English IV Sentence of the Day 22

Today's sentence comes from "Beowulf":

I will compensate you for settling the feud

As I did the last time with lavish wealth,

Coffers of coiled gold, if you come back.

For an audio recording of the explanation of today's sentence, click here.

English IV SoD 21

Today's sentence is from "Beowulf":

There was less tampering and big talk then 

from Unferth the boaster, less of his blather

as the hall-thanes eyed the awful proof of the hero's prowess.

For an audio lesson, click here.

English I Sentence of the Day 16

Today's sentence is from "Once More to the Lake":


One summer, along about 1904,

my father rented a camp on a lake

in Maine and took us all there for

the month of August.

For an audio lesson (recorded in class on 10/28), click here.

English IV SoD 19: Complex Sentence

Today's sentence comes from "Beowulf":

They had seen me boltered in the blood of enemies
when I battled and bound five beasts,
raided a troll-nest and in the night-sea
slaughtered sea-brutes.

For an audio lesson (recorded in class on 10/25), click here.

English IV SoD 15: Model Sentence 4

This is Model Sentence 4:

The prehistoric Celts, the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Normans all shaped the culture of medieval Britain. (Model 4: Accumulation of Subjects)

For an audio lesson (recorded in class on 10/17), click here.

English I Sentence of the Day 11

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 6, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from "My Landlady's Yard":

There was no hurry, except for

the thirst, like clotted salt, in the

back of the throat, and Durante rode on slowly,

rather enjoying the last moments of dryness before

he reached the cold water in Tony’s house.

For an audio recording of a lesson explaining the grammar of this sentence, click here.

This photo shows exactly how we labeled the sentence in class. Don't mind the glare!

SoD 11: Compound-Complex Sentence

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 6, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from "My Landlady's Yard":

So I go ahead and drag around a

green hose despite my perception

that gold, colorless liquid, is pouring out onto this

desert, an offering as unquenchable and ruthless as

to any Aztec deity (don’t water a couple of days

and watch how fast it dries away).

Let's pick out main parts!

First bracket off prepositional phrases: So I go ahead and drag around a green hose despite my perception that gold, colorless liquid, is pouring out [onto this desert], an offering as unquenchable and ruthless as [to any Aztec deity] (don’t water a couple [of days] and watch how fast it dries away).

Note, "ahead," "around,"and "out" are sometimes prepositions, but in this sentence, they are helping the verbs express their actions, therefore they are phrasal verbs.

Next underline verbs: So I go ahead and drag around a green hose despite my perception that gold, colorless liquid, is pouring out [onto this desert], an offering as unquenchable and ruthless as [to any Aztec deity] (don’t water a couple [of days] and watch how fast it dries away).

We don't have to underline "offering" here because we know that -ing verbs need helping verbs to take a subject. "Offering" is a participle and is acting as a modifier.

Who or what goes ahead? I. "I" is the subject. 
I go ahead who or what? The question makes no sense, so there's no complement.

Who or what drags around? I. "I" is the subject. 

Both verbs share the same subject, therefore these verbs are part of a single clause. This is an example of compound-predicate.

I drag around who or what? A hose. "Hose" is the direct object.

Who or what is pouring out? Gold. "Gold" is the subject.

Note, "liquid" cannot be the subject because it is separated from the verb with a single comma. The two commas surrounded "colorless liquid" act like a bridge, allowing us to move from the verb "is pouring out" to the subject "gold."

Who or what don't water? This verb is an imperative verb. It is giving a command, therefore the subject is understood to be the reader, or "you." 

You don't water who or what? This question makes no sense so there's no complement.

Who or what watch? This verb is an imperative verb. It is giving a command, therefore the subject is understood to be the reader, or "you." 

You watch who or what? "How fast it dries away." This is a noun clause acting as direct object.

Who or what dries? It. "It" is the subject.
It dries who or what? There is no answer, so no complement.

This sentence contains a whooping five clauses:

So I go ahead and drag around a green hosedespite my perception that gold, colorless liquid, is pouring out [onto this desert]don’t water a couple [of days]watch how fast it dries away

Two of the clauses are dependent:

despite my perception that gold, colorless liquid, is pouring out [onto this desert]how fast it dries away 

The rest are independent. Thus this is a compound-complex sentence.

The portion of the sentence that is set off with parenthesis is a sort of aside, as if the author is leaning over and whispering a comment to the audience. 

English I Sentence of the Day 7

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from "The Cask of Amontillado"

It must be understood that

neither by word nor deed

had I given Fortunato cause

to doubt my good will.

