Subjects & Predicates
What is a simple subject?
The simple subject is the key noun or pronoun that tells what the sentence is about.
What is a common noun?
A common noun names a general class of people, places, things, or ideas.
What is an action verb?
An action verb tells what someone or something does.
What is a pronoun?
A pronoun takes the place of a noun, a group of words acting as a noun, or another pronoun (e.g. she, he, they, etc.)
What is an adjective?
An adjective modifies, or describes, a noun or pronoun by providing more information or giving a specific detail.
The smooth surface of the lake gleamed.
What is a simple predicate?
The simple predicate is the verb or verb phrase that expresses the essential thought about the subject of the sentence.
What is a concrete noun?
A concrete noun names an object that occupies space or that can be recognized by any of the senses.
What is a linking verb?
A linking verb links, or joins, the subject of a sentence with an adjective or nominative.
The trucks were red. (adjective)
She became an excellent swimmer. (nominative)
Give an example of an interrogative pronoun.
Who and whom refer to people. Which and what refer to things.
Whose shows possession.
What is an adverb?
An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Adverbs tell how, where, when, or to what extent.
The cat walked quietly. (how)
Give an example of a compound subject.
Example: The girl and the boy played ball.
What is a collective noun?
A collective noun names a group.
What are the two types of action verbs?
Transitive and intransitive
What is a relative pronoun?
A relative pronoun is used to introduce a subordinate clause.
Relative: The bread that we tasted was whole wheat.
What is an article?
Articles are the adjectives a, an, and the. Articles do not meet the preceding test for adjectives.
Give an example of a compound predicate.
Example:The dog ran and caught the frisbee.
Is a collective noun singular or plural?
Singular.
What is the difference between a transitive and intransitive verb?
A transitive verb is followed by a word or words—called the direct object—that answer the question what? or whom? An intransitive verb is not followed by a direct object
What is an indefinite pronoun?
An indefinite pronoun refers to persons, places, or things in a more general way than a personal pronoun does.
Indefinite: Someone has already told them. Everyone agrees on the answer.
What is a proper adjective?
A proper adjective is formed from a proper noun and begins with a capital letter.
Tricia admired the Scottish sweaters.
Identify the complete subject and the complete predicate.
My neighbor's dog barked all night.
Complete subject: My neighbor's dog
Complete predicate: barked all night
What is a possessive noun?
A possessive noun shows possession, ownership, or the relationship between two nouns.
What is the present progressive verb form?
The present progressive form of a verb names an action or condition that is continuing in the present. The present progressive form of a verb consists of the present form of the helping verb be and the present participle of the main verb.
Example: I am watching.
Use a possessive pronoun to replace a possessive noun. Never use an apostrophe in a possessive personal pronoun.
Their science experiment is just like ours.
What are double negatives?
Avoid double negatives, which are two negative words in the same clause.
INCORRECT: I have not seen no stray cats.
CORRECT: I have not seen any stray cats.