Subject, Verbs, & Objects are the basic build blocks of a sentence in Standard Written English. Subject and Verb (SV) The subject is whom or what the sentence is all about. The subject performs the action of the verb. He or she (or it) is the actor, the protagonist. The predicate – says something significant (complete idea) about the subject. It must include a main verb. She runs. [Runs] is the predicate, a single verb.We want the prime rib. [Want the prime rib] is the predicate.American troops need more armor. [Need more armor] is the predicate. Sentences need a subject. Sentences must have a predicate. This topic...
Parts of a Sentence refers to the basic building blocks of Standard Written or Spoken English. Generally speaking, when subject matter experts use the term, Parts of a Sentence, they are referring to Subjects (S)Verbs (V) and, sometimes, 3. Objects (O), either Indirect Objects (IO) or Direct Objects (D0). Additionally, subject matter experts may referring to Independent Clauses, Dependent Clauses, Phrases Related Concepts: Parts of Speech Should I be able to Identify the Parts of a Sentence? Yes, you do need to be able to identify a subject and a...
Sentence Errors are errors related to grammar and mechanics within sentences in Standard Written English. Related Concepts: Awkward Sentence Structure; Style; Styles of Writing "Students make errors in the process of learning, and as they learn about writing, they often make new errors, not necessarily fewer ones. But knowing basic grammatical terminology does provide students with a tool for thinking about and discussing sentences. And lots of discussion of language, along with lots of reading and lots of writing, are the three ingredients for helping students write in accordance with...
What is Coordination and Subordination? Coordination and Subordination are commonplace ways for writers, speakers, knowledge workers . . . to combine sentences. Related Concepts: Independent Clauses, Dependent Clauses & Phrases Coordination Writers, speakers, knowledge workers . . . use coordination when they want to join sentences when the ideas expressed in those sentences are coequal or equivalent. Thus, you use coordination when you combine two independent clauses so that they are equal in terms of emphasis and importance in the sentence. Note: Using coordination allows you to create Compound Sentence...
Sentence Patterns is a way of categorizing sentences in Standard English. The basic building block of a sentence in standard English, as illustrated by the article on Sentence Parts is "Subject + Predicate."The subject is the actor in the sentence. It is whatever is doing what the verb describes. The predicate includes the rest of the sentence—the verb or the action in the sentence—and anything else that the verb is affecting. Writers, speakers, knowledge workers . . . use a variety of sentence patterns in their texts, choosing the pattern...
Sentence Types in English are DeclarativeImperativeInterrogativeExclamatory. Sentence Types categorize sentences by their function—i.e., by what the sentence is doing Declarativedeclare something!Imperativemake requests, give ordersInterrogativeask questionsExclamatorygive emphasis and an excited tone! Examples of Sentence Types 1. Declarative Sentences Declarative Sentences literally declare something. Ex: Today is Tuesday. My name is Jean. The weather is lovely today. I read books to my children. Javier collects unusual postcards from around the world. My company laid off over one hundred employees. 2. Imperative Sentences Imperative Sentences give orders or make requests. Examples: Take out...
What are Clauses & Phrases? Clauses & Phrases are the building blocks of a sentence in Standard Written English. Related Concepts: Modifiers, Modification Clauses A clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb. Clauses are divided into Independent ClausesDependent Clauses. Independent Clauses An independent clause has a subject and a predicate and can stand on its own as a complete sentence. Ex: I arrived late. The bus ride was long. Dependent Clauses Dependent clauses are sentences with a subject and a verb, but they are still...
A phrase is a group of words that lacks a subject (an actor) and a verb (an action): after the market correction (prepositional phrase)the clever stock traders (noun phrase)were ready to buy the dip (verb phrase). An Essential Phrase is a phrase that contains the information needed to complete the meaning of the sentence. A Non-Essential Phrase is a phrase that contains information that isn't needed in the sentence for the sentence to retain its meaning. Synonymous Terms: The terms restrictive or non-restrictive information are synonymous to Essential Phrase or Non-Essential...
A verb-tense shift occurs when a writer changes tense within a single piece of writing. Tense is the term for what time frame verbs refer to. Standard American English has a number of tenses, each of which is a variation on past, present, or future. Any switching of tense within a sentence, paragraph, or longer piece of writing is a verb tense shift. Are verb tense shifts always wrong? No. Verb-tense shifts are useful for informing readers of the different times at which things happen. When I opened the door,...
Coordinating conjunctions are words that are used to join two sentences together. Example: I'm reading, and I'm writing. Key Concepts: Flow, Coherence, Unity; Grammar; Organization; Organizational Schema & Logical Reasoning; Parts of Speech; Sentences; Writer-Based vs. Reader-Based Prose Commas are used when two independent clauses are connected by coordinating conjunctions: Ex: She was tired, so she went home.She was tired is an independent clause (a complete sentence). She went home is also an independent clause. You need a comma before the coordinating conjunction so. Subordinating conjunctions and coordinating conjunctions are...