Pick out Main Parts!

First bracket off prep phrases: It must be understood that neither [by word] nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. 

Then underline verbs: It must be understood that neither [by word] nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. 

Now ask the questions to pick out main parts for each verb:

Must be understood. Who or what must be understood? It. "It" is the subject.
It must be understood who or what? This question doesn't make sense, so there's no DO.

Had given. Who or what had given? I. "I" is the subject. In this case, the helping verb and main verb are divided up by the subject. This is a little odd to our ears, but the subject question helped us find the subject anyway. When the words are not in the expected order, we call it "inverted word order."

I had given who or what? Cause. "Cause" is the direct object.

I had given cause to whom? Fortunato. "Fortunato" is the indirect object.

English IV SoD 8

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from our reading. Today's sentence comes from Maya Angelou's "The Champion of the World":

The last inch of space was filled,
yet people continued to wedge
themselves along the walls of the store.

Pick out main parts!

Bracket off prep phrases:

The last inch [of space] was filled, yet people continued to wedge themselves [along the walls] [of the store.]

Find the verbs:

The last inch [of space] was filled, yet people continued to wedge themselves [along the walls] [of the store.]

Check to see which verbs are predicates:

Who or what was filled? Inch. "Inch" is the subject. There will be no more main parts, because the comma after was filled ends the clause.

Who or what continued to wedge? People. "People" is the subject.

• the verb "continued" is working with the infinitive "to wedge" to express a single action.

People continued to wedge who or what? Themselves. "Themselves" is the DO.

There are two independent clauses here. They are joined by a conjunction ("yet"), therefore this is a compound sentence.

English I S o D 6

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from "The Cask of Amontillado"

The thousand injuries of
Fortunato I had borne as
I best could, but when he ventured
upon insult I vowed revenge.

Pick out Main Parts!

First bracket off prep phrases: The thousand injuries [of Fortunato] I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge.

Then underline verbs: The thousand injuries [of Fortunato] I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge.

Who or what had borne? I. "I" is the subject. "Borne" is the past tense of "bear" is in "withdstand."

I had borne who or what? Injuries. "Injuries" is the direct object. We don't expect the DO to be before the subject and verb, but it can happen. That's why we ask the questions!

Who or what could? I. "I" is the subject. "Could" is a helping verb. It's action is not implied, not stated. The speaker had borne the injuries of Fortunato as best as he could bear them. This is an elliptical clause (the action verb is omitted because the meaning is understood).

Who or what ventured? He. "He" is the subject.

He ventured who or what? There is no answer so no DO.

Who or what vowed? I. "I" is the subject.

I vowed who or what? Revenge. "Revenge" is the DO.

English IV S o D 7

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from our reading. Today's sentence comes from Barbara Lazear Ascher's "The Boxman."

Then, as if dogged by luck,

he set out again and

discovered, behind the sign at the

parking garage, a plastic Dellwood box,

strong and clean, once used to deliver

milk.

Pick out main parts!

Bracket off prep phrases:

Then, as if dogged [by luck], he set out again and discovered, [behind the sign] [at the parking garage], a plastic Dellwood box, strong and clean, once used to deliver milk.

• "Out" is not the start of a  prepositional phrase here because there is no noun after it to complete the phrase.

Find the verbs:

Then, as if dogged [by luck], he set out again and discovered, [behind the sign] [at the parking garage], a plastic Dellwood box, strong and clean, once used to deliver milk.

Check to see which verbs are predicates:

Dogged. Who or what dogged? There is no answer to that question, therefore dogged is not a predicate. In fact, it is a past participle and is working as a modifier.

Set out. Who or what set out? He.

• He is the subject, therefore "set out" is a predicate. "Set out" is a phrasal verb, meaning the verb's action is expressed with a combination of verb and preposition.

He set out who or what? There is no answer, so there's no direct object.

Who or what discovered? He

• He is the subject. "Set out" and "discovered" share the subject "he." This is called a compound predicate.

He discovered who or what? box (in the phrase "a plastic Dellwood box")

• "Box" is the direct object. The two commas in this sentence surrounding the prepositional phrases word like a bridge linking the verb discovered to its direct object.

Who or what used? There is no answer, so used is not a predicate. Used is a past participle that works as a modifier.

There is only one clause in this sentence, therefore this is a simple sentence.

English I S of D 4

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from our reading:

You should have seen how wisely I proceeded--with what caution--with what foresight--with what dissimulation I went to work!

