NOTES FOR UNIT ONE
Sentences
I.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Types of sentences (Pages 2-3)
Declarative- makes a statement
1. Ends in a period (.)
2. Example: The dog is brown.
Exclamatory- a STRONG feeling
1. Ends in an exclamation point (!)
2. We did it!
3. In proper English, never use more than one exclamation point
for a strong feeling.
Interrogative- a Question
1. Ends in a question mark (?)
2. Did you take my pencil?
Imperative- A command or request
1. Usually ends in a period (can end in an exclamation point)
2. Lock the door. Lock the door!
II. Subject and Predicate (Pages 4-5)
A. Subject-Who or what is the sentence about?
1. Ask yourself questions about the sentence.
2. Example: The book fell on the floor.
a. What fell on the floor?
b. The book-subject
B. Predicate-What is happening to the subject
1. Ask yourself questions about the subject.
2. Example: The book fell on the floor.
a. What is being said about the book?
b. They fell on the floor.-Predicate
III. Simple Subjects and Simple Predicates (Pages 6-7)
A. Complete Subject: All words in subject.
B. Simple Subject: The main word only.
C. Example: My beautiful ruby shines like a star.
1. Ask yourself: What shines like a star? My beautiful ruby.
2. What is the main word (noun) in my beautiful ruby?
(ruby is the simple subject)
D. Complete Predicates: All the words in the predicate
E. Simple Predicate: The main word(s) (verb)
F. Example: The smooth surface reflects the light.
1. Ask yourself: What is happening to the smooth surface? It
reflects the light.
2. What is the main word (verb) in reflects the light? (reflects
is the simple predicate.)
G. Sometimes the subject HIDES from you.
1. Imperative sentences: Simple predicate is usually the first
word; (You) is the simple subject.
-example: Run! (What is the subject? It is you! The
sentence could read You run! But that isn’t how we
speak or write. We leave out the word you, but everyone
knows it is there-hiding!)
2. There is/Here is sentences: Subject is at the end.
-example: There are many kinds of rocks.
H. Interrogative sentences: simple predicate is divided.
-example: Did you practice yesterday?
IV. Compound Subjects and Predicates (Pages 8-9)
A. Compound subjects: 2 or more simple subjects with the same predicate.
B. Example:
Bob loves the fall leaves.
Anne loves the fall leaves.
Bob and Anne love the fall leaves.
C. Compound Predicate: 2 or more simple predicates with the same subject.
D. Example:
Mitch loves the thunder.
Mitch hates the lightning.
Mitch loves the thunder but hates the lightning.
E. Compounds can be joined with:
1. Coordinating conjunctions: but, and, or
2. Correlative conjunctions: either…or, neither…nor,
both…and, not only…but also.
V. Compound Sentences (Pages 10-11)
A. Most sentences are simple and have one subject and one predicate.
1. Some simple sentences have a compound subject or predicate.
2. ONE complete thought- simple sentence.
3. Example: Amy went to the doctor. This is ONE complete thought.
B. Compound Sentences: Have MORE than ONE complete thought.
1. Joins two or more simple sentences together.
2. Uses a comma and a conjunction (OR)
3. Uses a semicolon without a conjunction
4. Examples:
-Amy went to the doctor, but Chris didn’t go with her.
(OR)
-Amy went to the doctor; Chris didn’t go with her.
VI. Correcting Fragments and Run-Ons (Pages 12-13)
A. A Fragment is NOT a complete thought.
1. Examples: Built a monument to his wife. Babe Ruth. Correct by
adding the missing part.
-Babe Ruth was a famous ballplayer.
-Ramses II built a monument to his wife.
3. Sometimes fragments are fine for emphasis, exclamations, or
informal dialogue
B. Run-ons are sentences that run together.
1. Example: Babe Ruth was a famous baseball player he was really
strong and he had many records over the years that have stood the
test of time and when I make it to the major leagues I am going to
hit just like my hero Babe Ruth or maybe I will hit like Ryan
Theriot who is also one of my favorite baseball players.
2. Correct it by dividing the sentence up, combining sentences and/or
making some compound sentences.
- Babe Ruth was a famous baseball player. He was really strong
and held many records that have stood the test of time. When I
make it to the major leagues, I am going to hit just like my hero,
Babe Ruth. However, I could hit like Ryan Theriot, who is also
one of my favorite baseball players
VII. Mechanics: Punctuating Sentences (Pages 14-15)
A. Punctuation marks help make the meaning of a sentence clear. They are
like road signs on a highway.
B. Some punctuation marks:
1. Period: says “STOP HERE.”
-Imagine how confusing life would be everything would run
together we wouldn’t know where one idea stopped and another
started in all likelihood before long we would go completely
nuts
2. Question marks: A period with a special mission…to ask a
question.
3. Exclamation marks: A period with a special mission…to make
something more dramatic.
4. Commas: Say “SLOW DOWN!”
a. Think of a comma as a pause to take a breath.
b. There are more rules about commas than ANY other mark
of punctuation.
c. When we talk about them with sentences, they usually
separate two thoughts and are used with a conjunction.
5. Semicolons: When combining sentences, says “I do the same thing
as a comma…but I am too cool for a conjunction.