TOEFL PREPARATION PROGRAM:

STRUCTURE Questions:
Understanding Subject and Verb
 CONTENTS

Check your knowledge

Common problems
What to master?
Types of questions
 Check Your Knowledge

1. How many questions are there in the Structure and

Written Expression (SWE) section?
2. How much time is allowed for the SWE section?
3. How many questions are there in the Structure part?
4. How many sentences are in each of the questions in the
Structure part?
 Common Problems

1. Missing Subject, Verb or Both in Sentences with One

Clause
2. Missing Connector, or Subject, Verb, or Both in
Sentences with multiple clauses

*both contribute 70% of the total questions

What to Master?

Sentence Analysis
What is a sentence?

A sentence ….

•  is a group of words

•  has a meaning and conveys an idea

•  at least consists of a SUBJECT and a VERB

What is a SUBJECT?
A subject ….

•  is what a sentence is about – the core of a sentence

•  can be: NOUNS (people, things, places)

• ----- Tony learns TOEFL seriously.
• ----- The car was stolen yesterday.

•  can be PRONOUNS (I, you, they, we, he, she, it)

• ----- He comes here every day.
Cont’d ….

•  can be Ving or to infinitive

• ----- Singing is her hobby.
• ----- To get at least 600 in TOEFL test is my target.

•  usually appears in the beginning of a sentence or

before the Verb
What is a VERB?
A verb …

• what SUBJECT does (active sentences)

• ------ Tony placed the books on the table.

•  what happens to SUBJECT (passive sentences)

• ------ The soup was cooked by Mom.

•  what is the condition of SUBJECT (sentences with non-

action VERB)
• ------ Tony is smart but lazy.
 Verbs
Non-Action Verbs Action Verbs
(S + to be + Complement) (V1, V2, V3, Ving)

to be:
• S + V1
• is, am, are • S + V2
• S + have/has/had + V3
• was, were • S + to be + V3
• S + to be + Ving
• (have/has/had) + been • S + modals + V1
• Other combos
• (modals) + be
Any QUESTIONS?
What to do in the Structure Part?
READ the question sentence. Do not
translate.

ANALYZE what is missing

CHOOSE the answer. Elimination strategy

sometimes works.
Types of Questions
 Missing SUBJECT

------- was the most important economic activity

in the United States until about 1890.

A. Agriculture, which
B. If agriculture
C. Agriculture
D. There was agriculture
 Missing SUBJECT

------- tea plant are small and white.

A. The
B. On the
C. Having flowers the
D. The flowers of the
 Missing VERB

The North Platte River ------- from Wyoming

into Nebraska.

A. it flowed
B. flows
C. flowing
D. with flowing water
 Missing VERB

A pride of lions ------- up to forty lions,

including one to three males, several
females, and cubs.

A. can contain
B. it contains
C. contain
D. containing
Questions?