Chapter 3 Subjects and Verbs - English for Undergraduates...Never, not, hardly, seldom, and so on, are modiﬁ ers, not verbs. The attorney could not win the case without key witnesses

Subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Pronouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Compound Subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Implied Subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Trouble Spot: Prepositional Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . 45Trouble Spot: The Words Here and There . . . . . . . . 46

Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Types of Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Verb Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Trouble Spot: Words Such as Never, Not, and Hardly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Compound Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Trouble Spot: Verbals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Location of Subjects and Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Chapter Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Chapter 3

Subjects and Verbs

Writing Activity in Miniature

Before you work on this chapter, write a Microtheme on the following topic. Write small

enough to leave room for marking later. After you have studied this chapter, return to your Microtheme and complete Exercise B to practice what you have learned.

Suggested Microtheme Topic: Write a Microtheme of 80 to 100 words about an event that took place in no more than fi ve minutes. Perhaps it had a special meaning as a discovery, a reason for change, or a transformation. The event could be outstanding because of the pain, pleasure, or insight it gave you.

E X E R C I S E A

MICROTHEME

43

Connecting Your Learning Objectives with Your Microtheme

Complete this exercise after you have studied this chapter. 1. Underline the subjects and circle the verbs in your fi rst two sentences. 2. Check to make certain you have not confused objects of prepositions with subjects. 3. Check to make certain you have not confused verbs with adverbs.

E X E R C I S E B

01083_03_ch03_p043-055.indd 4301083_03_ch03_p043-055.indd 43 11/26/09 6:01:31 PM11/26/09 6:01:31 PM

Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.

44 Chapter 3 Subjects and Verbs

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The two most important parts of any sentence are the subject and the verb. The subject is who or what causes the action or expresses a state of being. The

verb indicates what the subject is doing or is being. Many times, the subject and verb taken together carry the meaning of the sentence. Consider this example:

The woman left for work. subject verb

The subject woman and the verb left indicate the basic content of the sentence while providing structure.

SubjectsThe simple subject of a sentence is usually a single noun or pronoun.

The judge’s reputation for order in the courtroom is well known.simple subject

The complete subject is the simple subject with all its modifi ers—that is, with all the words that describe or qualify it.

The judge’s reputation for order in the courtroom is well known.complete subject

To more easily understand and identify simple subjects of sentences, you may want to review the following information about nouns and pronouns.

NOUNS

Nouns are naming words. Nouns may name persons, animals, plants, places, things, substances, qualities, or ideas—for example, Bart, armadillo, Mayberry, tree, rock, cloud, love, ghost, music, virtue.

PRONOUNS

A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun.

• Pronouns that can be used as subjects of sentences may represent specifi c persons or things and are called personal pronouns:

I we you you he, she, it they

Example: They recommended my sister for the coaching position.subject

• Indefi nite pronouns refer to nouns (persons, places, things) in a general way: each everyone nobody somebody

Example: Everyone wants a copy of that photograph.subject

• Other pronouns point out particular things:

Singular: this, that Plural: these, those

This is my treasure. These are my jewels.

That is your junk. Those are your trinkets.



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Subjects

• Still other pronouns introduce questions:

Which is the best iPod?

What are the main ingredients in a Twinkie?

Who understands this computer command?

Note: To be the subject of a sentence, a pronoun must stand alone.

This is a treasure. [Subject is this; pronoun stands alone.]

This treasure is mine. [Subject is treasure. This is an adjective—a word that describes a noun; this describes treasure.]

COMPOUND SUBJECTS

A subject may be compound. That is, it may consist of two or more subjects, usu-ally joined by and or or, that function together.

The prosecutor and the attorney for the defense made opening statements.

He and his friends listened carefully.

Steven, Juan, and Alicia attended the seminar. [Note the placement of com-mas for three or more subjects.]

IMPLIED SUBJECTS

A subject may be implied, or understood. An imperative sentence—a sentence that gives a command—has you as the implied subject.

(You) Sit in that chair, please.

(You) Now take the oath.

(You) Please read the notes carefully.

TROUBLE SPOT : PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

A prepositional phrase is made up of a preposition (a word such as at, in, of, to, with) and one or more nouns or pronouns with their modifi ers: at the time, by the jury, in the courtroom, to the judge and the media, with controlled anger. Be care-ful not to confuse the subject of a sentence with the noun or pronoun (known as the object of the preposition) in a prepositional phrase. The object of a preposi-tion cannot be the subject of a sentence.

The car with the dents is mine.subject prepositional phrase

The subject of the sentence is car. The word dents is the object of the preposition with and cannot be the subject of the sentence.

