1. Chapter 15: Subjects, Verbs, and Prepositional Phrases
Simple Sentences
Chapter 15: Subjects, Verbs, and Prepositional Phrases

2. A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. Every sentence includes both a subject and a verb:
David Beckham is a soccer player.
Simple Sentences

3. Subjects Every sentence includes a subject.
The subject of a sentence tells who or what is being talked about in the sentence.
Without a subject, a sentence is not complete.
Derek Walcott won the 1992 Nobel Prize in literature.
He was born in St. Lucia.
St. Lucia is an island in the Caribbean.
Subjects

4. Subjects The subject of a sentence can be a noun or a pronoun:
A noun names a person, place, or thing
A pronoun takes the place of a noun (I, you, he, she, it, we, they, etc.)
The subject of a sentence can be singular or plural:
A singular subject is one person, place, or thing
A plural subject is more than one person, place, or thing.
Subjects

5. Plural Subjects Plural subject:
Walcott’s poems have been collected in books.
A plural subject that joins two subjects with and is called a compound subject:
St. Lucia and Trinidad are Caribbean islands.
Plural Subjects

6. Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition (a word such as on, to, in, or with) and its object (the noun or pronoun it introduces).
Preposition
Object =
Prepositional Phrase on
the stage
on the stage to
Nia’s house
to Nia’s house in
my new car
in my new car
with
them
with them
Prepositional Phrases

7. Frequently Used Prepositions
About Above Across After Against Along Among Around As At Before Behind Below Beneath Beside By Despite During Except For From In Inside Into Like Near Of Off On Onto Out Outside Over Through Throughout To Toward Underneath Until Up Upon With Within Without
Frequently Used Prepositions

8. Prepositional Phrases
Because the object of a preposition is a noun or pronoun, it may seem to be the subject of a sentence. However, the object of a preposition can never be the subject of a sentence.
To identify a sentence’s true subject, cross out each prepositional phrase.
Remember: every prepositional phrase is introduced by a preposition.
Prepositional Phrases

9. Prepositional Phrases
To identify a sentence’s true subject, cross out each prepositional phrase.
Remember: every prepositional phrase is introduced by a preposition.
The cost of the repairs was astronomical.
At the end of the novel, after an exciting chase, the lovers flee to Mexico.
Prepositional Phrases

10. Every sentence must also have a verb (also known as a predicate).
Verbs tell what the subject does or connects the subject to words that describe or rename it.
Verbs

11. An action verb tells what the subject does, did, or will do:
Norma Garciaparra plays baseball.
Renee will drive to Tampa on Friday.
Amelia Earhart flew across the Atlantic.
Action Verbs

12. Action Verbs Action verbs can also show mental and emotional actions:
Travis always worries about his job.
Sometimes, the subject of a sentence performs more than one action. These joined action verbs are called compound predicates:
He hit the ball, threw down his bat, and ran toward first base.
Action Verbs

13. A linking verb does not show action
A linking verb does not show action. Instead, it connects the subject to a word or words that describe or rename it.
The linking verb tells what the subject is (or what it was, will be, or seems to be):
The googolplex is an extremely large number.
Linking Verbs

14. Many linking verbs, like is, are forms of be
Many linking verbs, like is, are forms of be. Other linking verbs refer to the senses (look, feel, and so on):
The photocopy looks blurry.
Some students feel anxious about the future.
Frequently Used Linking Verbs: act, appear, be (am, is, are, was, were), become, feel, get, grown, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, taste, turn
Linking Verbs

15. Minh must make a decision about his future.
Many verbs consist of more than one verb:
Minh must make a decision about his future.
In this sentence, make is the main verb, and must is the helping verb.
Helping Verbs

16. Helping verbs (also called auxiliary verbs) include forms of be, have, and do as well as the words must, will, can, could, may, might, should, and would.
Some helping verbs, such as forms of be and have, combine with main verbs to give information about when the action occurs.
Forms of do combine with main verbs to form questions and negative statements.
Some helping verbs indicate willingness (can), possibility (may), necessity (should), obligation (must), and so on.
Helping Verbs

17. A sentence’s complete verb is made up of a main verb plus any helping verbs that accompany it:
Minh should have gone earlier.
Did Minh ask the right questions?
Minh will work hard.
Minh can really succeed.
Helping Verbs

18. Helping Verbs with Participles
Participles such as going and gone, cannot stand alone as main verbs in a sentence. They need a helping verb to make them complete:
Incorrect: Minh going to the library.
Correct: Minh is going to the library.
Incorrect: Minh gone to the library.
Correct: Minh has gone to the library.
Helping Verbs with Participles

19. In order to be complete, a sentence must have a _________ and a ________. It must also _______ _________.
What question can you ask to determine the subject of a sentence?
A prepositional phrase consists of a __________ and its _________.
Review

20. Review The three types of verbs we talked about today are?
T or F: A subject can be made up of more than one word.
Review