SUBJECTS IN UNUSUAL ORDER (WHY IS GRAMMAR SO COMPLICATED?)

 It is a sentence where the subject is not before the verb where you would expect to find it.  This means you have to actually TRY to FIND the subject (like a terrible game of hide and go seek...) HERE’S THE IDEA...

 Questions  Commands  Inverted sentences  Sentences that start with “here” or “there” FOUR CATEGORIES OF THESE “UNUSUAL” SENTENCES...

 In most questions, the subject comes after the verb or between parts of the verb phrase.  To find the subject, turn the question into a statement. Example: Is the story scary? (make the question a statement) The story is scary. story is the subject QUESTIONS (INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES)

Will you audition for the school play? Is that dog mean? Did you hear the train whistle blowing? Did the ending surprise you? PRACTICE

 The subject of a command is usually you.  Often, you doesn’t appear in the sentence because it is understood. Example: Turn off the lights. (You) Turn off the lights. You is the subject COMMANDS (IMPERATIVE SENTENCES)

Sit perfectly still. Take a jacket or a sweater on your trip. Tell a scary story. PRACTICE

 In inverted sentences, the subject comes after the verb.  Their normal order is reversed. Example: (Inverted) Into the room rushed a large black cat. (Normal) A large black cat rushed into the room. INVERTED SENTENCES

After the lightning came the thunder. Up in the air went the speedy jet. Down the track race the athletes. PRACTICE

 In some sentences beginning with here or there, the subject follows the verb.  To find the subject, look for the verb and ask who? or what? Example: There goes our flashlight. What goes? There goes our flashlight. flashlight is the subject SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH HERE OR THERE

Here is a postcard from the vacation resort. There goes my best friend. Here comes the President’s helicopter. Here is your tennis racquet. PRACTICE