Subjects And Verbs

Front 1

For each of the following sentences, identify the subject. (flip for definition)

Back 1

The noun or pronoun that names what the sentence is about is called the SUBJECT.

Front 2

Lamps light up dark rooms.

Back 2

Lamps

Front 3

Exercises can cause soreness.

Back 3

Exercises

Front 4

Technology often causes more problems than it’s worth.

Back 4

Technology

Front 5

The burst of fireworks light up the sky.

Back 5

burst

*Fireworks cannot be the subject of the sentence because it is in the prepositional phrase. It is a noun, but it is the OP, so it cannot be the subject of the sentence.

Front 6

The book with the dusty cover looks interesting.

Back 6

book

Front 7

The ball near the fence is my favorite.

Back 7

ball

Front 8

Why did the sun rise so early today?

Back 8

sun

*In questions, the subject is not usually the first word in the sentence.

Front 9

Did Helen really see the concert live?

What is the subject in this sentence?

Back 9

Helen

Front 10

For each of the following sentences, identify the entire subject noun phrase. (flip for definition)

Back 10

Although the subject can stand alone as in the first examples, more often, the subject is located within a NOUN PHRASE that includes the subject and the extra words, called modifiers, or prep phrases that describe the subject.

A simple way to find the entire noun phrase that contains the subject is to test whether you can replace the noun phrases with a pronoun, like he, she, it, or they.

Front 11

A frog can jump.

Back 11

a frog

Front 12

Several young children played outside.

Back 12

several young children

Front 13

The burst of fireworks light up the sky.

Back 13

The burst of fireworks

Front 14

The book with the dusty cover looks interesting.

Back 14

The book with the dust cover

Front 15

The ball near the fence is my favorite.

Back 15

The ball near the fence

Front 16

For each of the following sentences, identify the verb. (flip for definition)

Back 16

In addition to the subject, each sentence must have a VERB to be complete, which tells what the subject is doing or what it is like. Most often, these verbs show action of some kind.

Front 17

The little girl mumbled.

Back 17

mumbled

Front 18

Mischievous little boys lie.

Back 18

lie

Front 19

You carried my books.

Back 19

carried

Front 20

Sentences contain verbs.

Back 20

contain

Front 21

Infatuation breeds love sometimes.

Back 21

breeds

Front 22

Yesterday, I ran around the mailbox.

Back 22

ran

*Since prep phrases contain only prepositions, nouns, and their modifiers, you will never find your verb within a prepositional phrase.

Front 23

CPR training classes always occur on Tuesdays.

Back 23

occur

Front 24

For each of the following sentences, identify the skeleton (the subject and the verb) of the sentence. (flip for definition)

Back 24

Together, the subject and verb communicate the most basic, most important meaning of the sentence even without their modifiers (other words and prep phrases). That's why we call the subject and the verb the SKELETON, meaning basic framework or bare bones, of a simple sentence.

When identifying the subject and verb, or skeleton, of a sentence, first eliminate any prepositional phrases since subjects and verbs are never in them. Then, it is usually easier to identify the verb first and then ask yourself, “who or what is doing this?”

The skeleton of a sentence will sound like the caveman translation of a sentence: it will still have meaning, but sound primitive.

Front 25

The strong animal kicked behind him.

Back 25

Animal kicked

Front 26

My sister spoke during the ceremony last night.

Back 26

Sister spoke

Front 27

Stay within the boundaries of the property.

Back 27

(You) stay

*This sentence does not have a written subject because it is a command. Commands are addressed to the listener, to the unspoken subject “you,” so when asked to identify the subject and verb of a command or request sentence, indicate the subject by putting “you” in parentheses, like this:

(You) stay

Front 28

Please write with black ink for the next assignment.

Back 28

(You) write

Front 29

Trust in your instincts.

Back 29

(You) trust

Front 30

That calculator works without any batteries.

Back 30

Calculator works

Front 31

You should eat that pasta.

Back 31

you should eat

*Should is a HELPING VERB. Helping verbs help express some verb meanings more precisely. Helping verbs don’t have any meaning by themselves, only with verbs. They are included as part of the verb. These words are always helping verbs:

may can will shall
might could would should
must

Front 32

She could settle our argument.

Back 32

she could settle

Front 33

The driver should have watched the road.

Back 33

driver should have watched

*Other words can also be helping verbs if they come before the main verb in a sentence. If a verb stands alone, it is the main verb. These verbs that can be helping or main include the following:

Be (is, am, are, was, were, been, being)
Have (has, had)
Do (does, did)

Front 34

Her grades are improving.

Back 34

grades are improving

Front 35

Her grades are satisfactory.

Back 35

grades are

Front 36

He has run faster than that.

Back 36

he has run

Front 37

He has a fast time for the mile run.

Back 37

he has

Front 38

We did our homework all last night.

Back 38

we did

Front 39

We did finish our homework.

Back 39

we did finish

Front 40

The driver should have watched the road.

Back 40

driver should have watched

Front 41

He might have been crying all night.

Back 41

he might have been crying

Front 42

Companies should treat customers better.

Back 42

companies should treat

Front 43

You may eat one piece of cake.

Back 43

you may eat

Front 44

She must have seen me.

Back 44

she must have seen me

Front 45

Does she know the answer?

Back 45

she does know

*In questions, the subject comes between a helping verb and the main verb.

*To find the subject and verb in questions, rearrange their order in your mind to make it sound like a statement rather than a question.

Front 46

Can you fulfill all your requirements?

Back 46

you can fulfill

Front 47

Shall we go for a walk today?

Back 47

we shall go

Front 48

Do you understand my dilemma?

Back 48

you do understand

Front 49

Have they seen that movie before?

Back 49

they have seen

Front 50

Should those students have lied to the teacher?

Back 50

students should have lied

Front 51

Would you enjoy this dinner also?

Back 51

You would enjoy

Front 52

Will you have presented your speech by then?

Back 52

You will have presented

Front 53

Did you give your mother her present?

Back 53

You did give

Front 54

We have never been so happy in our lives.

Back 54

We have been

Front 55

Will you lend me your pencil?

Back 55

You will lend

Front 56

Without help, this task intimidates me.

Back 56

Task intimidates

Front 57

He is working all day tomorrow.

Back 57

He is working

Front 58

His dog will soon find his bone.

Back 58

Dog will find

*Soon is not part of the verb. It is a modifier that comes between the subject and the verb or between a helping verb and a main verb.

*Some common verb modifiers to watch out for include not, never, always, sometimes, almost.

Front 59

Hasn’t he cleaned his room yet?

Back 59

He has cleaned

Front 60

Shirley graciously invited Ed to the party.

Back 60

Shirley invited.

Front 61

Walk carefully up the stairs to the attic.

Back 61

(You) walk

Front 62

In his younger days, he might have seen a fish.

Back 62

He might have seen

Front 63

The meetings are arranged by the professor.

Back 63

Meetings are arranged

Front 64

I cannot attend because of a prior commitment.

Back 64

I can attend

Front 65

Do not conceal any important information.

Back 65

(you) do conceal

Front 66

The tissue box is empty.

Back 66

Box is

Front 67

Golden candlesticks with dripping wax can burn hands easily.

Back 67

Candlesticks can burn

Front 68

The head of the department grades his essays harshly.

Back 68

Head grades