SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE

DATE: NOVEMBER 2 – 13, 2020

TOPIC: SUBJECTS & PREDICATES

What is a Sentence?

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. In other words, every
sentence must make sense. In order for someone to understand one’s writing, the author must
present sentences that are clear and logical. To achieve clarity which will bring about this
understanding that we want our readers to have, we must structure our sentences properly.
Just as an engineer structures the parts of a car to ensure that the car runs well, so must a
writer structure his or her sentences to allow his or her reader to make sense out of the written
piece.

The Parts of a Sentence

Every sentence contains two parts: a subject and a predicate. A subject is what or whom the
sentence is about. The predicate is the part of the sentence that tells something about the subject.

SENTENCE = SUBJECT + PREDICATE

The subject and predicate are often described as a topic and a comment, what is being talked about
(the subject) and what is being said about it (the predicate). Each of these elements is characterized
by a combination of three elements or perspectives:
● a position or slot within a sentence: LOCATION
● a certain form or type of grammatical construction: NOUN/ VERB
● a certain meaning: DOER OF ACTION/ COMMENT

What is the Subject of a Sentence?

The subject is what (or whom) the sentence is about. THE SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE IS
THE DOER OF THE ACTION.
The subject of a sentence typically:
● occurs at the beginning of the sentence most of the times (position),
● consists of a noun phrase (form), and
● indicates the topic of the discussion (meaning).
● is the doer of the action in the sentence.

- Example: Samantha collects reptiles.

This sentence is about Samantha. Samantha is therefore the subject of the sentence.

- Example: My friend's Pit Bull seems restless this morning.

This sentence is about my friend's Pit Bull. The Pit Bull is therefore the subject of the sentence.

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 SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DATE: NOVEMBER 2 – 13, 2020
TOPIC: SUBJECTS & PREDICATES

Every subject is built around one noun or pronoun (or more). When all other words are
removed, the simple subject is left. In the above sentence, when the words, my friend’s are
removed, the simple subject, ‘Pit Bull’ is left.

Does the subject always come before the predicate?

There are three situations in which the subject appears after the verb in a sentence, instead of
before it.

1. In most questions:
● Are you ready?
(The subject you appears after the verb are.)
● Did I forget to feed my iguana again?
(The subject I is placed after the first half of the verb did forget.)

2. In many sentences beginning with here or there:

● Here comes the jury.
(The subject jury appears after the verb comes.)
● There were fifteen cats and an eviction notice on Janet's front porch.
(The subject fifteen cats and an eviction notice is placed after the verb were.)

3. In some sentences beginning with one or more prepositional phrases.

● Across the clearing and through the stream ran the frightened deer.
(The subject deer comes after the verb ran.)

The Subject ‘You’ (Understood)

a) “Go outside.”
In this sentence, the subject is ‘you.’ The speaker understands that he or she is being addressed.
If one is asked to identify the subject in a sentence such as this, one would be required to write
[You], which means ‘you understood.’

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 SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DATE: NOVEMBER 2 – 13, 2020
TOPIC: SUBJECTS & PREDICATES

What is the Predicate of a Sentence?

The predicate:

THE SIMPLE PREDICATE IS THE VERB IN THE SENTENCE. Sometimes, the

predicate is simply a verb by itself:

Example: Rohan sneezed.

In this sentence Rohan is the subject, and the verb sneezed is the predicate.
A simple predicate is always the verb or verbs that link up with the subject.

● follows the subject.

● starts with a verb indicating an action or state of being.
● conveys a thought about the subject.
● The predicate is the part of the sentence that makes a statement about the subject. The
main part of the predicate or the simple predicate is the verb.

The predicate usually comes after the subject. To find the predicate, ask yourself what the
sentence is telling you about the subject. The predicate tells what the subject did (or does,
or will do).

Example: Samantha collects reptiles.

In this sentence, the subject is Samantha. The predicate collects reptiles tells what Samantha
does. The verb here is the action verb collects.

The predicate might also give a description of the subject.

Example: My friend's Pit bull seems restless this morning.

Here, seems restless this morning gives a description of the subject Pit bull. The verb is the
linking verb seems which merely links the description to the subject, without expressing any
action.

Here, seems restless this morning gives a description of the subject Pit bull. The verb is the
linking verb seems merely links the description to the subject, without expressing any action.

