Unit 1 Simple Sentences

A. Subjects and Verbs

A simple sentence has one independent clause and no dependent clause. An Independent clause is a
clause that possesses one subject and one predicate that expres a complete thought. A dependent clause is a
sentence that possesses a subject and a verb that does not express a complete thought.
Example:
S V (complementary)*
My brother stays in Jakarta.

* Complementary gives more information to the sentence. It can be in a form of prepositions,

phrase (adjective or adverb), and infinitive.

Sometimes the sentence needs two or more subjects. You use conjunction 'and' 'or' 'but'
to join them.

Example:

Miss Agnes and Miss Maya sang in a choir.

S V (complementary)*

Sometimes the sentence needs two or more verbs. You use conjunction 'and' 'or' 'but' to join them.

Example:

Miss Mary met and fell in love with Mr. Anthony.

S V (complementary)*

Exercise 1
In the following sentences, underline the subjects once and the verbs twice.
1. Dogs run. 6. The battle and the war were lost.
2. Giraffes can run. 7. Kenai and Riva ate and drank.
3. A duck quacks. 8. A dog can growl and whimper.
4. Garbage stinks. 9. The Chinese and the Korean met and agreed.
5. The soldiers and the civilians fled. 10. The coach screamed and yelled.
subject verb twice

Exercise 2
Unscramble the following groups of words to make complete sentences.

1. talk politicians

2. advertise companies

3. fell meteors asteroids and

 4. passed and trucks cars

5. and fired soldiers ran the

Exercise 3
Identifying Nouns. Two words are italicized in each of the following sentences.
One of the two is a noun; the other is not. Identify the noun and write it in the space provided at the
right.
Example:
Marry scolded her brother for his bad language. language

1. Marriage is like a supermarket: easy to get into but hard to get out of.
_______ _______
2. Having been bitten by a large collie when he was a child, he was
never able to conquer his fear of dogs.
_______ _______
3. Good health is a valuable asset to any kind of work.
4. Never seek trouble until trouble troubles you.
_______ _______
5. Farmers have always worked hard in the spring whether they
_______ _______
enjoyed their work or not.
_______ _______

Exercise 4
Identifying Nouns. Each of the following sentences contains only two nouns.
Identify the nouns and write them in the spaces at the right in the order of their appearance in the
sentences.
Example:
Every dog has its day. dog day

1. Traffic was extremely heavy in the city.

_______ _______ _______ ______
2. Haste makes waste.
_______ _______ _______ ______
3. The noise made by the children playing nearby was
_______ _______ _______ ______
very irritating.
4. The teacher dismissed the class before she
_______ _______ _______ ______
should have.
5. If this assignment seems stupid because it is so easy,
_______ _______ _______ ______
you are progressing rapidly on basic writing tools.
 Exercise 5
Identifying Verbs. Two words are italicized in each of the following sentences.
One of the two is a finite verb; the other is not. Identify the verb and write it in the space provided at the
right.
Example:
The family ate dinner in the restaurant. ate
1. She devoted most of her evening to study.
_______ _______
2. It is too late to do anything about it.
_______ _______
3. She always sings her favorite song.
_______ _______
4. Some teachers teach many different subjects.
_______ _______
5. He meets his friends at the club meetings.
_______ _______

Exercise 6
Write simple sentences about:

1. Fish

2. Monkey

3. Rice

4. Rain

5. Motorbike

Exercise 7

Give your book to your friend on your right to read and check the subject (S), verb (V). Make
the sentences correct if they are wrong. Ask your teacher help if you get confused with the
problem you found.
B. More about Subjects and Verbs

Adjective Modifiers is an adjective placed before the noun that it modifies.

Examples:

(adj.) (adj.)
The gold fish swam. A blue dolphin leapt and splashed.
S V S V
Adverb Modifiers is an adverb that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It is placed anywhere
but between the verb and its object.
Examples:
(adj.) (adv.)
Cold and miserable weather often occurs here.
S V

Appositives give more information to the subject. It is placed between two commas following the word
it identifies or explains.

