SAT Grammar

​Digital SAT
Grammar Section

Lesson 2

Parts of Sentence

1. Subject
2. Verb
3. Object
4. Complement
5. Adverbial

​Subject - of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is doing or being something. It is typically a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that performs the action of verb or is described by the verb. In simplier term, the subject is what the sentence is about.

She sings beautifully.
The cat is sleeping.
John and his friends are going to the movies.
Did you see the movies?
What is on the table?

Verb - is a word that describes an action, occurrence, or state of being. Verbs are one of the main parts of speech in English and are essential for constructing sentences. Here are a few key points about verbs:

Action Verbs: These verbs describe physical or mental actions. For example, "run," "eat," "think."
Linking Verbs: These verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a subject complement, which describes or renames the subject. For example, "is," "seems," "become." In the sentence "He is happy," "is" is a linking verb connecting "He" to the subject complement "happy."
Helping Verbs (Auxiliary Verbs): These verbs are used with main verbs to express shades of time and mood. For example, "can," "will," "might." In the sentence "She can sing," "can" is a helping verb.

Transitive Verbs: These verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning. For example, "eat" in the sentence "She eats an apple."

Intransitive Verbs: These verbs do not require a direct object to complete their meaning. For example, "sleep" in the sentence "He sleeps."

Verb Tenses: Verbs can be conjugated to indicate the time of an action or state. Common tenses include past, present, and future, as well as various forms of each (e.g., present continuous, past perfect).

Object - is a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun that is affected by the action of a verb. Objects typically follow the verb in a sentence and provide more information about what or whom the verb is acting upon. There are two main types of objects:

Direct Object: The direct object is the noun or pronoun that directly receives the action of the verb. It answers the question "what" or "whom" after the verb. For example:

She bought a new car. (The direct object "car" receives the action of the verb "bought.")

Indirect Object: The indirect object is the noun or pronoun that receives the direct object or for whom the action is performed. It answers the question "to whom" or "for whom" after the verb. For example:

She gave him a book. (The indirect object "him" receives the direct object "book.")

In some sentences, there may be both a direct object and an indirect object:

She gave her sister the gift. (The direct object "gift" receives the action of the verb "gave," and the indirect object "her sister" indicates for whom the gift was intended.)

Complement - is a word, phrase, or clause that is necessary to complete the meaning of a sentence. Complements are used with certain verbs to provide additional information about the subject (subject complement) or the object (object complement). There are different types of complements:

Subject Complement: A subject complement is a word or phrase that follows a linking verb (such as "be," "seem," "appear") and describes or renames the subject. There are two main types of subject complements:

Predicate Adjective: An adjective that describes the subject. For example:

She is happy. (The adjective "happy" describes the subject "She.")

Predicate Noun: A noun or pronoun that renames the subject. For example:

She is a doctor. (The noun "doctor" renames the subject "She.")

Object Complement: An object complement is a word or phrase that follows and describes the direct object. It gives more information about the object. For example:

She painted the house purple. (The object complement "purple" describes the direct object "house.")

Verb Complement: Some verbs require a complement to complete their meaning. For example:

They appointed him president. (The complement "president" completes the meaning of the verb "appointed.")

Complements are important for adding detail and clarity to sentences. They help provide a fuller picture of the actions and relationships described in a sentence.

Adverbial - is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or gives more information about the verb in a sentence. Adverbials can also modify adjectives or other adverbs. They answer questions such as how, when, where, why, or to what degree something happens. Adverbials can appear in different parts of a sentence, including before or after the main verb, at the beginning of a sentence, or even at the end. Here are some examples:

How: She sings beautifully. (The adverbial "beautifully" describes how she sings.)

When: He will arrive tomorrow. (The adverbial "tomorrow" indicates when he will arrive.)

Where: They went outside. (The adverbial "outside" indicates where they went.)

Why: She left because she was tired. (The adverbial clause "because she was tired" explains why she left.)

To what degree: It is very hot today. (The adverbial "very" modifies the adjective "hot.")

Adverbials add detail and context to a sentence, providing information about the circumstances in which an action takes place. They are an important part of sentence structure and help to clarify the meaning of the verb.

Appositive - is a noun or noun phrase that renames or provides additional information about another noun right beside it. Appositives can be essential (restrictive) or nonessential (nonrestrictive).

Nonessential (Nonrestrictive) Appositive:

• Adds extra information about the noun that is not crucial to the meaning of the sentence.

• Set off by commas.

