(Please copy and paste this document into your word processing program. Save it as exercise1.rtf and follow the directions below. When you email to me, be sure it is as an email attachment.)
Underline the simple subject, [bracket the verb], and mark the prepositional phrases, if there are any in the sentence, with a color of your choice. (Each question is worth 3 points.)
I'll do one for you:
The first week of school is always so exciting.
The first thing I did was get rid of my prepositional phrases, so that I knew what my subject was; page 165 in my handbook was helpful with that. I also reminded myself that if a verb follows a preposition then that phrase is not a prepositional phrase because only nouns and pronouns belong in prepositional phrases. With those facts in mind, only of school qualifies as a prepositional phrase, so I marked that. Once I eliminated those items, I was down to basics: subjects and verbs: who is doing what?
The first week is always so exciting.
Now, I can plainly see that the sentence is about the first week, so I will underline that.
The first week is always so exciting.
Here I have not underlined first even though it is part of the subject because the exercise is asking for the simple subject not the complete subject. Now, I must look for the verb. I ask myself what is happening? An action or a state of being? Since I know that the "be" verbs are always verbs in a sentence unless they follow a preposition, I will bracket is, as this sentence is explaining about the week's state of being: exciting. Does that make sense? I also used my handbook with the "be" verbs. Pages 144-145 show the varying forms of "be." So now my sentence looks like this.
The first week of school [is] always so exciting.
Okay, now it's your turn. Good luck!
English 101 Quiz
Subject, Verbs, Prepositions, and Fragments1. Parties are fun, except on the day before a quiz.
2. The students were upset after looking at their test scores.
3. I will be watching I Love Lucy next Tuesday.
4. This is almost the last question.
5. You can still finish in time to watch X-Files.
6. The teacher hopes her students understand key ideas.
7. Homer went to the grocery store across the street from the bookstore; he bought a magazine.
8. It was warm and breezy today during the class.
9. Winning the Lotto will make Ginger happy.
10. Jogging is good exercise after a heavy meal.
Possible Points:&n[bsp; /30
Fix the following sentences so that there are no fragments. (2 points each)
1. Working on sentences is fascinating. Especially working with fragments.
2. If I had a million dollars. I would still work.
3. John Harvey's book is about murder and mayhem. And delving into the psyche of a known killer.
4. Even though he had the better arguments and was by far the more powerful speaker.
5. Some of the students working in Professor Espinoza's laboratory last semester.
6. However, don't criticize her for acting the way she does.
7. But determined to prove her point.
8. We been living in this town for nine years.
9. If you can't agree with the experts on buying the missiles.
10. Because of all your arguing and fussing, I am confused now.
11. Sneaking around like that not making a good impression.
12. Although the hinges were missing, the door was solid.
13. With his type of personality, and in spite of his shyness.
14. Expecting them to tell me to come home.
15. Which was quite a challenge I can tell you.
16. In his opinion, thinking of nice things to do is enough.
17. In addition to the car's unreliability and our lack of cash.
18. On the other side of town where the roads are better.
19. On the other hand, he'd look funny in a long cape.
20. To see her the way she is now amazes me.
21. Studying all the time and sometimes refusing to stop for dinner.
22. Because the article was so confusing, I wrote to the editor.
23. Meaning that she'll get the best grades she can.
24. Just as you called, I thinking about you.
25. Making herself an afternoon snack, she often misses dinner.
26. That noise is making it hard for me to hear.
27. You'd think she would go on to college, with those good grades.
28. If they can argue, we can argue, too.
29. Finally the appointment forgotten by both of them.
30. The lake at the bottom of the field beyond the new bridge.
Possible Points
/600
Comments:
Total Possible Points
/90
