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Subject and Predicate
A sentence is made up of one or more words that express a complete thought.
A sentence begins with a capital letter; it ends with a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point.
A sentence contains a subject and a predicate.
Subject: who or what does the action in the sentence. The subject is always a noun or a word or phrase that functions as
a noun.
Predicate: contains the verb and is the part of the sentence that says something about the subject.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Complete Subjects and Complete Predicates
A complete subject is the subject with all of its modifiers.
Most of the students went on vacation over the long weekend.
A complete predicate is the verb with all of its modifiers.
Most of the students went on vacation over the long weekend.
Write the sentence on your own paper and then draw a line between the complete subject and the complete
predicate in the following sentences.
1. “The Necklace” takes place in Paris in the second half of the 19th century.
2. The main character of “The Necklace,” Mne. Loisel, is an unhappy person.
3. She dreams of living a sumptuous and luxurious life.
4. Mme. Loisel and her husband receive an invitation to a party at the home of the Minister of Education.
5. Her drab clothing depresses Mme. Loisel.
6. She gets a new dress and borrows a diamond necklace from her friend.
7. Unfortunately, the necklace disappears at some point during the evening.
8. Their only option is to replace the necklace.
9. Mme. Loisel subjects herself to a grueling ten years of poverty in order to pay off the debt.
10. She makes the shocking discovery that the necklace was an imitation.
Simple Subject and Simple Predicate
A simple subject is the subject without its modifiers.
Most of the students went on vacation over the long weekend.
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A simple predicate is the verb without its modifiers.
Most of the students went on vacation over the long weekend.
Write the sentence on your own paper and then underline the simple subject once. Underline the simple predicate
twice.
1. Mama sings sometimes.
2. We rode all night.
3. She started crying right then and there.
4. Melissa is Jessie’s daughter.
5. Finally Mama found a midnight blue dress for me to wear.
6. People in the family carried Life Savers around in their pockets.
7. Diabetes runs in my mother’s family.
8. Cousin Roy couldn’t have picked a better person to tell it to than Mama.
9. Daddy always shines my shoes.
10. Travis is looking at me intently.
Compound Subjects and Predicates
A compound subject is composed of two or more simple subjects.
Most of the students and teachers went on vacation over the long weekend.
A compound predicate is composed of two or more simple predicates.
Most of the students and teachers went on vacation and relaxed over the long weekend.
Write the sentence on your own paper and then underline the compound subject once and the compound predicate
twice (do not underline any conjunctions or modifiers). Cross out prepositional phrases.
1. Companies and corporations sell shares to stockholders.
2. Stocks usually increase or decrease in value over time.
3. Profits and losses by a company affect its stock’s value.
4. Good times and good management increase a stock’s value.
5. Bad management hurts or sometimes destroys a company.
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6. Stockbrokers check prices and made trades for buyers.
7. Millionaires and ordinary people trade stocks worth million dollars.
8. The NYSE and NASDAQ are two stock exchanges in the United States.
9. Prosperity and rising prices bring about a bull market.
10.Stockholders sometimes gain and sometimes lose money.
Subject Complements
Linking Verbs—such as be, appear, become, feel, grow, seem, smell, sound, and taste—always need a subject
complement to complete their meaning in a sentence.
There are two kinds of complements: predicate nominatives (nouns that follow linking verbs) and predicate adjectives
(adjectives that follow linking verbs).
Predicate nominatives rename, identify, or refer to the subject of the sentence.
They are either predicate nouns or predicate pronouns.
Those people are tourists. (predicate noun)
This magazine is mine. (predicate pronoun)
Predicate adjectives modify the subject of a sentence.
The food is spicy. (predicate adjective)
Predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives can be compound.
Those people are tourists and explorers. (compound predicate nominative)
The food is spicy and hot. (compound predicate adjective)
In the following sentences, write the sentence on your own paper and then underline subject once and the verb twice.
Cross out the prepositional phrases.
Circle the subject complements, labeling predicate nominatives PN and predicate adjectives PA.
1. The author W. D. Wetherell has been a magazine editor and a teacher.
2. The main character of his story “The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant” is vulnerable and familiar.
3. Sheila Mant is an older girl who seems inaccessible.
4. Sheila is indifferent to what is important to him.
5.
When he finally asks her out, she seems surprised but agreeable
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Sentence Fragments and Run-on Sentences
A sentence is a group of words that names something and makes a statement about what is named.
