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2.11: Simple Sentences

  • Page ID
    52331
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    Subjects and Verbs

    Identify the subject and verb in each sentence below

    • San Diego has warm weather
    • We live in San Diego County
    • The weather today seems dry
    • Grossmont College is in El Cajon
    • Some students at this college are immigrants

    Answers

    • The subject is "San Diego" and the verb is "has"
    • The subject is "we" and the verb is "live"
    • The subject is "the weather" and the verb is "seems"
    • The subject is "Grossmont College" and the verb is "is"
    • The subject is "some students at this college" and the verb is "are"

    A group of words with a subject and a verb is called a clause. A simple sentence has one clause

    Simple sentences use four patterns:

    • S + V (NP) or (PP) = Subject + verb (noun phrase) (prepositional phrase)
      • EX: San Diego has warm weather
      • EX: We live in San Diego county
    • S + LV + ADJ = Subject + linking verb + adjective
      • EX: The weather today seems dry
    • S + "be" + NP = Subject + "be" + noun phrase
      • EX: Some students at this college are immigrants
    • S + "be" + PP = Subject + "be" + prepositional phrase
      • EX: Grossmont College is in El Cajon

    The part of the sentence or clause with the verb is called the predicate

    • EX: San Diego has warm weather
      • The subject is "San Diego" and the predicate is "has warm weather"
    • EX: We live in El Cajon
      • The subject is "we" and the predicate is "live in El Cajon"

    Verbs can show action or non-action...

    • Action verbs: Jump, read, talk, ask
    • Stative (non-action) verbs: Understand, like, be, seem

    Verbs change form to show time (past, present, and future), aspect, voice, and mood

    Linking verbs are different from other verbs because they may be followed by an adjective. Other verbs may not. They are not the same as stative (non-action) verbs, because most stative verbs cannot be followed by an adjective

    • BAD EX: He owned nice
    • BAD EX: She believed wonderful

    The subject in a linking verb sentence may sometimes be "there" or "it"

    • EX: It seems cold today
    • EX: There are 26 students in this class

    The following sentences are about people and places. Identify the subject, verb or linking verb, noun phrase, adjective, and prepositional phrase. You may find some adverbs, as well...

    • Grossmont College is a community college
    • It is on Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon
    • El Cajon is in East County
    • Most Grossmont students travel to the college by car
    • El Cajon has many attractive features
    • There are libraries, parks, and schools
    • Approximately 100,000 people live here
    • The climate is Mediterranean
    • The weather is usually warm and dry
    • It seems hot today

    Answers

    • The subject is "Grossmont College," the verb or linking verb is "is," the noun phrase is "a community college"
    • The subject is "it," the verb or linking verb is "is," the prepositional phrases are "on Grossmont College Drive" and "in El Cajon"
    • The subject is "El Cajon," the verb or linking verb is "is," the prepositional phrase is "in East County"
    • The subject is "most Grossmont students," the verb or linking verb is "travel," the prepositional phrase is "to the college by car"
    • The subject is "El Cajon," the verb or linking verb is "has," the noun phrase is "many attractive features"
    • The subject is "there," the verb or linking verb is "are," the noun phrase is "libraries, parks, and schools"
    • The subject is "approximately 100,000 people," the verb or linking verb is "live," the noun phrase is "here"
    • The subject is "the climate," the verb or linking verb is "is," the adjective is "Mediterranean"
    • The subject is "the weather," the verb or linking verb is "is," the adjective is "warm and dry"
    • The subject is "it," the verb or linking verb is "seems"

    Video

    Watch this video for another explanation of simple sentences...

    Homework

    Write five simple sentences about a place you know well. Label the parts of each sentence...


    2.11: Simple Sentences is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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