Most of the pie has been eaten.subject prepositional phrase




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The person in the middle of the crowd has disappeared.subject prepositional prepositional phrase phrase

TROUBLE SPOT : THE WORDS HERE AND THERE

The words here and there are adverbs (used as fi ller words) and cannot be subjects.

There is no problem. subject

Here is the issue.subject

E X E R C I S E 1 F i n d i n g S u b j e c t s

Circle the subjects in the following sentences. You will have to supply the sub-ject of one sentence.

1. Mahatma Gandhi gave his life for India and for peace.

2. Through a practice of nonviolent resistance, he led his people to freedom from the British.

3. Ponder his preference for behavior rather than accomplishment.

4. There was only good in his behavior and in his accomplishments.

5. His fasts, writings, and speeches inspired the people of India.

6. He taught his people self-suffi ciency in weaving cloth and making salt for themselves against British law.

7. Gandhi urged the tolerance of all religions.

8. Finally, the British granted freedom to India.

9. Some leaders in India and a few foreign agitators questioned the freedom of religion.

10. Gandhi, the Indian prince of peace, was killed by an intolerant religious leader.

E X E R C I S E 2 F i n d i n g S u b j e c t s

Circle the subjects in the following sentences. You will have to supply the subject of one sentence.

1. More than two hundred years ago, some tractors were powered by steam.

2. They could travel at about three miles per hour for about ten minutes.

3. Consider that information in relation to the following material.

4. There was a great future for these self-powered vehicles.



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Verbs

5. About a hundred years later, in 1897, Freelan O. Stanley and his associates produced the Stanley steamer, the best-known steam automobile.

6. Around the same time, William Morrison built an electric car.

7. Without polluting the atmosphere, it could go twenty miles an hour.

8. After traveling for about fi fty miles, its batteries had to be recharged.

9. Meanwhile in Germany, Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Benz, and their engineers were developing the internal-combustion engine.

10. In the 1890s, the fi rst successful gasoline-powered automobiles took to the roads.

VerbsVerbs show action or express being in relation to the subject of a sentence.

TYPES OF VERBS

Action verbs indicate movement or accomplishment in idea or deed. Someone can “consider the statement” or “hit the ball.” Here are other examples:

She sees the arena.

He bought the book.

They adopted the child.

He understood her main theories.

Being verbs indicate existence. Few in number, they include is, was, were, am, and are.

The movie is sad.

The book was comprehensive.

They were responsible.

I am concerned.

We are organized.

VERB PHRASES

Verbs may occur as single words or as phrases. A verb phrase is made up of a main verb and one or more helping verbs such as the following:

is was can have do may shall are were could had does might should am will has did must would

Here are some sentences that contain verb phrases:

The judge has presided over many capital cases.

His rulings seldom are overturned on appeal.




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TROUBLE SPOT : WORDS SUCH AS NEVER , NOT , AND HARDLY

Never, not, hardly, seldom, and so on, are modifi ers, not verbs.

The attorney could not win the case without key witnesses.[Not is an adverb. The verb phrase is could win.]

The jury could hardly hear the witness. [Hardly is an adverb; could hear is the verb phrase.]

COMPOUND VERBS

Verbs that are joined by a word such as and or or are called compound verbs.

As a district attorney, Barbara had presented and had won famous cases.

She prepared carefully and presented her ideas with clarity.

We will go out for dinner or skip it entirely.

TROUBLE SPOT : VERBALS

Do not confuse verbs with verbals. Verbals are verblike words in certain respects, but they do not function as verbs. They function as other parts of speech. There are three kinds of verbals. An infi nitive is made up of the word to and a verb. An infi nitive provides infor-mation, but, unlike the true verb, it is not tied to the subject of the sentence. It acts as a modifi er or a noun.

His drive to succeed would serve him well.

He wanted to get a bachelor’s degree.

His main objective was to get a bachelor’s degree.

In the fi rst example, to succeed is an infi nitive acting as a modifi er. In the second and third examples, to get is an infi nitive acting as a noun. A gerund is a verblike word ending in -ing that acts as a noun.

Retrieving her e-mail was her main objective.

She thought about retrieving her e-mail.

Retrieving in each sentence acts as a noun. A participle is a verblike word that usually has an -ing or an -ed ending.

Walking to town in the dark, he lost his way.

Wanted by the FBI, she was on the run.

The starved dog barked for food.

In the fi rst example, the word walking answers the question when. In the second example, the word wanted answers the question which one. In the third example, starved describes the dog. Walking, wanted, and starved are describing words; they are not the true verbs in the sentences.



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Location of Subjects and Verbs

E X E R C I S E 3 F i n d i n g Ve r b s

Underline the verb(s) in each sentence.

