Syntax Surgery

Sample Sentences and Parts of Speech

Notes: A, an, the = articles which are adjectives
Possessive Pronouns (his, her, their, my, etc.) usually act as adjectives;
listed mostly as pronouns

Key:

N=Noun; Adj = Adjective; HV= Helping Verb; V = Verb; Adv = Adverb; Pp =

Preposition; Pro = Pronoun; Conj = Conjunction
Adj

Adj

HV

Pp

Pp Adj

o The new microscope is sitting on top of the table.

o Mini lesson ideas: prepositions, rearrange nouns
Adj

Adj

N.

V.

Pp Pro(Adj)

N.

Adv.

o The science teacher looked into his telescope after

Pro.

N.

V.

N.

our group located Mars.

o Mini lesson ideas: possessive pronouns, when to use
nouns vs. pronouns, identifying gender based on pronouns

Pp

Adj

Adj.

HV HV

Pro

Adj

o During math class, the students will be rewriting their math

Adj

Adv

Conj Adj

Adv

word problems neater than the day before.

o Mini lesson ideas: comparative adjectives , change the
order of the sentence without changing the meaning

Adj

Pp Adj.

N.

Conj Pro. Adj.

o The teacher reported to the principal that her math

N

Adj

Conj Adj

students are hard working and smart.

o Mini lesson ideas: adjective as subject complement (a
complement either describes or redefines; that introduces
a clause with the subject students)

Adj

Adj

Pro

Adj

Adv Conj

o The fastest readers finished their favorite books first and

V

Adj Adj

got the best grades.

o Mini lesson ideas: comparative and superlative adjectives

Pp

Adj Adj

Pro

Adj

Adj

Adj

o During the math awards assembly, the youngest student

Adj

Adv

Conj Adj

recited his math facts faster than his teacher.

o Mini lesson ideas: superlative adjectives, prepositions of
time, rearrange parts of the sentence without changing the
meaning
Conj Pro HV

o If

Pp

Pro

Adj

Pro HV

HV

I had studied for my spelling test, I would have passed.

o Mini lesson ideas: subordinating conjunctions that show

relationship (what happens if you change if to since or
because??)

Pro

Pp

Adj

Pp Adj

Conj Pro

HV

o My parents walked by the door while my teacher was singing

N

with the microphone.

o Mini lesson ideas: subordinating conjunctions and
prepositions of relationship