Example: John, a young architect, walked to work.
"a young architect" is the appositive providing more information about John.

Essential (Restrictive) Appositive:

• Provides necessary information that defines or identifies the noun.

• Not set off by commas.

Example:

• My friend Sarah is visiting.

  • "Sarah" is the appositive that specifies which friend.

Usage

Renaming: It renames the noun next to it.

• The insect, a large cockroach, is crawling across the kitchen table.

  • "a large cockroach" renames "The insect."

Providing Additional Information: It gives more details about the noun.

• The novel, a bestseller, has been adapted into a movie.

  • "a bestseller" provides additional information about "The novel."

​Practice

​The bustling city woke up to another busy day. People hurried along the sidewalks, cars honked in the streets, and the smell of coffee filled the air. John, a young architect, walked to work, his mind buzzing with ideas for his latest project. As he passed by a park, he noticed a group of children playing soccer, their laughter echoing through the morning air.

Arriving at his office, John greeted his colleagues and settled in at his desk. He spent the morning sketching and planning, lost in the world of design. Around noon, he met with his team to discuss the project, exchanging thoughts and suggestions. After a quick lunch at a nearby cafe, John returned to work, his passion for architecture driving him forward.

As the day drew to a close, John reviewed his progress and made a list of tasks for the next day. He packed up his things and headed home, feeling satisfied with a day well spent. The city had quieted down, and the stars twinkled overhead as John walked through the streets, grateful for another day doing what he loved.

​Answers

1. The bustling city woke up to another busy day. (Subject, Verb, Adverbial)

- Subject: The bustling city

- Verb: woke up

- Adverbial: to another busy day

2. People hurried along the sidewalks, cars honked in the streets, and the smell of coffee filled the air. (Subjects, Verbs, Adverbials)

- Subjects: People, cars, the smell of coffee

- Verbs: hurried, honked, filled

- Adverbials: along the sidewalks, in the streets, in the air
3. John, a young architect, walked to work, his mind buzzing with ideas for his latest project. (Subject, Appositive, Verb, Adverbial)

- Subject: John

- Appositive: a young architect

- Verb: walked

- Adverbial: to work, his mind buzzing with ideas for his latest project

4. As he passed by a park, he noticed a group of children playing soccer, their laughter echoing through the morning air. (Adverbial, Subject, Verb, Adverbial, Direct Object, Verb, Adjective Phrase, Adverbial)

- Adverbial: As he passed by a park

- Subject: he

- Verb: noticed, playing

- Adverbials: a group of children, through the morning air

5. Arriving at his office, John greeted his colleagues and settled in at his desk. (Adverbial, Subject, Verb, Direct Object, Conjunction, Verb, Adverbial)

- Adverbial: Arriving at his office

- Subject: John

- Verbs: greeted, settled

- Adverbials: his colleagues, at his desk

6. He spent the morning sketching and planning, lost in the world of design. (Subject, Verb, Direct Object, Conjunction, Verb, Adverbial)

- Subject: He

- Verbs: spent, lost

- Direct Object: the morning

- Adverbial: in the world of design

7. He met with his team to discuss the project. (Subject, Verb, Adverbial, Direct Object)

- Subject: He

- Verb: met

- Adverbial: with his team

- Direct Object: the project

8. John returned to work, his passion for architecture driving him forward. (Subject, Verb, Adverbial, Direct Object, Adverbial)

- Subject: John

- Verb: returned

- Adverbial: to work, his passion for architecture driving him forward

9. After a quick lunch at a nearby cafe, John returned to work, his passion for architecture driving him forward. (Adverbial, Subject, Verb, Adverbial, Direct Object, Adverbial, Adjective Phrase, Verb, Pronoun)

- Adverbial: After a quick lunch at a nearby cafe

- Subject: John

- Verb: returned, driving

- Adverbials: to work, his passion for architecture, him forward

10. He packed up his things and headed home, feeling satisfied with a day well spent. (Subject, Verb, Direct Object, Conjunction, Verb, Adverbial, Adjective Phrase)

- Subject: He

- Verbs: packed, headed

- Direct Object: his things

- Adverbial: home, feeling satisfied with a day well spent

11. The city had quieted down, and the stars twinkled overhead as John walked through the streets, grateful for another day doing what he loved. (Subject, Verb, Adverbial, Adverbial, Adverbial, Adjective Phrase)

- Subject: The city

- Verb: had quieted down

- Adverbials: and the stars twinkled overhead, as John walked through the streets, grateful for another day doing what he loved