Lesson 96

Parts of the Sentence - Subject/Verb

A simple sentence is a group of words expressing a complete thought, and it must have a subject and a verb (predicate - some grammar books use the word predicate, but I will use verb).  A verb shows action or state of being.  The subject tells who or what about the verb.  When finding the subject and the verb in a sentence, always find the verb first and then say who or what followed by the verb.

Example:
The bell rang.
Find the verb - rang
Who or what rang?
The bell rang, so bell is the subject.
The bell rang.

 
 
 

Some sentences begin with an introductory there.  It is never the subject.  The subject will always come after the verb in such a sentence.  There can also be an adverbAdverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They tell how (manner), when (time), where (place), how much (degree), and why (cause).
Source: Lesson 46.  The introductory there doesn't fit grammatically with the rest of the sentence as we will find most other words do.

To be an introductory there, it must meet these rules:

1. It must be the first word of a sentence. (Sometimes a prepositional phraseA prepositional phrase starts with a preposition, ends with an object, and may have modifiers between the preposition and the object of the preposition.
   Source: Lesson 180 out of its normal order can come before it.)
2. It cannot mean where.
3. It must be with a state of being verbState of being verbs (linking verbs) show that something exists; they do not show action. Some common linking verbs include: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been, seem, look, feel, and become.
   Source: Lesson 2.

 
 
 

Example:
There is some food in the refrigerator.
Find the verb - is
Who or what is?
The food is, so food is the subject.
There is some food in the refrigerator.

Example:
In the refrigerator there is some food.
(Moving the prepositional phrase does not change the introductory there.)

 
 
 

Instructions: Find the subject and verb in these sentences.

1. There may not be time for an encore.

2. In the mail box, there was no mail.

3. There has been no letter today.

4. There weren't many men at the meeting.

5. In the snow there were many tracks.