Writing Fundamentals

ENG 103 Lecture 3:

Subjects and Verbs

Objectives
After you complete this lesson, you will be able to:
Identify subjects and verbs Identify subjects and verbs as key elements in sentence structure Define prepositional phrases Differentiate between verbs and verbals List the three different types of verbals

Subject & 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 Example:
The woman left for work
subject verb

Nouns & Pronouns

Nouns (person, place, or thing) Pronoun
Personal Pronouns:
I you he, she, it we you they

Indefinite Pronouns:
Each Everyone Nobody Somebody

Compound & Implied Subjects

Compound Subjects
The prosecutor and the attorney for the defense made opening statements

Implied Subjects
(you) Sit in that chair, please. (you) Now take the oath. (you) Please read the notes carefully.

Prepositional Phrase
A prepositional phrase is made up of a preposition
at, in, of, to, or with

The car with the dents is mine

subject

Prepositional phrase

Verbs
Verbs show action or express being in relation to the subject of a sentence. Examples:
She sees the arena. He bought the book. They adopted the child.

Being verbs:
Is, was, were, am, are

Verbs (continued)
Verb phrases
The judge has presided over many capital cases.

Verbals are verblike words in certain respects, but they do not function as verbs 3 types of verbals:
Infinitive Gerund Participle

Location of Subjects and Verbs

Into the court stumbled the defendant
verb

subject

From tiny acorns grow mighty oaks.

verb subject

There was little support fro him in the audience

verb subject

Here are your books and your papers.

verb subject subject

Summary
The 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 You can recognize the simple subject by asking who or what causes the action or expresses the state of being found in the verb A prepositional phrase is made up of a preposition Verbals are verblike words in certain respects, but they do not function as verbs. There are three types of verbals: Infinitive, gerund, and participle Although the subject usually appears before the verb, it may follow the verb instead.