Pre-test. Identify the subject(s) and verb(s) in each sentence.
1. The zombies immediately went for my neck.
2. I fought two of them off before going down.
3. Alan and Jack saved me from being bitten by the walkers.
4. They hacked and sliced until they repelled them all.
5. I was so thankful that I gave them each coupons to Arby's.
6. The coupons were expired.
2. I fought two of them off before going down.
3. Alan and Jack saved me from being bitten by the walkers.
4. They hacked and sliced until they repelled them all.
5. I was so thankful that I gave them each coupons to Arby's.
6. The coupons were expired.
How To:
Subjects are the people doing the action in each sentence:
Jason grabbed a soda before he went to his seat.
OR
I went to see some friends after work yesterday. We had a really good time.
Verbs are the action in the sentence, though they don't have to be real action. They can be "states of being" like is, are, were, etc.
Jason grabbed a soda before he went to his seat.
OR
Jason will grab a soda. He can go to his seat after that.
OR
Kanye West is a jerk.
A modifier adds detail or limits or changes the meaning of another word or phrase. For example:
Adjective Modifiers: Adjectives are words that modify a noun. Adjectives typically go before the words they are modifying, or after with helping verbs. For example:
Adverb Modifers: Adverbs are words that modify verbs. Adverbs can go before or after the thing they are modifying, depending on what exactly is it they are modifying. For example:
In the first example, the adverb very is modifying the adjective pretty which is modifying the noun girl. In the second example, the adverb quickly is modifying the verb ran.
Weird Exception #1:
Subjects and verbs can be compound, meaning there are two or more of them.
Stephen and Fiona couldn't wait to go home and watch Glee.
OR
Stephen and Fiona made popcorn, folded laundry, and watched TV that night.
Weird Exception #2:
In commands, an implied "you" is the subject.
(you) Go sit in your cage!
Sentence Creation Exercise:
Create a sentence using the following subjects and verbs and include at least one modifier in each sentence.
1. Subjects: Jill and Devonte Verb: ate
2. Subject: Sergio Verbs: swung, chopped
3. Subject: Bosse High School Verb: is
Tell me whether the bolded word is the subject or verb:
Identify the subject(s) and verb(s) in each sentence:
Jason grabbed a soda before he went to his seat.
OR
I went to see some friends after work yesterday. We had a really good time.
Verbs are the action in the sentence, though they don't have to be real action. They can be "states of being" like is, are, were, etc.
Jason grabbed a soda before he went to his seat.
OR
Jason will grab a soda. He can go to his seat after that.
OR
Kanye West is a jerk.
A modifier adds detail or limits or changes the meaning of another word or phrase. For example:
- Happy
- Pretty
- Silly
- Crazy
- Hopeful
- Fast
- Slow
- Very
- Much
- Many
Adjective Modifiers: Adjectives are words that modify a noun. Adjectives typically go before the words they are modifying, or after with helping verbs. For example:
- The pretty girl
- The girl was pretty.
Adverb Modifers: Adverbs are words that modify verbs. Adverbs can go before or after the thing they are modifying, depending on what exactly is it they are modifying. For example:
- The very pretty girl
- He ran quickly
In the first example, the adverb very is modifying the adjective pretty which is modifying the noun girl. In the second example, the adverb quickly is modifying the verb ran.
Weird Exception #1:
Subjects and verbs can be compound, meaning there are two or more of them.
Stephen and Fiona couldn't wait to go home and watch Glee.
OR
Stephen and Fiona made popcorn, folded laundry, and watched TV that night.
Weird Exception #2:
In commands, an implied "you" is the subject.
(you) Go sit in your cage!
Sentence Creation Exercise:
Create a sentence using the following subjects and verbs and include at least one modifier in each sentence.
1. Subjects: Jill and Devonte Verb: ate
2. Subject: Sergio Verbs: swung, chopped
3. Subject: Bosse High School Verb: is
Tell me whether the bolded word is the subject or verb:
- The dog shivered.
- An owl shrieked.
- The moon disappeared behind the clouds.
- We waited.
- For a moment, nobody even breathed.
- A light rain fell on our heads.
- The leaves trembled.
- Our hearts beat faster.
- Then the black sky opened up.
- Furious flames lit up the night.
Identify the subject(s) and verb(s) in each sentence:
- Mr. William Herring is the jolliest man I know.
- His outward features reflect the delightful character within.
- His hair is red and frizzy, like Orphan Annie's.
- His head is fat and round.
- He has small, dark, hamster-like eyes.
- His eyes peer inquisitively from behind metal-rimmed glasses.
- His small mouth is always formed into a friendly grin.
- His thick neck connects this funny head to an egg-shaped torso.