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Grammar Level 2:
The Parts of the Sentence
The study of the sentence is the study of thought itself.
 In order to express a thought, we must do two
things:
 1. We must identify what we are talking about
 2. We must say what we are saying about it
The Sentence
 Sentence: A sentence is a two-part thought: it
is a group of words that contains both a
subject and a predicate, and which makes a
complete idea.
The Sentence
B. Parts of the Sentence
1. Subject
2. Predicate
a. Direct object
b. Indirect object
c. Subject complement
d. Object complement
The Subject
 Simple subject: the noun or subject pronoun that the
sentence is about.
 Complete subject: the simple subject and all of its modifiers.
Notice that only subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we,
you, they) can be subjects.
 Compound subject: a compound subject is a multiple
subject: more than one noun or pronoun is used as a
multiple subject of the same clause.
Example: Physics and astronomy are my favorite subjects.
The Predicate
 Simple predicate: a simple predicate is the verb.
Example: Bob went over to the crater at the foot of the
escarpment.
 Complete predicate: everything that is said about the
subject
Example: Bob went to the crater and gathered three bags of
comet dust.
The Sentence
subject/predicate set:
the subject/predicate set is the combination of
simple subject and simple predicate which is
always present as a nucleus in every sentence
and in every clause. There may be more than
one subject/predicate set in a single sentence.
Subject/Verb Agreement
The number of the subject and the verb must agree. A
plural subject must have a plural verb. A singular subject
must have a singular verb.
Example: The top of the mountains is covered by snow.
Remember: The sentence is either a thought about
something singular, or else it is a thought about something
plural. It cannot logically be both!
Direct Object
 A direct object is a noun or object pronoun (me, you, him,
her, it, us, you, them) which receives the action of the
action verb.
 When there is a direct object, the verb is called transitive.
 Example: Sparks struck the side. They hit him.
Indirect Object
 An indirect object is a noun or object pronoun located
between the action verb and the direct object. It is
indirectly affected by the action.
 If there is an indirect object, there must be a direct object.
Therefore, the verb is still transitive.
 Example: We gave him the business.
Subject Complement
 A subject complement is a noun, subject pronoun, or
adjective which complements the subject; it is linked to
the subject by a linking verb. The subject complement,
in a sense, renames the subject.
 Example: Bob is a painter. It was he. The mutt was tired.
Predicate Nominative
 Predicate nominative is a term sometimes used
to describe a subject complement made out of
a noun or pronoun.
 Example: It was she or I who came to visit.
 It is I, Hamlet.
Predicate Adjective
 Predicate adjective is a term sometimes used to
describe a subject complement made out of an
adjective.
 Example: I am sleepy.
Object Complement
 An object complement is a noun, object pronoun,
or adjective that completes the meaning of the
direct object.
 Example: They selected him president. They painted
the house blue.
The Logic Path of a Sentence
1. Find the subject/predicate set.
2. If the verb is action,
-Do not look for a subject complement
-Look for a direct object
3. If you find a direct object
-Look for an indirect object
4. If the verb is linking,
-Do not look for a direct object
-Look for a subject complement
-Look for the next subject/predicate set and repeat
The Logic Path of Sentence
Structure
Verb
Action
Linking
Direct Object?
Subject
Complement?
Indirect Object?
Pred.
Nominative?
Pred.
Adjective?