1. Fundamentals in the Sentence Writing Strategy
Complete
Sentences
Fundamentals in the Sentence Writing Strategy
University of Kansas

2. 5 things every complete English sentence needs.

4. M A R K S See if there is an Adverb Mark out the imposters. Infinitive
Prepositional phrase M A R K S
Ask if there is a verb.
Action
Linking
Root out the subject.
Who or What __________?
(Person, place, thing, idea)
Key in on the beginning, ending, and meaning.
How
When
What
Where
Frequency
See if there is an Adverb

5. Nouns/Subjects Person Place Thing Idea
(boy, girl, he, I, mom, man, teacher, student, fireman)
(store, house, farm, forest, street, gym)
(ball, hat, tree, window, car, chair, computer)
(peace, friendship, marriage, politics, happiness, sorrow)

6. Common Nouns Proper Nouns woman California boy Hanna Montana building
actress
movie
shoe
city
state
book
California
Hanna Montana
John
Lexington
Ms. Arnold
Three Little Pigs
Jacob Hall
Happy Feet
Reebok

7. Action Verbs
Body: sleep, jump, play, run, cry, look, hit, kiss, drink, blink, eat, sign, talk
Mind: think, want, like, hate, love, dream, imagine, desire, need, wish, wonder, fear, believe

8. Body: Mind: Action Verbs Examples: The dog jumped. She kissed the boy.
I play checkers.
My brother will eat a taco.
He hit a pole.
Don’t drink the water.
Mind:
I want to play.
He fears roller coasters.
I dream of flowers.
My mom wishes for a new car.
They wonder about the future.
I imagine a bright tomorrow.

9. Adjective
An adjective is a word that describes or tells more about a noun.
Examples
That is a big dog. That dog is big.
Mr. McClain is a crazy teacher.
It is freezing cold outside.
The yellow bus has a tire that is flat.
My best friend has a happy dog.
The loud train is late.
I saw many people at the new store.

10. Adjective The ball is red. That is a red ball. The blue car is fast.
My silly friend is happy.
She is a nice person.
He is sad about his old bike.
The box is heavy.
The fat cat is hungry.
I am very late to the teacher meeting.
The balloon is thin and long.

11. Linking Verbs Am Was SUB ADJ/Noun/PP Present Tense Past Tense
The verb that links the subject / noun to another word that describes the subject.
Am Was
Are Were
Is Seem
Seemed Be
Been
Become
Became
Bob is ugly.
I am hungry.
Students are hungry.
You seem sad.
Bob has been happy.
Bob was ugly.
She seemed hungry.
Students were hungry.
You became sad.
Bob will be ugly.
Bob will become ugly.
I will be hungry.
Students will seem crazy.
SUB ADJ/Noun/PP
Present Tense
Past Tense
Future Tense

12. Linking Verbs
Other linking verbs.
appear, feel, grow, smell, become, look, seem, sound, remain, stay, taste

13. Linking Verbs Bob seems nice. The banana is yellow.
The bananas are yellow.
The cups are on the table.
The truck has been broken.
I was happy.
We were happy.
The monkeys became happy.
The weather seemed nice.
Bob will be ten on his birthday.
Bob will become ten on his birthday.
The toy will be fun.
The toys will be fun.
The students will seem crazy.

14. Example: in, of, for, with, on, over, beside
Prepositional Phrase
A group of words that show place or time.
Example: in, of, for, with, on, over, beside
The boy walked under the table.
The boy walked on the table.
The boy walked beside the table.
The boy walked over the table.
The boy walked since yesterday.
The boy walked during a race.

17. Examples: to ride, to sleep, to eat, to kiss, to think
Infinitive
An infinitive is usually two words: the word “to” in front of an action verb
Examples: to ride, to sleep, to eat, to kiss, to think
I want to play outside.
Mary hopes to win the soccer game.
We went to the mall to buy new shoes.
To get an ‘A’ in English class is great!
The best way to get an ‘A’ is to do your homework.
I went to the store.
John is going to school.
Nancy will go to Florida tomorrow.
The class is going to lunch.
We are going to the mall!

18. Tense is shown by endings, by helping verbs, or by both.
Verb Tense
Time of the verb.
Tense is shown by endings, by helping verbs, or by both.
Three common tenses: past, present, and future.

19. Present Future Past liked practiced likes practices will like
will practice

20. Words that help the main verb to show the action of the sentence.
Helping Verbs
Words that help the main verb to show the action of the sentence.
are also Linking Verbs.
are States of Being.

21. Helping Verbs Fred can jump two chairs. Fred will jump two chairs.
Fred did jump two chairs.
I do like ice cream.
We will go to the basketball game.
Were is Mary going after school?
Girls are talking to friends.
Boys were playing rough!
What should I ask for my birthday?
I am thinking about summer vacation.
Mary might like to go swimming.

22. Adverb An adverb tells you… an action is performed.
how, when, where, how much, and frequency
Adds to the verb!
Bill runs fast.
Fred likes ice cream a lot.
Nancy carefully jumped in the pool.
I will happily dance with you now.
The boy loudly ate the pie.
The girl ate the pie quietly.
I eat pie everyday!
She always laughs sleepily.
Can you jump quietly?
Can you smile seriously?
Can you laugh a little?
Can you hit me easily?
Can you dance sleepily?
Can you run lazily?
Can you sit quickly?
Please read …

23. Pronouns Subject Pronouns – used as the subject of a sentence.
I can never remember jokes
They really make people laugh.
Singular: I, you, he, she, it
Plural : we, you, they

24. Pronouns
Object Pronouns- used after an action verb or in a prepositional phrase.
Mr. Lange teases me. (after verb)
My friends made a funny card for him. (PP)
Singular: me, you, him, her, it
Plural: us, you, them

25. Pronouns Possessive Pronouns – shows ownership
John finished writing his story. (before noun)
The idea for it was mine. (alone)
Before a noun: my, you, his, her, its, our, their
Stand alone: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs

26. Subject/Verb Agreement
The Stupid ‘S’ Rule.
The subject and the verb of a sentence must agree!
Singular noun agrees with a singular verb.
S V
EX: The boy eats.
ONE
Yes S
Plural noun agrees with a plural verb.
S V
EX: The boys eat.
Many
No S

27. Subject/Verb AgreementI
We ==
You ________________________ plural subject
They
subject verb He
She == S single subject
It ________________________
subject verb
Examples…
I eat lunch before dinner The boy ______________ his spelling words.
He eats lunch before dinner The dogs __________________ at the moon.
We sit in class They ______________________ far and fast.
She sits in class It __________________________ far and fast.
You like red, but you do not like blue. He ______________________ in a bed.
She likes red, but she does not like blue We _______________________ in a chair.