All About Sentences

What is a sentence?

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.

Parts of a Sentences
Every sentences has two parts: a subject and a predicate. Subject: This part talks about who or what the sentence is about. Predicate: This part talks about what the subject does or has OR describes what the subject is or is like.
SUBJECT A doctor My brother That dog The joke PREDICATE helps people get better. owns a boat. is a rottweiler. is funny.

Find the Subject and Predicate

To find the subject ask WHO or WHAT is the sentence about. Ex. He spoke to my mother. Who spoke to my mother? HE To find the predicate ask WHAT IS BEING SAID about the subject. Ex. He spoke to my mother. What is being said about he? SPOKE TO MY MOTHER

Sentences and Fragments

A sentences must have both a subject and a predicate. If it does not, it is called a fragment. A sentence fragment does not express a complete thought. It may be missing a subject, a predicate, or both.
FRAGMENT
Walt Disney. Was the voice of Mickey Mouse.

PROBLEM EXAMPLES:
The fragment lacks a predicate. What did Walt Disney do? The fragment lacks a subject. Who was the voice of Mickey Mouse? The fragment lacks both a subject and a predicate.

SENTENCE
Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse. Walt Disney was the voice of Mickey Mouse. His first cartoon was on a steamboat.

On a steamboat.

DIRECTIONS: Write sentence or fragment for each item. It an item is a fragment, explain what is missing (either subject or predicate).
The book Johnny Tremain is historical fiction. 2. A Newbery Medal winner. 3. Esther Forbes nonfiction book on Paul Revere won a Pulitzer Prize. 4. The silversmith Paul Revere. 5. Offered Johnny a job. 6. Johnny liked his work. 7. Made things of silver. 8. Johnny burned his hand. 9. A terrible accident. 10. An operation made his hand well again. 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Sentence Fragment, predicate Sentence Fragment, predicate Fragment, subject Sentence Fragment, subject Sentence Fragment, subject and predicate Sentence

Lets break it down

A sentence can have more than just one subject word and one predicate word. Complete subject: all the words in the subject of a sentence Complete predicate: all the words in the predicate of a sentence Not all the words in the subject or predicate are of equal importance! MOST IMPORTANT ARE Simple subject: main word or group of words in the complete subject Simple predicate: main word or group of words in the complete predicate
COMPLETE SUBJECT COMPLETE PREDICATE

My sister
SIMPLE SUBJECT

Read a book.
SIMPLE PREDICATE

Finding the Simple Parts

Note: The predicate is always a verb. Find the predicate first! 1. Look for an action verb.
1. Cant find any?

Note: The subject is always a noun. Then find the subject! 1. Ask who or what completed the action verb 2. Or is that state of being verb.

2.

Look for a state of being or helping verb (I.E: am, is, are, was were, be, being, been, have, and more)
1. If you cant find an action verb, state of being verb, or helping verbchances are you have a fragment!

Lets try it together.

Find the simple predicate. 1. My mom went to the store. 2. After school, my friend walked to McDonalds. 3. My brother is annoying. 4. The photographer took the picture. 5. Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt is delicious! Find the simple subject. 1. My mom went to the store. 2. After school, my friend walked to McDonalds. 3. My brother is annoying. 4. The photographer took the picture. 5. Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt is delicious!

Now try it on your own!

DIRECTIONS: Copy the sentence. Underline the simple predicate once and double underline the simple subject. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. My sister read The Witch of Blackbird Pond. The book was written by Elizabeth George Speare. It describes island life in the 1680s. A young girl is the main character. Kit lived a life of luxury. She loved the island life. This girl of the islands enjoyed the sun and the sea. Her grandfather gave many parties. Many friends attended her festive dance parties. Kits happiness ended with her grandfathers death. Young Kit lost all her money. Her life of luxury was over. Kit had no family left in the islands. Her aunt lived in the Connecticut Colony in America. Kit went there to live.

So remember
Every sentences has two parts: a subject and a predicate. Subject: This part talks about who or what the sentence is about; find the simple subject and all words that relate to the simple subject and you will have the complete subject. Predicate: This part talks about what the subject does or has OR describes what the subject is or is like; find the simple predicate and all the words that relate to the simple predicate and you will have the complete predicate. Ex. The tall waitress took our order.

1. My sister read The Witch of Blackbird Pond. 2. The book was written by Elizabeth George Speare. 3. It describes island life in the 1680s. 4. A young girl is the main character. 5. Kit lived a life of luxury. 6. She loved the island life. 7. This girl of the islands enjoyed the sun and the sea. 8. Her grandfather gave many parties. 9. Many friends attended her festive dance parties. 10.Kits happiness ended with her grandfathers death. 11.Young Kit lost all her money. 12.Her life of luxury was over. 13.Kit had no family left in the islands. 14.Her aunt lived in the Connecticut Colony in America. 15.Kit went there to live.

Identify Subjects and Predicates

DIRECTIONS: Create a two column table on a sheet of notebook paper. On the top of the left column write SUBJECT; on the top of the right column write PREDICATE.
EXAMPLE:
SUBJECT 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. PREDICATE

THEN

DIRECTIONS (continued): Write the subject and predicates of the following sentences in the correct column. 1. My sister read The Witch of Blackbird Pond. 2. The book was written by Elizqabeth George Speare. 3. It describes island life in the 1680s. 4. A young girl is the main character. 5. Kit lived a life of luxury. 6. She loved the island life. 7. This girl of the islands enjoyed the sun and the sea. 8. Her grandfather gave many parties. 9. Many friends attended her festive dance parties. 10. Kits happiness ended with her grandfathers death. 11. Young Kit lost all her money. 12. Her life of luxury was over. 13. Kit had no family left in the islands. 14. Her aunt lived in the Connecticut Colony in America. 15. Kit went there to live.

Five Points to a Sentence Check!

5 Point

Sentence Check

Lets practice
mrs. Imhoff is my Language Arts teacher. 2. We live in South Florida 3. During the night sleeps. 4. The beach ball in the air! 5. The silver car falls into the. 6. What are you doing this weekend 7. Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmothers house we. 8. the house is haunted! 9. The flag hung over the. 10. Is sticky all over the paper. 1. Mrs. Imhoff is my Language Arts teacher. 2. We live in South Florida. 3. During the night the baby sleeps. 4. The beach ball flies in the air! 5. The silver car falls into the lake. 6. What are you doing this weekend? 7. Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmothers house we go. 8. The house is haunted! 9. The flag hung over the wall. 10. Glue is sticky all over the paper. 1.

Types of Sentences
There are four types of sentences. 1. 2. 3. 4. A declarative sentences makes a statement or tells something. It ends with a period. An interrogative sentence asks something. It ends with a question mark. An exclamatory sentence shows strong feeling. It ends with an exclamation point. An imperative sentence commands someone to do something. It ends with a period or an exclamation point.

What kinds of sentences are these?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. It is the beginning of a new year! Make this year better than last year. He made a resolution to make honor roll. What did you do over winter break? It rarely snows in South Florida. Have you ever seen snow? Shovel the snow off the sidewalk. It snowed a little in Orlando!

Sentence End Marks

Remember! A PERIOD comes at the end of a declarative sentence. A QUESTION MARK comes at the end of an interrogative sentence. An EXCLAMATION MARK comes at the end of an exclamatory sentence. A PERIOD or EXCLAMATION MARK comes at the end of an imperative sentence.

NOW

Write these sentences with the correct END MARKS.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. What grade are you in I went shopping over break Do you have basketball practice today Do your homework I am going to Disney World She likes to go to the beach Always wear sunscreen My parents won the lottery