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 SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DATE: NOVEMBER 2 – 13, 2020
TOPIC: SUBJECTS & PREDICATES

Sometimes, the predicate is simply a verb by itself. This is called the SIMPLE
PREDICATE.

Example: Rohan sneezed.

In this sentence Rohan is the subject, and the verb sneezed is the predicate.
A simple predicate is always the verb or verbs that link up with the subject.

Spell Like a Champion Series (Collins, 2017)

In English, some words are not spelt the way in which they are pronounced. There are over forty four
phonemes (sounds) in English and only twenty-six letters in the English alphabet (Collins, 2017). Having
more sounds than letters means that combination of letters are used to represent some of the sounds in
English (poise)and one sound may be represented by different letters (march, clerk, heart). There are also
many words which contain silent letters because they were borrowed from other languages.

bread deaf head comb doubt limb indict

muscle scissors handsome sandwich Wednesday gnat phlegm
sign ghost honest (silent h) rhyme vehicle
knife definite salmon (silent l) calm talk would
knight knead knapsack autumn condemn hymn
leopard psychiatry receipt rhythm psychology plait
barbecue business

Activities

a) Oral Practice: Place one line beneath the subject and two lines beneath the predicate in
each sentence below. The teacher will project this on the screen.

1. The sunlight shone through the cracks in the old shed.

2. Manchester is one of Jamaica’s fourteen parishes.
3. Mild temperatures keep the lush vegetation deep green.
4. Get some rest.
5. Many mountain ranges rise near the coasts.
6. Regular rainfall keeps the soil dark and moist.

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 SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DATE: NOVEMBER 2 – 13, 2020
TOPIC: SUBJECTS & PREDICATES

b) Identification of Sentences and Fragments

Directions: Decide whether each group of words is a sentence (S) or a fragment (F).
Example: Do not think so. ______F_____

1) Daniel can come. 1) ____________

2) I didn’t know that. 2) ____________

3) Went to the store. 3) ____________

4) Singing loudly all day long. 4) ____________

5) Once they get here. 5) ____________

6) What time will they be here? 6) ____________

7) Went to the beach and it was fun. 7) ____________

8) Without increasing his test scores. 8) ____________

9) A high quality car. 9) ____________

10) The thunder scared us all. 10) ____________

11) Annie and her best friend Julia. 11) ____________

12) I am very tired, but I cannot sleep. 12) ____________

13) Five slices of pizza. 13) ____________

14) Until 2:30 in the morning! 14) ____________

15) While Thomas was making dinner. 15) ____________

16) Didn’t have a care in the world. 16) ____________

17) All of the guards at the castle. 17) ____________

18) “Ahhh,” she yawned, “I am getting tired.” 18) ____________

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 SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DATE: NOVEMBER 2 – 13, 2020
TOPIC: SUBJECTS & PREDICATES

19) They were married that afternoon. 19) ____________

20) Any day they want to come. 20) ____________

c) Google Docs: Below is a list of phrases; some serve as subjects and the others, predicates.
Supply the subjects with predicates and the predicates with subjects to form sentences.

Add predicates to the subjects outlined below to formulate sentences.

1. The heroes ______________________________________________________.

2. Sir Alexander Bustamante _______________________________________________.

Complete the sentences below by adding suitable subjects to the predicates.

3. ______________________________ led to the success of Denbigh High.

4. _______________________________ keep my family together.

Students will write three (3) sentences on the topic, ‘I am a Star.’

d) Google Docs: Spelling and Technology (Should be given as assignment)

Students will log into the Google Classroom to write sentences with the following words which
carry silent letters. These words will be given as a Spelling Drill in the next class.

knapsack plait
barbecue handsome
rhythm muscle
definite indict
vehicle salmon
limb ghost
knead calm
scissors condemn
receipt rhyme
leopard psychiatry
psychology

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 SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DATE: NOVEMBER 2 – 13, 2020
TOPIC: SUBJECTS & PREDICATES

e) Assignment: Students will complete exercises A, B and C on page two (2) of the text, New
Language Arts: Form, Function and Meaning. Students who do not have the text will be
instructed to view the page which the teacher will post in the Google Classroom and also
encouraged to inform their parents that they are to purchase the book for them.