Level 2: Parts of the Sentence A.K.A. Handling COMPLEMENTS The Magic Lens by Michael Clay Thompson.

Level 2: Parts of the SentenceA.K.A. Handling COMPLEMENTS

The Magic Lensby Michael Clay Thompson

The SENTENCEA group of words that

contains a SUBJECT and its PREDICATE, and makes a COMPLETE THOUGHT.

For Example:

Ratrug and I put crayons on the radiator.

Etymology of Sentence

The word sentence comes from the

Latin sententia, meaning “way of thinking,” or “opinion.”

That etymology is appropriate because a sentence is the structure with which we think about and communicate opinions and ideas.

Parts of the Sentence• When we study the parts of the sentence,

we are studying the structure itself.

• Sentences do not occur in nature; they are thought, expressed.

• Understanding how sentences are thoughts can give us clarity of sentence, clarity of paragraph, and clarity of thesis.

In order to say anything clearly, we must say two things . . .

1st: We must say what we are talking ABOUT.

2nd: We must say what we are saying ABOUT IT.

Each thought must have these two things!

The SENTENCE gives the mind a two-piece idea.

The two pieces are:

one

subject

What we’re talking about.

two

predicate

What we’re saying about it.

Complete Thoughts, Complete SentencesCheck out these complete

sentences. Notice how they express complete thoughts.

1. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to ride on top of a Zamboni.

2. Ludwig bought a genuine Zamboni just for that purpose.

3. Ludmilla melted the ice on purpose.

1. The SUBJECTThe SIMPLE SUBJECT is the noun or subject

pronoun that the sentence is about.

Example: Eggworthy

The COMPLETE SUBJECT includes the simple subject and all its modifiers.

Example: The excellent Eggworthy

The COMPOUND SUBJECT is a double subject: more than one noun or pronoun used as the subject of the same clause.

Example: The excellent Eggworthy and his assistant, Grusilda

2. The PREDICATE• The PREDICATE is the side of the sentence that

says something about the subject.• The SIMPLE PREDICATE is the verb.

Example: Eggworthy scrambled.

• The COMPLETE PREDICATE is everything that is said about the subject.Example: Eggworthy scrambled the bowl of eggs for a ham, swiss, and eggplant omelet.

• The COMPOUND VERB may be taken by the subject of a sentence.Example: Eggworthy scrambled the bowl of eggs and flipped the bacon.

The SENTENCE and its COMPLEMENTS• Speeding down the grammar highway, the

sentence is a flatbed truck carrying meaning to the reader. The VERBS are the wheels, and the SUBJECT is the driver.

• Complements are the common, not-always-essential parts of the truck – perhaps the odometer or the turn signals.

• These words are a little more important than

the fuzzy dice some people hang from their rearview mirrors or bumper stickers declaring I stop at railroad tracks.

• You can sometimes create a sentence without complements, but their presence is generally part of the driving (COMMUNICATING) experience.

3. Receiving the Action: Direct Objects

• A noun or object pronoun that receives the action of the action verb.Example: Griselda kissed the giant frog.

• When there is a direct object, we call the action verb TRANSITIVE.

• When the action verb does not act on a direct object, we call the action verb INTRANSITIVE.

• The direct object answers the question WHAT.

Direct Object PRACTICE!Read each sentence. Circle the subject-verb pair. Underline the direct

object.

1. The defective X-Ray machine took strange pictures of the giant frog.

2. Legghorn hissed the secret word in the middle of the graduation ceremony.

3. Green marking pens draw naturally

beautiful lines.

4. Leroy’s laser printer spurted ink all over

his favorite shirt.

S-AV-DO

• You may be able to recognize direct objects more easily if you think of them as part of a pattern in the sentence structuresubject (S) – action verb (AV) – direct object (DO)

• For Example:machine took pictures

Legghorn hissed word

pens draw lines

printer spurted ink

Of course, just to make your life a little bit harder . . . . . . a sentence can have more than one DO.Check out these examples:1. Algernon bought posters and books for his

many admirers.2. Ratrug will buy a dozen doughnuts and a few

slabs of cheesecake for her breakfast.3. Lochness sent spitballs and old socks flying

across the room.4. Ludmilla bought orange juice, tuna, aspirin, and

a coffee table.

4. Rare, but Sometimes There: Indirect Objects

• A noun or object pronoun that is indirectly affected by the action verb, and that is located between the action verb and the direct object. The structure is:

S-AV-IO-DO• If there is an indirect object, there MUST

be a direct object, so the action verb is transitive.

Indirect Object PRACTICE!Read each sentence. Circle the subject-

verb pair. Underline the direct object once. Underline the indirect object twice.

1. Gruhilda will tell me the whole story tomorrow.

2. Murgatroyd promises Lulu everything.

3. As a grammarian, I should have given you better sample sentences.

4. Ludmilla radioed Ludwig a tart message.

5. The crooked politician, Polyphemus, offered Agnes a bribe for dropping out of the crazy campaign.

5. Finishing the Equation:Subject Complements

• A noun, subject pronoun, or adjective that is linked to the subject by a linking verb and tells more about the subject.

• A predicate nominative is a subject complement that is a noun or subject pronoun.

• A predicate adjective is a subject complement that is an adjective.

Subject Complement PRACTICE!

Read each sentence. Circle the subject-verb pair. Underline the subject complement.

1. Nerdo is upset by the bankruptcy of the pocket protector manufacturer.

2. Gruhilda was a cheerleader before the dog bite incident.

3. Nasalhoff should have been head of the allergy committee.

4. The little orange book will be sufficient for all of your firework information.

5. It is I, the master of the universe.

The Logic of Sentence Analysis

1. Find the subject/predicate set.2. Is the verb ACTION or LINKING?3. If the verb is ACTION, then

Do NOT look for a subject complement.Look for a direct object.If you find a direct object, thenlook for an indirect object.

4. If the verb is LINKING, thenDo not look for a direct object.Look for a subject complement.

Pop the Question: Locating the Complement

1. Flossie maintains the cleanest teeth in Texas.

2. The ancient lawn gnome appeared worn and tired.

3. Mildred will tell me the secret shortly.

4. Sasquatch seemed soggy after his semi-final swim, so we gave him a towel.

5. The babbling burglar told her everything.

Common Linking Verbs

AM IS WAS WERE BE

BEING BEEN SEEMS FEELS BECOME

Works Cited

Thompson, Michael Clay. The Magic Lens Volume 3 Teacher Manual. Unionville: Royal Fireworks Press, 2003.

Woods, Geraldine. English Grammar for Dummies. New York: Hungry Minds, Inc., 2001.