1. Chimpanzees live and travel in social groups.

2. The composition of these groups varies in age and gender.

3. The habitat of the chimpanzees is mainly forests.

4. They spend more time in the trees than on the ground.

5. Each night they make a nest of branches and leaves in trees.

6. Sometimes a proud male will beat on his chest.

7. Chimpanzees are violent at times but usually live peacefully.

8. After fi nding food, a chimp hoots and shakes branches.

9. Other chimps hear the commotion and go to the food source.

10. Chimp tools, such as leaf sponges and sticks, are primitive.

E X E R C I S E 4 F i n d i n g Ve r b s

Underline the verb(s) in each sentence.

1. Chimpanzees share many features with human beings.

2. More than 90 percent of basic genetic make-up is shared.

3. Both human beings and chimps can use reason.

4. Chimps have a remarkable talent for communication.

5. Chimps do not have the capacity for human speech.

6. However, chimps can use other symbols.

7. In one experiment, chimps learned American Sign Language.

8. Chimps can learn a complex system of language.

9. Chimp scholar Washoe has learned more than 160 signs and can ask questions.

10. Another chimp, Lana, uses a computer.

Location of Subjects and VerbsAlthough the subject usually appears before the verb, it may follow the verb instead:

Into the court stumbled the defendant.verb subject




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From tiny acorns grow mighty oaks.verb subject

There was little support for him in the audience.verb subject

Here are your books and your papers.verb subject subject

Verb phrases are often broken up in a question. Do not overlook a part of the verb that is separated from another in a question such as “Where had the defendant gone on that fateful night?” If you have trouble fi nding the verb phrase, recast the question, making it into a statement: “The defendant had gone where on that fateful night?” The result will not necessarily be a smooth or complete statement, but you will be able to see the basic elements more easily.

Can the defense lawyer control the direction of the trial?

Change the question to a statement to fi nd the verb phrase:

The defense lawyer can control the direction of the trial.

As you will see in Chapter 4, a sentence may have more than one set of sub-jects and verbs. In the following passage, the subjects are circled; the verbs are underlined.

We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it—and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove lid again—and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one any more.

(Mark Twain, Epitaph for His Daughter)

E X E R C I S E 5 F i n d i n g S u b j e c t s a n d Ve r b s

Circle the subject(s) and underline the verb(s) in the following sentences. You will have to supply the subject for one sentence.

1. Read this exercise and learn about the Aztec empire in Mexico.

2. Aztec cities were as large as those in Europe at that time.

3. Government and religion were important concerns.

4. There was little difference between the two institutions.

5. They built huge temples to their gods and sacrifi ced human beings.

6. The religious ceremonies related mainly to their concerns about plentiful harvests.

7. Aztec society had nobles, commoners, serfs, and slaves.

8. The family included a husband, a wife, children, and some relatives of the husband.



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Location of Subjects and Verbs

9. At the age of ten, boys went to school, and girls either went to school or learned domestic skills at home.

10. The Aztecs wore loose-fi tting garments, they lived in adobe houses, and they ate tortillas.

11. Scholars in this culture developed a calendar of 365 days.

12. Huge Aztec calendars of stone are now in museums.

13. The Aztec language was similar to that of the Comanche and Pima Indians.

14. The Aztec written language was pictographic and represented ideas and sounds.

15. Both religion and government required young men to pursue warfare.

16. By pursuing warfare, the soldiers could capture others for slaves and sacri-fi ce, and enlarge the Aztec empire.

17. In 1519, Hernando Cortez landed in Mexico.

18. He was joined by Indians other than Aztecs.

19. After fi rst welcoming Cortez and his army, the Aztecs then rebelled.

20. The Spaniards killed Emperor Montezuma II, and then they defeated the Aztecs.

E X E R C I S E 6 F i n d i n g S u b j e c t s a n d Ve r b s

Circle the subject(s) and underline the verb(s) in the following sentences.

1. Who are the Eskimos?

2. Where did they come from?

3. How do they live?

4. How has their way of life changed in the last century?

5. These questions are all important.

6. There may be different views on some of the answers.

7. They live in the Arctic from Russia east to Greenland.

8. Their ancestors came from Siberia in Northern Asia.

9. They have learned to live in a land of perpetual snow.

10. The word Eskimo means eaters of raw meat in a Native American language.

11. Their own name for themselves is Inuit or Yuit, meaning people.

12. For hundreds of years, their homes during hunting and fi shing excursions were made of blocks of ice or packed snow and are called igloos.




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13. They ate the raw fl esh of caribou, seals, whales, and fi sh.