Note, the pairs of hyphens in this sentence are dashes, more technically "em dashes." An em dash is an emphatic form of punctuation. You can use them where you would normally use a comma to add emphasis, or you can use them to set off an aside or interjection. Edgar Allan Poe, author of this sentence, loved dashes. To type an em dash, you type a word, type two hypens, and then type the next word with no spaces in between. On most word processors, when you do, the computer will turn the two hypens into a line. Alas, blogger doesn't do that, but even many phones do.

Prep phrases:

You should have seen how wisely I proceeded--[with what caution]--[with what foresight]--[with what dissimulation] I went [to work]!

Verbs:

You should have seen how wisely I proceeded--[with what caution]--[with what foresight]--[with what dissimulation] I went [to work]!

POMP for each verb:

Who or what should have seen? You.

• You is the subject.

You should have seen who or what? How wisely I proceeded.

• "How wisely I proceeded." A whole group of words answers the direct object question. Therefore a whole group of words is acting together as the direct object. This is a noun clause.

Who or what proceeded? I

• I is the subject.

I proceeded who or what? There is no answer, so there is no direct object.

Who or what went? I

• I is the subject.

I went who or what? There is no answer, so there is no direct object.

English I: S o D 3

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from our reading:

It haunted me day and night.

Pick out main parts!

There are no prepositional phrases in this sentence.

The verb is haunted.

• Who or what haunted? It. It is the subject.

It haunted who or what?

• It haunted me. Me is the direct object.

Without even looking, I know there's no indirect object here because indirect objects must be located in between the verb and the direct object. Since the DO is immediately after the predicate, there's no IO.

English I: S o D 2

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from our reading:

Listen, and I will tell you how it happened.

Pick out main parts!

There are no prepositional phrases in this sentence.

The first verb is listen. Who or what listen? You listen. 

• The word "you" is not written in the sentence, but it is understood that the speaker of the sentence is talking to some person, telling him or her to listen. This verb is a command, so the subject is "you," which is understood but not stated. A verb that issues a command is an imperative verb.

"Listen" will not have any additional main parts. I know this because there is a comma immediately after it and you cannot separate main parts with a single comma.

The second verb is "will tell." Who or what will tell? 

• I. I is the subject of "will tell." 

I will tell who or what?

• I will tell "how it happened." The entire group of words "how it happened" is the direct object. Any one word can only do one job, but a whole group of words can work together to do another job. In this case, the thing the speaker will be telling to the listened is the story or "how it happened." This is a noun clause--a group of words with a subject and verb that acts like a noun.

I will tell how it happened to whom?

• You. You is the indirect object.

The final verb is happened. Who or what happened?

• It. It is the subject of happened.

English IV: SoD 4

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from our reading. Today's sentence comes from "Frankenstein."

No sympathy may I ever find.

Pick out main parts!

• First bracket off prep phrases - There are no prepositional phrases in this sentence.

• Then find all the verbs - The verbs here are "may" and "find." Although they are spread out in the sentence, they are working together to express a single action, so the verb is "may find."

• Test verbs to see which are predicates - Who or what may find? I may find. "I" is the subject. You may have been tempted to choose "sympathy" as the subject because it is in front of the verb "may," but when you ask the subject question, the logical answer is "I." This sentence is an example of INVERTED WORD ORDER in which the subject is in the middle of the verb phrase.

• Pick out all main parts for the predicates you find. - I may find who or what? I may find SYMPATHY. "Sympathy" is the DIRECT OBJECT.

English IV - SoD 2

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from our reading:

Beaufort had taken effectual measures to conceal himself, and it was ten months before my father discovered his abode.

Click here for today's video lesson.

Pick out main parts!

• First bracket off prep phrases
• Then find all the verbs
• Test verbs to see which are predicates.
• Pick out all main parts for the predicates you find.

English IV - SoD 1

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from our reading:

The breeze, which has traveled from the regions towards which I am advancing, gives me a foretaste of those icy climes.

Click here for today's video lesson.

Pick out main parts!

• First bracket off prep phrases
• Then find all the verbs
• Test verbs to see which are predicates.
• Pick out all main parts for the predicates you find.

English 1 - SoD 1

Now that you've completed Sentence Basics Lessons 1 to 5, let's put your skills to work on a sentence from our reading:

Mr. Corell had lent them his trim sailboat for the day.

Click here for today's video lesson.

Pick out main parts!

• First bracket off prep phrases
• Then find all the verbs
• Test verbs to see which are predicates.
• Pick out all main parts for the predicates you find.