Examples:
(appositives)
Sally, the best student in the class, won easily.
S V

Exercise 8
In the following sentences, underline the adjectives once and the adverbs twice.
Circle the appositives.
1. A crusty crab scuttled. 6. Hot spices should be used sparingly.
2. The fair-skinned people burned. 7. A restaurant is needed occasionally.
3. Light, fluffy clouds skittered and raced. 8. Timmy, my younger brother, left immediately.
4. The gas flame burned brightly. 9. The dog, a huge shepherd, jumped up.
5. A complicated recipe must be followed. 10. Football, my favorite sport, ended yesterday.

Exercise 9
Unscramble the following groups of words to make complete sentences.

1. violets purple the bloomed

2. flashy will race new car the silver

3. yesterday prisoners the escaped

4. served ball the was wide

5. real Batman jumped a crime fighter down

 Exercise 10
Write simple sentences with the modifiers about:

1. jasmine

2. mangrove

3. water

4. wheat

5. mountains

Exercise 11
Give your book to your friend on your right to read and check the subject (S), verb (V)
and the modifiers. Make the sentences correct if they are wrong. Ask your teacher help if
you get confused with the problem you found.

C. Complementary
A complementary is phrases placed after prepositions or linking verbs. Prepositions could be adjective
preposition and adverb prepositions. Most linking verbs are related with five of senses functions.
Common Prepositions
about behind for outside
above below from over
across beneath in past
after beside inside per
against besides into plus
along between like round
amid beyond minus save
among but near since
anti by of than
around despite off through
as down on to
at during onto toward
before except opposite towards
CLT UNIKA
Adjective prepositional phrases are phrases placed after the noun. It modifies noun. The
phrase following the preposition is called the object of the prepositions.
Example:
The puppy in the shop window jumped up.
S (adj. Prep.) V
in = preposition; the shop window = object of preposition

Adverb prepositional phrases are phrases placed after the verb, adjective, or other adverb. It
modifies the verb, adjective, or other adverb. The phrase following the preposition is called the object of
the prepositions.
Example:
The green car flew over the wall. S
V (adv. Prep.)
over = preposition; the wall = object of preposition

Common Linking Verbs

sound
be was were smell
grow
are seem taste
stay
am look appear
remain
is feel
become

A predicate adjective is placed after linking verbs. Other complementary following verb is a predicate
nominative.
Example:
This class is great. The roller coaster looks scary.
S V (Predicate Adj.) S V (Predicate Adj.)

Scumy became an F1 expert. Gusdur biography was a best-seller.

S V (predicate nominative) S V (predicate nominative)

Exercise 12
In the following sentences, underline the prepositions once and their objects twice.
Circle the predicate adjective or predicate nominative.

1. The traditional market in town burned last night.

2. My friend with broken leg is leaving.
3. My laboratory manual splashed into the water noisily.
4. The gifts were wrapped with care and placed in front of the door.
5. Nobody in this class knows.
6. Marcella appeared serene and content.
7. The food in the cafeteria was terrible.
8. The north parking lot was totally empty after the game.
9. Ben is a talented student.
10. David is the most popular member in the band.
 Exercise 13
Unscramble the following groups of words to make complete sentences.

1. hired with singer the was the voice golden

2. music the concert energy with at in park the played was the

3. new during his last year purchased was computer the

4. people loud were the stands the in

5. striker great is Andik F a

Exercise 14
Write simple sentences with the modifiers about :
1. Cigarette Smoking

2. Your favorite room in the house

My favorite space in my house is the Livingroom. The reason I like it so much is because the room is
spacious and have a lot of windows so sunlight can come into the room. I usually go to the living room
with my parents and we just talking. There is also a TV in the room so when I feel bored, I could watch
some movie while eating snacks. Not only for family activities, the living room is also a place when
some guest come visit the house, we would talk there and enjoying some drinks. When there are certain
activities for example when there is a prayer in house it is also done in the living room. To summarize it
up, I like the living room because it is a comfy and multifunctional room.
3. The most interesting places you have visited

4. Your favorite TV program

5. Your best friends *)

*) Discuss and check whether you already know about these words:
interesting talented cheerful soft-spoken
friendly serious quiet fun-loving
likeable energetic outgoing hard-working

Exercise 15

Give your book to your friend on your right to read and check the subject (S), verb (V)
and the complementary. Make the sentences correct if they are wrong. Ask your teacher
help if you get confused with the problem you found.