardoso runs an unusual small business.

2. She owns the Cardoso Flea Circus.

3. The circus has been travelling all over the world.

4. People can hardly wait for the smallest show on earth.

COMPOUND SENTENCE PARTS

Smart detectives and heroes conquer and capture the villain.

The compound subject is made up of two or more simple subjects

joined by a conjunction or connecting word (and, or, but) and share a

verb.

The compound verb is made up of two or more verbs or verb phrases

joined by a conjunction and have the same object.

COMPOUND SUBJECT

COMPOUND VERB

Underline the simple subject(s )and circle the verb(s).

1. Many people walk or jog around their neighborhoods.

2. Dave Kunst took this idea and walked 14,450 miles.

3. Kunst and his brother began their journey on June 20, 1970.

4. Comedy and tragedy struck along the way.

KINDS OF SENTENCES

A sentence can be used to make a statement, ask a

question, give a command, or show feeling.

A declarative sentence expresses a statement of fact, wish, intent, or

feeling. It always ends with a period.

An interrogative sentence asks a question and ends with a question

mark.

An imperative sentence gives a command, request or direction and

usually ends with a period. When strong, it may end with and

exclamation point.

An exclamatory sentence expresses strong feeling and always ends

with and exclamation point.

London is a wonderful city.

Which attraction is the most popular?

See for yourself! Read the guide book.

You’ve got to see the wax museum!

Identify the following sentences as declarative, imperative,interrogative, or exclamatory.

1. What do the Dalai Lama and N. Mandela have in common?

2. They have doubles in Mme. Tussaud’s wax museum.

3. Take an imaginary stroll through the Chamber of Horrors.

4. He looks alive !

Int

Dec

Imp

Exc

Rewrite the sentences according to the directions in parenthesis.

1. He looks alive ! (Change into an interrogative sentence).2. Would you look over there? (Change into an imperative sentence)

3. Is that Marie Antoinette? (Change into a declarative sentence)

4. The wax models are very lifelike. (Change into a exclamatory sentence)

1. Does he look alive?2. Look over here.3. That is Marie Antoinette.4. The wax models are very lifelike !