Quick Guide: The Parts of a Sentence
Like any organism or material structure, sentences have parts. This Quick Guide will explain what these parts look like, where they fit together, and how they function.
- Subject and Predicate: The subject consists of one or more nouns or pronouns and any modifiers. The predicate consists of one or more verbs, any words needed to complete the meaning of the verb(s), and any modifiers. When gathered together, the subject and the predicate form the root of the sentence: every other part of the sentence stems from this root.
Subject / Predicate
Art / thrives.
Critics and the media / discuss and dispute its value.
Some contemporary art / stirs controversy.
- Direct Object, Indirect Object, Subject Complement, Object Complement: These words expand the meaning of the verb(s) in the predicate.
- Direct Object: A noun that identifies who or what receives the action of the verb.
Subject / Predicate
Transitive Verb / Direct Object
The earthquake / destroyed / the city.
Education / opens / doors.
- Indirect Object: A noun that identifies to or for whomthe action of the verb is performed.
Subject / Predicate
Transitive Verb / Indirect Object / Direct Object
The government / sent / the city / aid.
One company / offered / its employees / bonuses.
- Subject Complement: A noun or adjective that describes the subject.
Subject / Predicate
Linking Verb / Subject Complement
The result / was / chaos.
These apartments / seem / expensive.
The man / became / an accountant.
- Object Complement: A noun or adjective that renames or describes the direct object.
Subject / Predicate
Transitive Verb / Direct Object / Object Complement
The citizens / considered / the earthquake / a disaster.
The class / elected / Joan O’Day / president.
The citizens / considered / the earthquake / disastrous.
Success / makes / some people / nervous.
- Single-Word Modifier: An individual word that adds information to the sentence by describing other words, phrases, or clauses.
- Adjective: Describes nouns or pronouns.
Adjective / Noun
old / city
generous / one
two / pears
- Adverb:Describes verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and whole groups of words.
Adverb / Verb / Adverb / Adjective
nearly / destroyed / very / generous
Adverb / Adverb / Adverb / Word Group
too / quickly / Unfortunately, / taxes will rise.
- Prepositional Phrase: Consists of a preposition plus its object (i.e., a noun or pronoun) and any modifiers. Adds details that make sentences clearer and more interesting for readers.
Preposition / Object
on / the surface
upon / entering the room
from / where you are standing
- Prepositional Phrase that Functions as an Adjective
Lifeon a raft was an opportunityfor adventure.
- Prepositional Phrase that Functions as an Adverb
Huck Finn rode the raftby choice.
- Verbal Phrase: Consists of a verbal (i.e., past or present participle, gerund, or infinitive) and all of the words immediately related to it.
- Participial Phrase: Always serves as an adjective.
Buying things, most shoppers feel themselves in control.
Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest university in the United States.
- Gerund Phrase: Always serves as anoun.
/ Shopping for clothing and other items | satisfies personal needs.
Subject / Predicate
Malls are good at creating such needs.
Prepositional Object
- Infinitive Phrase:Consists of an infinitive plus any immediately related words. (Note: An infinitive is the to form of a verb: to begin, to hide, to run. The to in an infinitive is not a preposition.) An infinitive phrase may serve as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
Malls are designed to make shoppers feel safe.
Adverb Phrase
The environment supports the impulse to shop for oneself.
Adjective Phrase
- Absolute Phrase: A noun or pronoun plus a participle or adjectiveand any modifiers. An absolute phrase modifies the entire rest of the sentence, adding information.
Many ethnic groups, their own place established, are making way for new arrivals.
Two languages at hand, bilingual citizens in fact have many cultural and occupational advantages.
Their future more secure, these citizens will make room for new arrivals.
- Subordinate Clause: Consistsof either a subordinating conjunction (e.g., because, although, that) plus a subject and a predicate, or a relative pronoun (e.g., who, which, that) plus a predicate. May also contain modifiers.
- Adjective Clause
Parentswho are illiterate often avoid their children’s schools.
Schoolsthat involve parents are more successful with children.
One school, which is open year-round, helps parents with children.
- Adverb Clause
The school began teaching parents when adult literacy gained national attention.
At first the program was not as successfulas its founders had hoped.
Because it was directed at people who could not read, advertising had to be inventive.
- Noun Clause
Whether the program would succeed | depended on door-to-door advertising.
Subject
Teachers explained in person how the program would work.
Direct Object
A few parents were anxious about what their children would think.
Object of Preposition
- Appositive:A word (i.e., noun, verb, or adjective) that renamesanotherword of the same kind nearby, most often the word just before the appositive. An appositive phrase includes modifiers as well.
Bizen ware, a dark stoneware, has been produced in Japan since the fourteenth century.
The name Bizen comes from the location of the kilns used to fire the pottery
Bizen ware is used in the Japanese tea ceremony, that is, the Zen Buddhist observance that links mediation and art.
The pottery is thrown, or formed on a potter’s wheel.
- CompoundConstruction: Combines words, phrases, and clauses that are closely related and equally important—i.e., coordinate. Uses coordinating conjunctions (e.g., and, but), correlative conjunctions (e.g., both ... and, notonly ... butalso), or conjunctive adverbs (e.g., however, therefore).
Headaches and heart rate can be controlled by biofeedback.
Compound Subject
Biofeedback cures headaches, steadies heart rate, and lowers blood pressure.
Compound Predicate
Biofeedback can be costly, for the training involves technical equipment and specialists.
Independent Clause Independent Clause
Relaxation techniques have improved; however, few people know them.
Independent Clause Independent Clause