A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence because it lacks a subject, lacks a verb, or is a dependent clause.
Fragments usually begin with a subordinate conjunction or a relative pronoun. When sentences begin with subordinate
conjunctions or relative pronouns, they must be joined to a main clause.
Fragments: Although he wanted to go to the meeting.
Whoever goes to the meeting.
Complete sentences: Although he wanted to go to the meeting, his doctor advised him to stay home.
Whoever goes to the meeting should bring back handouts for the rest of the group.
Subordinate Conjunctions: after, although, as, as if, as though, because, before, except, if, since, though, unless, until,
when, whereas
Relative Pronouns: that, what, whatever, which, who, whoever, whom, whose
Sentence Fragment Practice: Write the sentence on your own paper and then Place a ( S ) in the left hand column if the
sentence is actually a fragment.
___ 1. While they were gone to the grocery store.
___ 2. Going to Florida and to Jamaica for Spring Break.
___ 3. Before the children have to go to bed.
___ 4. They are beautiful.
___ 5. Three of us went on the retreat
Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices
Comma Splices
A comma splice occurs when a comma is used to separate two independent clauses.
Run-on Sentences
Run-on sentences are very similar to comma splices. The main difference is that, while comma splices have commas
separating the independent clauses, in run-on sentences there is NO punctuation separating these clauses.
How to Fix Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices
Add a comma and a coordinating conjunction. I thought I heard an intruder, so I reached for my baseball bat.
• Separate the clauses with a semicolon.
I thought I heard an intruder; I reached for my baseball bat.
• Create two sentences.
I thought I heart an intruder. I reached for my baseball bat.
• Make one subordinate (dependent) clause.
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Because I thought I heard an intruder, I reached for my baseball bat.
• Combine clauses into one.
I thought I heard an intruder and reached for my baseball bat.
Fragments & Run-ons
Add the correct punctuation and/or words to the following sentences to correct them.
1. While keeping pets is fun. It is also a big responsibility.
2. Pets can cause problems. Jumping up and down and scratching furniture.
3. The field trip to the zoo has been cancelled. Because all of the children are sick today.
4. Ms. Webster, our English teacher, was very cool. Allowing the paper to be handed in late.
5. We had a feast for dinner. After the roast was cooked.
6. The choir sang Christmas carols. The entire evening.
7. Jackie enjoys baking and eating desserts. Especially chocolate cake.
8. We could not finish rehearsing. Since we were completely out of time.
9. The team went out for pizza to celebrate. Having won the championship.
10. We aced the test. Because we studied all night.
Mark C for a complete sentence, and mark F for a fragment. Make the fragments into complete sentences by adding
a subject, a verb, or both, and a period at the end.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
_____I was late for class
_____As we wait for the rain to stop
_____When Alex phones
_____She goes to Centennial College
_____Until you eat your vegetables
_____They plan to visit Nova Scotia this summer
_____Ate at a famous restaurant
_____Even though I was tired
_____For example, hockey and skating
_____After she finished her essay
Directions: If the group of words is a complete sentence, write S. If the group of words is a fragment, write F. Add the
correct punctuation and/or words to the following sentences to correct them.
______ 1. Antarctica has the highest average elevation of the seven continents.
______ 2. Because it is too cold.
______ 3. Although scientists and other workers live in Antarctica for about a year at a time.
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______ 4. Examine the ozone layer, sleep patterns, and fish survival in subzero temperatures.
______ 5. Ninety-five percent of Antarctica covered with ice.
______ 6. Even though Antarctica is covered in ice and snow, it can be considered a desert.
______ 7. Antarctica receives only two inches of rain each year.
______ 8. Sometimes winds as high as 200 miles per hour.
______ 9. Many animals in the ocean around Antarctica.
______ 10. Antarctica so isolated that its snow and ice are very pure.
Directions: If the group of words is correct, write C; if it is a run-on, write R. Revise each run-on sentence by (1)
making it two separate sentences or (2) using a comma and a coordinating conjunction or (3) adding a semicolon.
