BUILDing paragraphs from the sentence An LSCC Learning Center Self-Paced Tutorial UP

BUILDing paragraphs from the sentence

An LSCC Learning Center Self-Paced

Tutorial

UP

Subjects & Verbs

The building blocks for complete sentences!

What is a complete sentence?

States a complete thought Will contain (at least) a subject and a verb Normal order: subject, verb

The dog ran away. Bob asked Mary out on a date. I like pizza.

Helpful hint….start with the verb! Action verbs vs. linking verbs

Action Verbs

Indicate action on the part of the subject Examples:

Two cars crashed on the highway. Rachel cooked dinner. Mark sleeps late on Saturdays.

Which words indicate action? crashed, cooked, sleeps

Exercise: find the action verbs

1. In his spare time, my Uncle Joe tends the community vegetable garden.

2. Early in the morning, he pulls the weeds between the rows of vegetables.

3. Often this task takes him a half an hour or more.

4. He also monitors the irrigation system every day.

Exercise: find the action verbs

1. Uncle Joe knows from experience the dangers of overwatering.

2. One year, one whole section of the garden died from excess water.

3. On his day off during the week, Joe also loosens the dirt from around the plants.

4. Year after year, Uncle Joe’s efforts pay off in the form of an abundance of produce.

Answers: find the action verbs

• In his spare time, my Uncle Joe tends the community vegetable garden.

• Early in the morning, he pulls the weeds between the rows of vegetables.

• Often this task takes him a half an hour or more.• He also monitors the irrigation system every day.• Uncle Joe knows from experience the dangers of overwatering.• One year, one whole section of the garden died from excess water.• On his day off during the week, Joe also loosens the dirt from around

the plants.• Year after year, Uncle Joe’s efforts pay off in the form of an

abundance of produce.

Using action verbs

On a sheet of paper write FIVE sentences using FIVE action verbs from the following list:

Talk Run Think Write Drive

Wonder Laugh Imagine Paint Read

Ask Consider Call Visit Cook

Linking Verbs

While all verbs fall into the “action word” definition, some serve as connectors between the subject and some further information about the subject

We call these “linking verbs” Most common is “to be,” but many sensory action

verbs serve as linking verbs from time to time as well:

Appear Feel Look Sound

Become Grow Seem Taste

Linking Verb Samples

Mothers are often chauffeurs as well. Reading is fundamental. Holly seems sick today. The runners might have been winners in the

race. The teachers were our bearers of knowledge. In 2000, George Bush became the President.

Identify the linking verbs

1. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a serious problem for some children.

2. This preventable syndrome is a result of a mother’s alcohol intake during pregnancy.

3. The effects of the syndrome are devastating.

4. From the moment of their birth, babies with fetal alcohol syndrome are behind their peers in every mark of development.


1. For example, children with fetal alcohol syndrome are smaller and thinner than most kids their age.

2. As a result of physical weaknesses, they are frequent victims of viruses and other communicable diseases.

3. In school, children with fetal alcohol syndrome are almost always far behind their peers.

4. Leaning, especially with higher level skills like reading and mathematical computation, is extremely difficult for them.


1. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a serious problem for some children.2. This preventable syndrome is a result of a mother’s alcohol

intake during pregnancy.3. The effects of the syndrome are devastating.4. From the moment of their birth, babies with fetal alcohol

syndrome are behind their peers in every mark of development.5. For example, children with fetal alcohol syndrome are smaller

and thinner than most kids their age.6. As a result of physical weaknesses, they are frequent victims of

viruses and other communicable diseases. 7. In school, children with fetal alcohol syndrome are almost

always far behind their peers.8. Leaning, especially with higher level skills like reading and

mathematical computation, is extremely difficult for them.

Choosing verbs

Proofread your paragraphs and choose verbs that sound right and make sense

Use both action and linking verbs to vary the style and sense of your writing.

Finding Subjects

Once you find the verb, find who or what is doing it in order to find the subject.

Subjects will be nouns or pronouns Examples:

Two cars crashed on the highway. Rachel cooked dinner. Mark sleeps late on Saturdays. He likes to stay up late Friday nights.

Identify subjects & verbs First identify the verbs; then identify the subjects in the

following sentences:1. In the last few years, meditation has become increasingly

popular in the United States.

