Grammar terms

In grammar, the 'subject' of a sentence is the person or thing that does the action of the verb. In English, the subject is usually before the verb. A subject is an important component of a 'clause', which we'll look at shortly. A subject is typically a noun (e.g. 'woman'), pronoun (e.g. 'she'), or noun phrase (e.g. "the tall woman"). Match the following:

• What is the role of the phrase "a large white cat" in the sentence, "I saw a large white cat"?

• Pronoun

• What is a term to describe the phrase "a large white cat"?

• Subject

• What kind of word is 'I'?

• Verb

• What is the role of the word 'saw' in the sentence, "I saw a large white cat."

• Noun phrase

• What is the role of the word 'I' in the sentence, "I saw a large white cat"?

• Object

So if a subject comes before a verb, what comes after one? Often, an 'object', a person or thing that the verb is done to. In the sentence, "She hit the red ball" the subject ('she') has done something to the object ('the red ball'). Not all verbs have objects and not all sentences do either. Sometimes they're not needed.

• What kind of phrase is "on the leg"?

• Subject

• What's the role of 'bit' in the sentence, "The big red dog bit the thief on his leg"?

• Prepositional phrase

• What's the role of 'the thief' in the sentence, "The big red dog bit the thief on his leg"?

• Verb

• What's the role of 'the big red dog' in the sentence, "The big red dog bit the thief on his leg"?

• Object

• What kind of phrase is "the big red dog"?

• Noun phrase

"At the table, a small boy was eating a bowl of hot noodles." Name the parts of the sentence: At the table, ​ ​ (a)   a small boy ​ (b)   was eating ​ (c)   a bowl ​ (d)   of hot noodles ​ (e)   .

• prepositional phrase
• subject
• verb
• object
• prepositional phrase 2
• verb 2
• subject 2

Due to the increase ​ (a)   in the number ​ (b)   of students, ​ (c)   reservations ​ (d)   are ​ (e)   now necessary for all study rooms.

• prepositional phrase 1
• prepositional phrase 2
• prepositional phrase 3
• subject
• verb
• verb 2
• adjective
• adverb
• subject 2

A ​ (a)   is a noun and (sometimes) a group of words describing that ​ (b)   . A ​ (c)   consists of a ​ (d)   followed by a noun ​ (e)   . There are no verbs or subjects in these phrases.

• noun phrase
• noun
• prepositional phrase
• preposition
• phrase

A clause is a group of words with (at least) a subject and verb. There are two kinds of clause: (1) independent clauses and (2) dependent clauses. Independent clauses are a simple sentence. In sentences with many clauses, an independent clause could be taken out and still make sense by itself. A dependent clause cannot be by itself. It needs to be in a sentence with an independent clause to make sense.

• Example of a dependent clause

• the rapidly increasing population

• Example of an independent clause

• in metropolitan areas of Melbourne

• Clause

• I love soccer

• Prepositional phrase

• because it is fun

• Noun phrase

• Subject + verb (+ object)

"Although his family has often visited Europe, he has never left the country." In this sentence "although his family has often visited Europe" is ​ (a)   , while "he has never left the country" is ​ (b)   . The phrases "his family" and "he" are the ​ (c)   of the ​ (d)   and "Europe" and "the country" are the ​ (e)   .

• a dependent clause
• an independent clause
• subjects
• clauses
• objects

"I love soccer ​because it's fun. I often meet my close friends​ on the weekend and we play in the park near the school, which is also close to my apartment." This short monologue has​ two sentences, ​ (a)   clauses, ​ (b)   independent clauses, ​ (c)   dependent clauses, ​ (d)   prepositional phrases, and ​ (e)   noun phrase of three words. (Hint: identify the subjects and verbs!)

• five
• three
• two
• four
• one
• six
• seven
• eight

In longer sentences, independent clauses are joined together by linking words called 'coordinators'. These are: FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO. 'FANBOYS' for short. Independent clauses don't need coordinators; we only use them to make longer sentences. Coordinators can be used to join words, phrases, and clauses together.

• Words joined by a coordinator

• small and green

• Independent clauses joined by a coordinator

• I went home so I could sleep

• Coordinator

• I have many friends but a few enemies

• Subordinator

• although

• Phrases joined by a coordinator

• or

Dependent clauses are different from independent clauses. Dependent clauses have a linking word inside them, at the start of the clause, called a 'subordinator'. This subordinator cannot be removed without changing the kind of clause it is.

• Dependent clause

• Because I had so much homework

• Coordinators

• since, although, because, if, before, unless, which, as, that...

• Subordinators

• I doomscrolled on social media

• Prepositional phrase

• Because of the homework

• Independent clause

• yet, so, but, or, for, yet, nor