CF-SP09-ENG_095__551_0926175120

							ENGLISH 095

CHAPTER 8: SUBJECTS AND VERBS


What is a sentence?
 It is a complete thought that contains a subject and a verb.


What is a subject?
 It is who or what the sentence is about; subjects are usually nouns or pronouns, and
  the subject does some kind of action.

 A subject may also be a gerund (a noun ending in –ing like swimming).

 Subjects may be singular or plural (end in –s or –es).

 To find the subject, ask yourself whom or what the sentence is about. Remember,
  not all nouns in the sentence are subjects.

 A simple subject is just the noun or pronoun the sentence is about.

 A complete subject is the noun or pronoun plus the words that describe it.

 A compound subject is two or more subjects joined by the word and, but the word
  and is not part of the subject.

 Some subjects are implied, or unstated. Sentences that contain these types of
  subjects are called commands. The implied subject is you.
  (You) Open your book.
  (You) Please be quiet.

 Here and there are not subjects. The subject follows the verb in sentences that
  begin with here and there.
  Here is my house. (My house is here.)
  There are many courses to take before one graduates.


What is a prepositional phrase?
 A preposition is a word that shows time, place, direction, or manner; and a
  preposition links nouns, pronouns, and phrases to other words like verbs in a
  sentence. Page 151 lists some common prepositions.

 A phrase is a group of words that does not have a subject, a verb, or both. A phrase
  is not a sentence.
 A prepositional phrase is a preposition + its object (noun or pronoun).
  in the morning
  at the bus station
  up the street
  with my dog

 Objects of prepositional phrases are not subjects.

 When finding the subject, you may want to underline, to cross out, or to place in
  parenthesis the prepositional phrase.

What is a verb?
 It expresses an action or a state of being in a sentence.

 There are action verbs, which show an action.

 There are linking verbs, which convey the senses (look, smell, taste, sound, and
  feel) or show a state of being (be, appear, seem, become, get, grow, turn, remain,
  and stay) Page 154 lists some common linking verbs.

 There are helping verbs, which combine with action or linking verbs, and usually
  indicate verb tense or a question. The most common helping verbs are be, have,
  and do.
  Modals are also helping verbs, but they are a special kind of helping verb. Modals
  show ability (can), obligation (must), possibility (could, may, might), and advice
  (should).

 Compound verbs are two or more verbs joined by the word and, but the word and is
  not part of the verb.

 An infinitive is a verb with the word to before it. An infinitive is not the main verb in
  the sentence.
  Sonya wants to be a doctor.
  Sonya (subject) wants (main verb) to be (infinitive) a doctor (object).

 Some words like not, always, never, often, sometimes, usually, and easily may
  appear between verbs, but they are not part of the verb. They are adverbs, which
  describe verbs.

 The complete verb contains all the verbs in the sentence (action, linking, and helping
  verbs).
  Zoe does not know the answer.

 The main verb is usually the last verb in the sentence and is the most important verb
  in the sentence.
  Zoe does not know the answer.