2. People from many walks of life now meditate on a daily basis.

3. Regular meditation offers a number of benefits.

4. This ancient practice improves overall health, including circulation and respiration.

5. As a result, meditators enjoy a higher overall level of energy.

6. Also meditation is a sage stress reliever.

7. According to some research findings, blood pressure goes down after only fifteen minutes of meditation a day.

Identify subjects & verbs First identify the verbs:

1. In the last few years, meditation has become increasingly popular in the United States.





6. Also meditation is a safe stress reliever.


Identify subjects & verbs Identify the subjects in the following sentences:

1. In the last few years, meditation has become increasingly popular in the United States.





6. Also meditation is a safe stress reliever.


Prepositional Phrases & Subjects

Remember, the simple subject might be supplemented by a prepositional phrase and/or accompanied by descriptive adjectives

Don’t let that fool you in locating the subject. Examples:

The faded, blurry photos on the bookcase are family heirlooms.

Adjectives: faded, blurry Prepositional phrase: on the bookcase

The most powerful laptop computer in those catalogs costs more than $3,000.

Adjectives: most powerful laptop Prepositional phrase: in those catalogs

Verb Phrases and Compound Verbs

Verb phrases: When you combine the verbs be, have, & do as

helping verbs with another verb:

Examples: I am going to run to the store later.

We should dance on Saturday.

Tommy has seen the error of his ways

Verb Phrases and Compound Verbs

Compound verbs: When the subject is performing more than one

action

Examples:

Ted fishes, swims, and collects stamps. The doctor operated on Mark and consulted

with Tammy.

Getting the whole verb

Identify the entire verb in the following:

1. I have been coaching a softball team of 9- to 12-year old girls for the past two years.

2. This season, the kids played hard and won all but two regular season games.

3. Katrina, the youngest girl on the team, pitched and hit better than anybody else.

4. She also showed great leadership and demonstrated good sportsmanship throughout the season.


1. She always cheered or encouraged her teammates, even following occasional bad plays.

2. During the playoffs, Katrina and the other girls concentrated and played even better.

3. For the championship game, they were determined to play at the same level.

4. By the end of the second inning in this game, they had already scored seven runs, ultimately celebrating a 7 to 0 championship victory.



1. I have been coaching a softball team of 9- to 12-year old girls for the past two years.

2. This season, the kids played hard and won all but two regular season games.

3. Katrina, the youngest girl on the team, pitched and hit better than anybody else.

4. She also showed great leadership and demonstrated good sportsmanship throughout the season.



• She always cheered or encouraged her teammates, even following occasional bad plays.

• During the playoffs, Katrina and the other girls concentrated and played even better.

• For the championship game, they were determined to play at the same level.

• By the end of the second inning in this game, they had already scored seven runs, ultimately celebrating a 7 to 0 championship victory.

Compound Subjects

When you have two or more nouns or pronouns joined with and or or, you have a compound subject

Examples: John and Mary went sailing. Apples, oranges, and bananas are all fruits. Rachel or Janet will show up first. Dogs, cats, or fish make excellent pets for

children.

Compound Subjects Identify the subjects:

1. Shelley and Shannon are identical twins with toally different personalities.

1. At first glance, their eyes, the shape of their faces, and their lips look almost identical.

1. In addition, their speaking voices and their laughs seem exactly the same.

1. But, their smiles and some facial

expressions are quite different.

Compound Subjects

Identify the subjects:

1. Also, their interests and attitudes are completely different.

2. Sports, dancing, and music fascinate Shelley.

3. She and her friends regularly go to sporting events and dance clubs, especially on karaoke nights.

4. For Shannon, however, books, movies, and politics are her main interests.

Compound Subjects Identify the subjects:

1. Shelley and Shannon are identical twins with totally different personalities.

2. At first glance, their eyes, the shape of their faces, and their lips look almost identical.

3. In addition, their speaking voices and their laughs seem exactly the same.

4. But, their smiles and some facial expressions are quite different.

5. Also, their interests and attitudes are completely different.

6. Sports, dancing, and music fascinate Shelley.

7. She and her friends regularly go to sporting events and dance clubs, especially on karaoke nights.

8. For Shannon, however, books, movies, and politics are her main interests.

And now, it’s your turn

Save all prewriting and drafts to turn in with your final assignments

See the Learning Center for further instruction

Thanks to Jacklyn Pierce for sharing this instructional Power Point with us

Documents

BUILDing paragraphs from the sentence An LSCC Learning Center Self-Paced Tutorial UP