Kinds of Sentences

1. Kinds of Sentences 1) A declarative sentence-can make a positive statementSome birds fly south in winter.-can make a negative statementThese birds do not fly south in winter.2) An interrogative sentence asks a questionDo these birds fly south in winter ?3) An imperative sentence gives a commandFly south this winter. 4) An exclamatory sentence expresses a strong feelingOh ! I just love these cute birds !

2. 2. A subject of a clause is an entity such as a person, a place, an object, or an abstract concept, which acts, is described or is acted upon. The subject usually answers the question Who/What is the sentence about?The lion roared.[The subjects acts]The lion is beautiful.[The subject is described]The lion was hunted.[The subject is acted upon]

3. 3. A simple subject is the word or group of words acting as a subject. A complete subject is the simple subject and its modifiers. A compound subject consists of two or more nouns or pronouns, linked by either and or or. A complete compound subject includes the compound subject and its modifiers. • The lion roared.[The lion = simple subject]The big lion roared.[The big lion = complete subject]The lion and the lioness roared.[The lion and the lioness = compound subject]The big strong lion and the beautiful lioness roared.[The big strong lion and the beautiful lioness = complete compound subject]

4. The subject usually precedes the predicate but not always • The lions ran off.[subject precedes predicate]Off ran the lions.[predicate precedes subject]Under the tree lay a pride of lions.[predicate precedes subject]Why did the lions run ? [predicate element precedes subject in questions]

5. A predicate of a clause gives information on the subject, either describing it or identifying the action it performs or that is performed upon it (its predicament). The predicate contains the verb in the sentence and objects that are affected by the subject's actions. It usually answers the question What happens/ is described? • The lion roared.[The predicate tells what the subject does]The lion is beautiful.[The predicate describes the subject]The lion was hunted.[The predicate tells what was done to the subject]

6. 7. A direct object is a noun, pronoun or group of words acting as a noun that receives the action of a transitive verb without a linking preposition. A direct object answers the question whom? Or what?The teacher read the story.[the story = direct object]8. An indirect object is a noun, pronoun or a group of words acting as a noun that answers the question to whom/what ? or for whom/what ? the action expressed by a transitive verb was done.The teacher read the story to the students.[the story = direct object, to the students = indirect object]9. In sentences where the indirect object follows the word to or for, always put the direct object before the indirect object. If the indirect object does not follow to or for, put the indirect object before the direct object.Yes: The teacher gave an assignment to the students.No: The teacher gave to the students an assignment.Yes: The teacher gave the students an assignment.[the verb give can be used without to]

7. Commas • Use commas to separate items in a series. • Ex: The engine rattled, coughed, and stalled. (verbs) • Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives that come before a noun. • Ex: My poodle is a fat, sassy puppy.

8. Semicolons • Use a semicolon between independent clauses if they are not joined by and, but, for nor or, so or yet. • Ex: Jimmy took my suitcase upstairs; he left his own travel bag in the car. • Use semicolons to link clauses only if the clauses are closely related in meaning. • Incorrect Uncle Ray likes sweet potatoes; Aunt Janie prefers the beach. • Correct Uncle Ray likes sweet potatoes; Aunt Janie prefers peas and carrots.

9. Use a semicolon rather than a comma before a coordinating conjunction to join independent clauses that contain commas. • Confusing I wrote to Ann, Ramona, and Mai, and Jean notified Charles, Latoya, and Sue. • Clear I wrote to Ann, Ramona, and Mai; and Jean notified Charles, Latoya, and Sue.

10. Colon • Use a colon before a list of items, especially after expressions such as the following or as follows. • Ex: You will need these items for map work: a ruler, colored pencils, and tracing paper.

11. Clauses • A clause is a word group that contains a verb and its subject and that is used as a sentence or as part of a sentence. • Remember: A subordinate clause that is capitalized and punctuated as if It were a sentence is a sentence fragment. • An Independent or main clause expresses a complete thought and can stand by itself as a sentence. • Ex: I woke up late this morning. • Do you know Joseph? • My mother drove me to school, but my brother rode his bicycle. (This sentence contains two independent clauses).

12. Subordinate (Dependent Clause) • Does not express a complete thought and cannot stand by itself as a complete sentence. Ex: if the dress is too long That the veterinarian recommended

13. Modifiers • Modifier is a word or word group that makes the meaning of another word or word group more specific. • Ex: Harriet is happy • Laughing excitedly, the children burst the balloon.

14. Antecedents • An Antecedent is the word or words that a pronoun stands for. Ex: Tim Doesn’t know how long his essay will be. [ His refers to Tim.]

15. Articles • The articles, a, an, and the, are the most frequently used adjectives. Examples: A football An Antelope The farmhouse

16. Appositive • An appositive is a noun or a pronoun placed beside another noun or pronoun to identify or describe it. Ex: My friend Desiree recently moved to a new house. [Desiree identifies friend]

17. Participles • A participle is a verb form that can be used as an adjective. • Present participles end in –ing Chasing the cat, the dog ran down the street. [Chasing is the present participle of the verb chase. The participle modifies the noun dog.] Past participles usually end in –d or –ed. Some past participles are formed irregularly. Well trained, the soldier successfully carried out her mission. [The past participle trained modifies the noun soldier.] We skated on the frozen pond. [The irregular past participle frozen modifies the noun pond.]