The Parts of the Sentence
The parts of the sentence are a set of terms for describing how people construct sentences from smaller pieces. There is not a direct correspondence between the parts of the sentence and the parts of speech -- the subject of a sentence, for example, could be a noun, a pronoun, or even an entire phrase or clause.
Like the parts of speech, however, the parts of the sentence form
part of the basic vocabulary of grammar, and it is important that you
take some time to learn and understand them.Subject and Predicate
- Judy {runs}.
- Judy and her dog {run on the beach every morning}.
- The audience littered the theatre floor with torn wrappings and spilled popcorn.
Unusual Sentences
Imperative sentences (sentences that give a command or an order) differ from conventional sentences in that their subject, which is always "you," is understood rather than expressed.- Stand on your head. ("You" is understood before "stand.")
- There were three stray kittens cowering under our porch steps this morning.
Simple Subject and Simple Predicate
Every subject is built around one noun or pronoun (or more) that, when stripped of all the words that modify it, is known as the simple subject. Consider the following example:- A piece of pepperoni pizza would satisfy his hunger.
Likewise, a predicate has at its centre a simple predicate, which is always the verb or verbs that link up with the subject. In the example we just considered, the simple predicate is "would satisfy" -- in other words, the verb of the sentence.
A sentence may have a compound subject -- a simple subject consisting of more than one noun or pronoun -- as in these examples:
- Team pennants, rock posters and family photographs covered the boy's bedroom walls.
- Her uncle and she walked slowly through the Inuit art gallery and admired the powerful sculptures exhibited there.
Objects and Complements
Objects
A verb may be followed by an object that completes the verb's meaning. Two kinds of objects follow verbs: direct objects and indirect objects. To determine if a verb has a direct object, isolate the verb and make it into a question by placing "whom?" or "what?" after it. The answer, if there is one, is the direct object:- Direct Object
- The advertising executive drove a flashy red Porsche.
- Direct Object
- Her secret admirer gave her a bouquet of flowers.
Not all verbs are followed by objects. Consider the verbs in the following sentences:
- The guest speaker rose from her chair to protest.
- After work, Randy usually jogs around the canal.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Verbs that take objects are known as transitive verbs. Verbs not followed by objects are called intransitive verbs.Some verbs can be either transitive verbs or intransitive verbs, depending on the context:
- Direct Object
- I hope the Senators win the next game.
- No Direct Object
- Did we win?
Subject Complements
In addition to the transitive verb and the intransitive verb, there is a third kind of verb called a linking verb. The word (or phrase) which follows a linking verb is called not an object, but a subject complement.The most common linking verb is "be." Other linking verbs are "become," "seem," "appear," "feel," "grow," "look," "smell," "taste," and "sound," among others. Note that some of these are sometimes linking verbs, sometimes transitive verbs, or sometimes intransitive verbs, depending on how you use them:
- Linking verb with subject complement
- He was a radiologist before he became a full-time yoga instructor.
- Linking verb with subject complement
- Your homemade chili smells delicious.
- Transitive verb with direct object
- I can't smell anything with this terrible cold.
- Intransitive verb with no object
- The interior of the beautiful new Buick smells strongly of fish.
Object Complements
(by David Megginson)
An object complement is similar to a subject complement, except that (obviously) it modifies an object rather than a subject. Consider this example of a subject complement:- The driver seems tired.
Sometimes, however, the noun will be the object, as in the following example:
- I consider the driver tired.
In general, verbs which have to do with perceiving, judging, or changing something can cause their direct objects to take an object complement:
- Paint it black.
- The judge ruled her out of order.
- I saw the Prime Minister sleeping.
Clauses
and Phrases
To understand punctuation, it is helpful to understand the difference between a phrase and a clause.
I. A phrase is a collection of words that may have nouns or verbals, but it does not have a subject doing a verb. The following are examples of phrases:
In these examples above, you will find nouns (dog, fence, test, devastation, ignorance, intelligence, thousands, pieces). You also have some verbals (leaving, smashing), but in no case is the noun functioning as a subject doing a predicate verb. They are all phrases.
- leaving behind the dog
- smashing into a fence
- before the first test
- after the devastation
- between ignorance and intelligence
- broken into thousands of pieces
- because of her glittering smile
II. A clause is a collection of words that has a subject that is actively doing a verb. The following are examples of clauses:
In the examples above, we find either a noun or a pronoun that is a subject (bold-print and red) attached to a predicate verb (underlined and purple) in each case:
- since she laughs at diffident men
- I despise individuals of low character
- when the saints go marching in
- Obediah Simpson is uglier than a rabid raccoon
- because she smiled at him.
III. If the clause could stand by itself, and form a complete sentence with punctuation, we call the clause an independent clause. The following are independent clauses:
- since she laughs at diffident men
- I despise individuals of low character
- when the saints go marching in
- Obediah Simpson is uglier than a rabid raccoon
- because she smiled at him
- I despise individuals of low character
- Obediah Simpson is uglier than a rabid racoon
IV. Dependent clauses have a subject doing a verb, but they have a subordinate conjunction placed in front of the clause. That subordinate conjunction means that the clause can't stand independently by itself and become a complete sentence. Instead, the dependent clause is dependent upon another clause--it can't make a complete sentence by itself, even though it has a subject doing a verb. Here are some examples of dependent clauses:
- since she laughs at diffident men
- when the saints go marching in
- because she smiled at him
It's important to understand the difference between phrases, dependent clauses, and independent clauses because many punctuation marks--such as commas, semicolons, and colons, require one or the other. Click here to move to subordinate conjunctions to learn more.