14. During the 1800s, the whalers enlisted the Eskimos as helpers.

15. Later the traders came and bought furs from the Eskimos.

16. The traders and whalers brought guns, tools, technology, and disease to the Eskimos.

17. The Eskimos used their new harpoons and guns, and killed more game.

18. Their simple, traditional way of life changed.

19. Now most Eskimos live in settlements.

20. Despite the many changes, Eskimos still treasure their ancient ways.

CHAPTER REVIEW Subjects and VerbsThe subject carries out the action or expresses the state of being in a sentence. The verb indicates what the subject is doing or is being.

SUBJECTS

You can recognize the simple subject by asking who or what causes the action or expresses the state of being found in the verb.

1. The simple subject can be single or compound.

My friend and I have much in common. [compound subject]

My friend brought a present. [single subject]

2. The command, or imperative, sentence has a “you” as the implied subject and no stated subject.

(You) Read the notes.

3. Although the subject usually appears before the verb, it may follow the verb.

There was justice in the verdict.

4. The object of a preposition cannot be a subject.

The chairperson [subject] of the department [object of the preposition] directs the discussion.

VERBS

Verbs show action or express being in relation to the subject.

1. Action verbs suggest movement or accomplishment in idea or deed.

He dropped the book. [movement]

He read the book. [accomplishment]



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Chapter Review Exercises

2. Being verbs indicate existence.

They were concerned.

3. Verbs may occur as single words or phrases.

He led the charge. [single word]

She is leading the charge. [phrase]

4. A verb phrase may be separated in a question.

Where had the defendant gone on that fateful night?

5. Compound verbs are joined by a word such as and or or.

She worked for twenty-fi ve years and retired.

6. Words such as never, not, and hardly are not verbs; they modify verbs.

7. Verbals are not verbs; verbals are verblike words that function as other parts of speech.

Singing [gerund acting as a noun subject] is fun.

I want to sing. [infi nitive acting as a noun object]

Singing [participle acting as a modifi er], he walked in the rain.

CHAPTER REVIEW Exercises

Finding Subjects and Verbs


1. Read this exercise carefully.

2. What causes earthquakes?

3. How much damage can they do?

4. Earthquakes shake the earth.

5. There is no simple answer to the question of cause.

6. The earth is covered by rock plates.

7. Instead of merely covering, they are in constant motion.

8. These plates bump into each other and then pass over each other.

9. The rocks are squeezed and stretched.

10. They pull apart or pile up and cause breaks in the earth’s surface.

11. These breaks are called faults.

12. The formation of a fault is an earthquake.

13. During the breaking or shifting, a seismic wave travels across the earth’s surface.

REVIEW 1




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14. These quaking vibrations are especially destructive near the point of the breaking or shifting.

15. Their force is equal to as much as ten thousand times that of an atomic bomb.

16. For many years, scientists have tried to predict earthquakes.

17. There has been little success in their endeavors.

18. Earthquakes are identifi ed only after the fact.

19. Some states, such as California, experience many earthquakes.

20. Somewhere in the earth, a quake of some magnitude is almost certainly occurring now.

Finding Subjects and Verbs


1. Consider this information about Puerto Rico.

2. Just where is Puerto Rico?

3. What do the words Puerto Rico mean?

4. Are Puerto Ricans U.S. citizens?

5. How is Puerto Rico different from our states?

6. Will it ever become a state?

7. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is located southeast of Florida.

8. Puerto Rico means “rich port.”

9. Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory in 1898 after the Spanish-American War.

10. It became a commonwealth with its own constitution in 1952.

11. Puerto Ricans are citizens of the United States.

12. They cannot vote in presidential elections and do not pay federal income taxes.

13. On several occasions, they have voted not to become a state.

14. However, there are many in favor of statehood.

15. The majority of the citizens speak Spanish.

16. Their economy is based on manufacturing, fi shing, and agriculture.

17. The Caribbean National Forest is treasured by Puerto Ricans and visitors.

18. In this tropical rain forest parrots and orchids can be seen.

19. Tourists by the thousands visit the Phosphorescent Bay at La Parguera.

20. On moonless nights, the phosphorescent plankton light the water.

REVIEW 2



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Chapter Review Exercises

Writing Sentences with Subjects and VerbsUsing the topic of work, write fi ve sentences. For variety, include one sentence with a compound subject, one with a compound verb, one with the verb before the subject, and one with the subject followed by a prepositional phrase. Circle the subjects and underline the verbs.

1. __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

4. __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

5. __________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

REVIEW 3

To practice your skills acquired in this chapter, return to the Microtheme on page 43 and complete Exercise B.

MICROTHEME

For additional practice, visit www.cengage.com/devenglish/brandon/spb6e.

STUDENT COMPANION SITE



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Chapter 3 Subjects and Verbs - English for Undergraduates...Never, not, hardly, seldom, and so on, are modiﬁ ers, not verbs. The attorney could not win the case without key witnesses