______ 1. Brown bears include the grizzly and the kodiak, the largest brown bear is the kodiak.
______ 2. Kodiak bears weigh as much as 1,700 pounds, they grow to a height of ten feet.
______ 3. Bears can live more than 30 years in the wild.
______ 4. Bears’ sense of smell is more developed than their hearing or sight.
______ 5. Females give birth to as many as four cubs, the cubs stay with their mother two or three years.
______ 6. Many people are afraid of bears, encounters with bears are actually infrequent.
______ 7. Grizzly bears are solitary animals, they do not want to interact with people.
______ 8. Generally, bears attack only when they are surprised, or when they are protecting their young.
______ 9. People should always store food and garbage properly, bears could be attracted by the smell.
______ 10. Never try to outrun a bear, it can run more than 30 miles per hour.
Correct the comma splices and run-on sentences in the following paragraph.
Americans use more energy per person than any other people in the world. We have only 6 percent of the world’s
population, however, we use about one-third of all the energy consumed on this globe. Our total national energy cost in
1975 amounted to about $170 billion, each year our energy needs are steadily rising. Most of the energy we use in the
U.S. comes from crude oil, because domestic production falls short of our needs, we have to import almost half of it.
Expert estimates of our known and potential domestic reserves vary, we probably have somewhere between a 25- to
30-year supply of oil. We must, though, keep our energy-use growth to about 2 percent per year. If we continue using
energy as we have become accustomed to, we could run out of domestic oil supplies in the year 2007, we may run out
of natural gas even sooner. The overall energy situation in the U.S. is not rosy. Energy demands and prices keep going
up, therefore, the availability and future costs of supplies remain uncertain. (1996)
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Sentence Fragments and Run-on Sentence Practice
Select the sentence from each group that is a sentence fragment or a run-on sentence.
1. A. Probably two to three hours, depending on how hard the task is.
B. The test seemed impossible, but I managed to make an A.
C. We went shopping this past weekend.
D. He wanted the blue one.
2. A. When you use the conjunctions and, for, nor, but, or, for, or, yet, so.
B. They promised to be there in time for the reception, but I expect they will be late.
C. There were four in our group.
D. Let's meet at Lucy's house, and remember to bring the soft drinks and popcorn.
3. A. Mr. Smith, along with all of his students, took his place in the auditorium.
B. The girls arrived late and left early; they only intended to make a brief appearance.
C. It is important to spend time studying, however, rest and recreation are also important.
D. The prosecution presented its case so well that it would be a surprise for the jury to return a verdict of not guilty.
4. A. This position requires speaking, writing, and supervising skills.
B. The conversation took place in her office, which was cluttered with papers and books.
C. The activity is brisk in the living room and in the kitchen while people are searching for a place to sit. D. This is not
what I requested the color is too dark, and it's the wrong size.
5. A. After searching through a loose-leaf binder of old homework assignments, he finally found the notes he was
searching for, and he began his intense study marathon.
B. The student entered the professor's office cautiously, and he wondered if the professor--especially someone so
distinguished as to be the department head-- could have any understanding of the stress students face.
C. Then she would be calm.
D. She looked at the cat again, who had been watching her, and the bird, which was chirping outside the window.
6. A. He took the elevator up to the ninth floor; he was just in time for his appointment.
B. She waited a minute before dialing the phone, still wondering if she was making the right decision.
C. The child's mother looked at him disapprovingly; he was wet, and his new clothes were covered in mud.
D. Because there was a policy that only students of the school could check out books from the library.
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7. A. Jane watched for a moment, and then went back to work.
B. The teacher, having prepared the class for their exam.
C. She stood up and put on her jacket and hat.
D. Mary, sitting on the edge of her chair, watched to see the champion baton twirler's fire and knife performance.
8. A. He looked old; his hair and beard were gray.
B. Because the only one in the room besides her was an old gentleman with a fragile hand placed on each knee, whose
eyes were closed as if he were asleep or dead or meditating.
C. Next to the young girl was the boy, still sleeping in the chair, and next to him was an older man, constantly watching
the clock.
D. I like the way Judge Smith runs the courtroom; she has no trouble keeping order.
9. A. His teaching position paid well; nevertheless, his graduate school tuition was a great financial strain.
B. Please don't ask me to read I didn't bring my glasses.
C. We sang until midnight.
D. She had the correct answer.
10. A. Not wanting to appear overly ambitious.
B. Learning to play a musical instrument takes a great deal of time and patience.
C. All of the books on the list appealed to him, but he knew he would only have time to read two during the trip.
D. This is an important presentation for anyone interested in the field.
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