The Phrase
Recognize a phrase when you see one.
A phrase is two or more words that do not contain the subject-verb pair necessary to form a clause. Phrases can be very short or quite long. Here are two examples:
Certain phrases have specific names based on the type of word that begins or governs the word group: noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, infinitive phrase, participle phrase, gerund phrase, and absolute phrase.After lunchAfter slithering down the stairs and across the road to scare nearly to death Mrs. Philpot busy pruning her rose bushes
Noun Phrases
A noun phrase includes a noun—a person, place, or thing—and the modifiers—either before or after—which distinguish it. The pattern looks like this:
Here are some examples:optional modifier(s) + noun + optional modifier(s)
Noun phrases function as subjects, objects, and complements:The shoplifted pair of jeansPair = noun; the, shoplifted, of jeans = modifiers.
A cat that refused to meowCat = noun; a, that refused to meow = modifiers.
A great English teacherTeacher = noun; a, great, English = modifiers.
The shoplifted pair of jeans caused Nathaniel so much guilt that he couldn't wear them.The shoplifted pair of jeans = subject.
Jerome adopted a cat that refused to meow.A cat that refused to meow = direct object.
With her love of Shakespeare and knowledge of grammar, Jasmine will someday be a great English teacher.A great English teacher = subject complement.
Verb Phrases
Sometimes a sentence can communicate its meaning with a one-word verb. Other times, however, a sentence will use a verb phrase, a multi-word verb, to express more nuanced action or condition. A verb phrase can have up to four parts. The pattern looks like this:
Here are some examples:auxiliary verb(s) + main verb + verb ending when necessary
Here are the verb phrases in action:Had cleanedHad = auxiliary verb; clean = main verb; ed = verb ending.
Should have been writingShould, have, been = auxiliary verbs; write = main verb; ing = verb ending.
Must washMust = auxiliary verb; wash = main verb.
Mom had just cleaned the refrigerator shelves when Lawrence knocked over the pitcher of orange juice.Sarah should have been writing her research essay, but she couldn't resist another short chapter in her Stephen King novel.If guests are coming for dinner, we must wash our smelly dog!Prepositional Phrases
At the minimum, a prepositional phrase will begin with a preposition and end with a noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause, the "object" of the preposition.
The object of the preposition will often have one or more modifiers to describe it. These are the patterns for a prepositional phrase:
Here are some examples:preposition + noun, pronoun, gerund, or clausepreposition + modifier(s) + noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause
A prepositional phrase will function as an adjective or adverb. As an adjective, the prepositional phrase will answer the question Which one?On timeOn = preposition; time = noun.
Underneath the sagging yellow couchUnderneath = preposition; the, sagging, yellow = modifiers; couch = noun.
From eating too muchFrom = preposition; eating = gerund; too, much = modifiers.
Read these examples:
As an adverb, a prepositional phrase will answer questions such as How? When? or Where?The spider above the kitchen sink has just caught a fat fly.Which spider? The one above the kitchen sink!
The librarian at the check-out desk smiles whenever she collects a late fee.Which librarian? The one at the check-out desk!
The vegetables on Noel's plate lay untouched the entire meal.Which vegetables? The ones on Noel's plate!
While sitting in the cafeteria, Jack catapulted peas with a spoon.How did Jack launch those peas? With a spoon!
After breakfast, we piled the dirty dishes in the sink.When did we ignore the dirty dishes? After breakfast!
Amber finally found the umbrella wedged under the passenger's front seat.Where did Amber locate the umbrella? Under the passenger's front seat!
Infinitive Phrases
An infinitive phrase will begin with an infinitive [to + simple form of the verb]. It will often include objects and/or modifiers that complete the thought. The pattern looks like this:
Here are some examples:infinitive + object(s) and/or modifier(s)
Infinitive phrases can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Look at these examples:To slurp spaghettiTo send the document before the deadlineTo gulp the glass of water with such thirst that streams of liquid ran down his chin and wet the front of his already sweat-soaked shirt
To avoid another lecture from Michelle on the benefits of vegetarianism was Aaron's hope for their date at a nice restaurant.To avoid another lecture from Michelle on the benefits of vegetarianism functions as a noun because it is the subject of the sentence.
Cheryl plans to take microbiology next semester when Professor Crum, a pushover, is teaching the course.To take microbiology next semester functions as a noun because it is the direct object for the verb plans.
The worst thing to happen during the severe thunderstorm was a lightning strike that fried Clara's computer.To happen during the severe thunderstorm functions as an adjective because it modifies thing.
Ryan decided to mow the long grass on the front lawn to keep his neighbors from complaining to the homeowners association.To keep his neighbors from complaining to the homeowners association functions as an adverb because it explains why Ryan mowed the lawn.
Participle Phrases
A participle phrase will begin with a present or past
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