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Grammar Guide to Sentences
The Sentence
-A sentence is a group or groups of words called clauses that express a complete thought.
-A sentence is made up of two parts – the subject and the predicate.
-A sentence must contain a verb.
Types of Sentences by Purpose
-A declarative sentence makes assertions or expresses ideas without expecting a reply.
-An imperative sentence gives a command or makes a request.
-An interrogative sentence asks a question.
-An exclamatory sentence expresses strong feeling.
The Subject
-The subject of a sentence is the person(s), place(s), or thing(s) (and its/their modifiers):
-about which information is conveyed.
-to which action is attributed.
-that is commanded.
-from or about which information is requested.
-The subject is never a prepositional phrase, though it may contain prepositional phrases.
-The simple subject is the word or group of words in the complete subject that indicates the
person(s), place(s) or thing(s).
-A compound subject consists of two or more subjects joined by a conjunction.
The Predicate
-The predicate is that part of a sentence that says something about the subject.
-The simple predicate is the main word or group of words within the complete predicate that
indicate the action or purpose of the sentence.
-The simple predicate is always a verb.
-A compound predicate consists of two or more simple predicates joined by a conjunction.
The Complement
-A complement completes the meaning begun by the subject and the predicate
Examples:
The clothes look clean.
He may become an engineer.
-The complement is never a prepositional phrase.
The Subject Complement
-The subject complement is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows a linking verb.
-A predicate nominative is a subject complement that is a noun or pronoun that explains or
identifies the subject of the sentence.
-A predicate adjective is a subject complement that is an adjective that modifies the subject of the
sentence.
The Object of a Sentence
-Objects of a sentence are complements that do not refer to the subject.
-The direct object is a noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb. It answers the
question “What?” or “Whom?” after a transitive verb.
Example:
Mother brought me a steak.
-The indirect object is a noun or a pronoun that precedes the direct object and tells “to
whom/what” or “for whom/what” the action verb is done.
Example:
Mother brought me a steak.
-The objective complement is a noun or adjective that renames the direct object as a result of the
action of the sentence.
Example: Sarah painted her room pink.
Grammar Guide to Sentences
Diagram Structures for Basic Sentences
Basic Sentence
Compound Subject
Subject
Predicate
Compound Predicate
Subject Complement (Predicate Nominative or Predicate Adjective)
Direct Object
Indirect Object (N.B. The Indirect Object will almost never appear without a Direct Object)
Objective Complement (N.B. The Objective Complement will never appear without a Direct Object)
Grammar Guide to Sentences
Basic Modifiers
-Basic modifiers are single adjectives or adverbs that describe a word in the sentence
-adjectives tell what kind, which one, how many, or how much
-adverbs tell where, when, in what way, or to what extent
-Articles are usually treated as adjectives, but may sometimes act as adverbs
-Possessive nouns are treated as adjectives
-A basic modifier will usually appear directly adjacent to the word it is describing
-A compound modifier consists of two or more modifiers joined by a conjunction
Phrases
-Phrases are groups of words that are not clauses that act as a part of speech in a sentence
-A phrases is classified by the part of speech it represents and the dominant word in the phrase
(e.g. adjective phrases act as adjectives and prepositional phrases contain a preposition)
Verb Phrases
-Verb phrases are groups of words that act as a single verb, which is usually the simple predicate
-The component words of a verbal phrase are the verb (usually an action verb) and its helping verb
or verbs
Example:
Jim and his brother will be leaving tonight.
-Modifiers are not considered part of the verb phrase but may appear between the verb and its
helping verb or verbs
Example:
Jim will definitely not be leaving tonight
-Other words that are not part of the verb phrase may also separate a verb from the other verbs in
the phrase; this is especially true of sentences that are questions
Example:
Will Jim and his brother be leaving tonight?
Prepositional Phrases
-Prepositional phrases are groups of words that start with a preposition and act as a modifier
-The component words of a prepositional phrase are the preposition that starts the phrase, the
noun, pronoun, or phrase acting as a noun that ends the prepositional phrase, and any relevant
modifiers (e.g. adjectives, adverbs, or phrases that act as adjectives or adverbs)
-Prepositional phrases act as adjectives or adverbs
Example:
Adjective:
The painting on the wall is nice.
Example:
Adverb:
His initials were carved in the tree.
-The noun that ends the prepositional phrase is called the object of the preposition
Example:
on the car
-A compound object of a preposition consists of two or more objects joined by a conjunction
Appositive Phrases
-Appositive phrases are groups of words that contain an appositive and act as a noun that renames,
explains, or identifies a noun or pronoun that appears earlier in the sentence
-Appositive phrases are usually set off by commas
-The component words of an appositive phrase are the appositive (the noun that actually renames,
explains, or identifies the prior noun or pronoun) and its modifiers
Example:
Carl, the group’s ringleader, escaped the police.
Grammar Guide to Sentences
Diagram Structures for Sentences with Modifiers and/or Basic Phrases
Basic Sentence
Subject Modifier (adjective)
Predicate Modifier (adverb)
Modifier Modifying a Modifier
Verb Phrase
Basic Prepositional Phrase
Compound Modifier
Verb Phrase With a Modifier
Prepositional Phrase
With a Modifier
Prepositional Phrase Modifying
a Modifier
Appositive
(
)
Appositive Phrase
(
)