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Grammar Warm-Up Directions
Step 1:
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Write today's date and copy the sentence exactly as it is written on the board.
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Underneath each word, label the parts of speech (type of noun, type of verb,
type of modifier, preposition, conjunction, pronoun, etc)
Be sure to remember:
1. Types of verbs: action verbs (you can do), linking verbs (link or join
words/ideas, helping or auxiliary verbs (help the main verb).
2. Types of modifiers: adjectives (describe nouns), adverbs (describe verbs,
adjectives, adverbs), possessive pronouns (show ownership).
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Step 2:
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Step 3:
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Underneath the parts of speech, label the parts of the sentence (subject,
predicate, direct object, indirect object, predicate nominative, predicate
adjective, etc).
Be sure to remember:
1. Direct objects and indirect objects only go with action verbs, and
they are not always in a sentence. Direct objects answer "what"
with the verb, and indirect objects answer "who/whom" with the
verb
 Ex: I gave my mother flowers.
Flowers is the direct object, and mother is the indirect object.
2. Predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives only go with
linking verbs. A predicate nominative is when the subject is linked
to another noun
 Ex: Jon is a basketball player.
A predicate adjective is when the subject is linked to an adjective.
 Ex: Jon is very nice.
3. You will sometimes find compound subjects, compound
predicates, or multiple subjects/predicates if you have a compound
or complex sentence.
Underneath the parts of the sentence, label the phrases in the sentence.
You will need to search for 3 types of phrases:
1. Prepositional Phrases: A prepositional phrase must start with a
preposition and end with a noun, which is the object of the preposition.
You should have labeled all prepositions during step 1.
 Ex: Alex ran into the school and grabbed his bag.
2. Appositive Phrases: An appositive is a noun that describes another
noun or pronoun that stands for the same person, place or thing.
The appositive will always be located directly behind the noun it
describes.
 Ex. We students have decided to plan a dance.
3. Verbal Phrases: A verbal phrase has a word that looks like a verb,
but is not being used as a verb in the sentence. There are 3 types of
verbal phrases.
 Gerunds: Use "ing" verbs as nouns. Ex: Swimming is fun.
 Infinitives: Use "to + verb" as a noun. Ex: To swim is fun.
 Participles: Use "ing" or "ed" verbs as adjectives.
Ex: napping cat, parked car, screaming child
Step 4:
Step 5:
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Underneath the phrases, label the clauses in the sentence.
There are 3 parts to this step:
1. Determine the independent and dependent (or subordinate) clauses
of the sentence. An independent clause makes complete sense
alone. A dependent (or subordinate) clause does not make sense by
alone; it must be connected to an independent clause.
Ex. Erica found a secret message in her locker, but threw it away.
Independent
Subordinate
2. Determine if the sentence is simple, compound, complex, or
compound/complex. A simple sentence is just one independent
clause. A compound sentence has two independent clauses usually
joined with a comma and a conjunction. A complex sentence has
one independent clause and one dependent clause usually joined by
a comma and a conjunction. A compound/complex sentence has
two independent clauses and one dependent clause.
Ex. Erica found a secret message. - simple
Ex. Erica found a secret message, but she threw it away. - compound
Ex. When Erica found the message, she threw it away. - complex
Ex. When Erica found the message, she threw it away, but she dug
it out of the trashcan later that day. - compound/complex
3. Determine the type of sentence. A declarative sentence is the most
common type of sentence; it is a statement of fact or opinion that ends
with a period. An imperative sentence is a command that does not have a
directly stated subject. An exclamatory sentence expresses strong emotion
or excitement and ends with an exclamation point. An interrogative
sentence is a question that will end with a question mark.
Ex. We need to going shopping today after school. - declarative
Ex. Please come into the classroom and sit down. - imperative
Ex. I am so excited for the fieldtrip! - exclamatory
Ex. When is the assignment due for history? - interrogative
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Diagram the sentence. Diagrams differ depending on the sentence.
Ex: