USING THE LANGUAGE SUBJECTS PREDICATES USING SUBJECTS PREDICATES
USING THE LANGUAGE SUBJECTS & PREDICATES
USING SUBJECTS & PREDICATES • A sentence has a subject and a predicate. • The subject is the part of the sentence about which something is said. • The predicate, predicate which contains the verb, is the part of the sentence that says something about the subject. • https: //www. youtube. co m/watch? v=fd. UXxdmh. I sw • Like the pilot, pilot the writer must see faster and more completely than the ordinary viewer of life. • Paul Engle, “Salt Crystals, Spider Webs, and Words”
UNDERSTOOD SUBJECT & PREDICATE • Who is making supper? • Either the subject or the predicate may be “missing” from a sentence, but both must be clearly understood. • Who is the subject; is making supper is the predicate. • No one is the subject; the predicate is making supper is understood. • Put on that apron. • The subject you is understood; put on that apron is the predicate.
DELAYED SUBJECT • In sentences that begin with There or It followed by a form of the “be” verb, the subject comes after the verb. • The subject is also delayed in questions. • There was nothing in the refrigerator. • The subject is nothing; nothing the verb is was • Where is my sandwich? • The subject is sandwich; sandwich the verb is is. is
THE SUBJECT • The subject is the part of the sentence about which something is said. The subject is always a noun, or a word or phrase that functions as a noun (such as a pronoun, infinitive, a gerund, or a clause that functions as a noun). • Wolves howl. • noun • They howl for a variety of reasons. • Pronoun • To establish their turf may be one reason. • Infinitive phrase • Searching for “lost” family members may be another reason. • Gerund phrase • That wolves and dogs are similar animals seems obvious. • Noun clause
THE SUBJECT • Simple subject: subject without its modifiers • Most wildlife biologists disapprove of crossbreeding wolves and dogs. • Complete subject: subjects with all of its modifiers • Most wildlife biologists disapprove of crossbreeding wolves and dogs. • Compound subject: composed of two or more simple subjects • Wise breeders and owners know that wolf-dog puppies can display unexpected, destructive behavior.
THE PREDICATE • The predicate is the part of the sentence that shows action or says something about the subject. • Giant squid do exist • Simple predicate: verb without its modifiers • The largest squid ever found measured nearly 60 feet long. • Complete predicate: simple predicate with all of its modifiers. • The largest squid ever found measured nearly 60 feet long • Measured is the simple predicate; nearly 60 feet long modifies measured.
COMPOUND PREDICATE • Compound predicate: composed of two or more simple predicates • A squid grasps its prey with tentacles and bites it with its beak. • A sentence can have a compound subject AND a compound predicate. • Both sperm whales and giant squid live and occasionally clash in the deep waters off New Zealand’s South Island.
DIRECT OBJECT • Direct object receives the action of the predicate • Sperm whales sometimes eat giant squid. • The direct object giant squid receives the action of the verb by answering the question whales eat what? • The direct object may be compound. • In the past, whalers harvested oil, oil spermaceti, spermaceti and ambergris from slain sperm whales.
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