Download Finding Simple Subjects and Verbs

FINDING SIMPLE SUBJECTS AND VERBS
In this module, you will learn to identify
 Simple subjects and match them to their complete verbs
 Multiple subjects and match them to their complete verbs.
Introduction
We know how to identify verbs (the action in the sentence), and we can identify both oneword verbs and verb phrases. Now we want to learn "who" or "what" is doing the action.
The "who" or "what" that is doing the action is called the SUBJECT.
Mechanics
A SUBJECT (the doer of the action) must be a noun or a pronoun or a group of words
acting as a noun or a pronoun. Let's try to match a few subjects with their verbs. We'll use
a procedure that you can use or adapt to your needs.
Single Subjects
We'll start with a single subject.
Sentence:
"The young lady took the bus to work."
To match the subject with its verb, follow the steps listed below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the verb.
We identify the verb as took.
Ask yourself: "Who or what did the 'taking' (took)"?
The answer to the question provides you with the subject; i.e., the doer of the
action.
So, who took?
The young lady took; thus, "the young lady" is the complete subject.
The complete subject consists of the "doer of the action" and all words that modify the
doer of the action.
5.
Remove all the modifiers from the complete subject. What is left is the simple
subject.
So we remove the adjectives "the" and "young." The simple subject is the noun "lady."
Multiple Subjects
Sentences may have more than one set of subjects and verbs.
Sentence:
"I grew more disappointed as the hours went by."
We'll follow the steps we outlined in the sentence above, but we'll condense them.
1.
Identify the first verb.
2.
3.
4.
We identify the verb "grew."
Question: Who or what "grew"?
Answer: "I" grew.
The answer, "I," is the subject. And because "I" has no modifiers, "I" is both the
complete subject and the simple subject.
Thus, "I" is the simple subject; and "grew" is the complete verb.
We've identified one verb, "grew," in this sentence; and we've matched "grew" to its
subject, "I."
We keep reading to ensure that every verb in the sentence is identified.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the next verb.
We identify the verb "went."
Question: Who or what "went"?
Answer: "hours" went.
The answer, "hours," is the second simple subject.
And "went" is the second complete verb.
We keep reading, and we find there are no more verbs.
We've finished matching subjects and verbs; we have two sets:
Set 1: Subject "I" and verb "grew."
Set 2: Subject "hours" and verb "went."
You now know how to identify simple verbs and match them to their simple subjects.
Exercises
Read the sentence and then enter the simple subject and its complete verb into the blank.
The answers appear after the last question.
Example: The storm was building furiously.
Answer: storm was building
1. Whistler received 26 centimetres of blinding snow over the weekend.
Answer:
2. All students seem to like Economics 101.
Answer:
3. Concentration is difficult in a noisy environment.
Answer:
4. The car was going through a red light.
Answer:
Read the sentence and then enter the simple subjects and their complete verbs into the
blank.
Example: Mary listened while Mark was giving instructions.
Answer: Mary listened Mark was giving
5. The stadium had filled before the game started.
Answer:
6. The audience stood as the president entered.
Answer:
7. The plane was late because the weather had turned bad.
Answer:
8. The fans screamed as the running back fumbled the ball.
Answer:
9. Some workers sighed in relief as others cheered.
Answer:
10. If Juanita follows this advice, she will win the race.
Answer:
Answers
1, Whistler received. 2, students seem. 3, Concentration is. 4, car was going. 5, stadium had filled game started. 6, audience
stood president entered. 7, plane was weather had turned. 8, fans screamed back fumbled or fans screamed running back
fumbled. 9, workers sighed others cheered. 10, Juanita follows she will win.