EXERCISE 1: Word Order

Arrange these words in the right order. Use a capital letter to begin each sentence.
Mark each rewritten sentence SVO or SVOMPT to show:
Subject, Verb, Object, Manner (How?), Place (Where?), Time (When?).

1. Has set John Bailey a new high-jump record

2. The passport examined the passport officer
3. These biscuits don`t like the dogs
4. The shop assistant is wrapping the parcel
5. Have seen the visitors the new buildings
6. My father didn`t wash the dishes
7. The pipe is going to fix the plumber
8. Will the goalkeeper catch the ball?
9. Has the meal enjoyed the guest?
10. Can`t play John the game
11. Till 11 o`clock this morning/slept/the children
12. The papers/into the bin/he threw
13. I don`t speak/well/English
14. Hides/Mrs Jones/her money/under the bed
15. Carefully/this suitcase/you didn`t pack
16. On this shelf/I left/this morning/some money
17. From the bank/a loan/you`ll have to get
18. The phone/in the middle of the night/woke me up
19. In the park/you shouldn`t walk/at night
20. Your food/you should eat/slowly
21. Your article/I/quickly/last night/in bed/read

EXERCISE 2: Identifying Sentences

The following groups of words have no capital letters and no marks of punctuation at the end.
Some of them are sentences and some of them are not. Write each group of words that is a
sentence, using a capital letter at the beginning and adding a mark of punctuation at the end.
Write n.s. after each group of words that is not a sentence.

1. a mountain stream full of trout and slippery rocks

2. we caught three trout and cooked them for dinner
3. my sister spoke about saving the whales
4. on the other side of the basketball court
5. the whales in the Pacific Ocean
6. after collecting the papers, the teacher left the room

EXERCISE 3: Identifying Subjects

Write the subject in the following sentences.
1. The pearl has been a popular jewel for centuries.
2. Romans wore pearls even at the bedtime.
3. Their dreams would then be filled with bright gems.
4. The beauty of the pearl has always attracted artists.
5. The great Constantine’s helmet was covered with pearls.
6. Many tales have been told about Davy Crockett.
7. According to his neighbours, Dave was a remarkable child.
8. At eight he weighed two hundred pounds with his shoes off, his feet clean and his
stomach empty.
 9. In another story, a wild stallion ran for three days and three nights with Davy on his
back.
10. These tall tales were the first of the remarkable stories about Davy’s life.

EXERCISE 4: Identifying Complete Subjects and Simple Subjects

Write the complete subject in the following sentences. Then underline the simple subject.
1. Two runners were jogging alone the beach.
2. They heard a sound like that of a high-pitched whistle.
3. Thrashing around in the water just offshore was a dark object.
4. Two dolphin experts soon arrived at the beach.
5. With gloves and a water-proof canvas, they moved into the cold surf.
6. Stories about time travel make exciting reading.
7. Ray Bradbury is a writer of science fiction.
8. The Golden Apples of the Sun is a collection of several of his short stories.
9. My favourite story in that book is A sound of Thunder.
10. The main character in the story is called Mr. Eckels.
11. He is looking for the biggest dinosaur of all, Tyarannosaurus rex.

EXERCISE 5: Identifying Predicates

Write the predicate in the following sentences
1. Daily life was different one hundred years ago.
2. Homes did not have radios, television sets, or record players.
3. No one could go to a movie.
4. Movie machines were not invented until 1894.
5. Very few homes had telephones.
6. Doctors practiced medicine without X-ray machines or painkillers.
7. Clemente played right field for Pittsburgh.
8. He had a lifetime batting average of 317.
9. Twice Clemente helped lead the Pirates to World Series victories.
10. In fourteen World Series games, Clemente never went hitless.
11. On the plane were people flying to Nicaragua with aid for earthquake victims.

EXERCISE 6: Identifying Complete Predicates and Verbs

Write the predicate in the following sentences. Then underline the verb.
1. Historians are unsure about the history and the Stars and Stripes.
2. The design included thirteen red stripes and thirteen white stripes.
3. The top inner quarter of the flag was blue space with thirteen white stars.
4. The designer of the flag is unknown.
5. According to a popular legend, Betsy Ross made the first flag.
6. Historians doubt the Betsy Ross story.

EXERCISE 7: Identifying Verbs and Verb Phrases

Write the verb or verb phrase of each sentence.
1. We saw some beautiful pictures of Hawaii.
2. They had been taken by our science teacher.
3. Hawaii is called the Aloha State.
4. It was settled by Polynesians about 750 a.d., if not earlier.
5. The first Americans went to Hawaii as missionaries in 1820.
6. These volcanoes may be viewed by tourists in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

EXERCISE 8: Identifying Compound Subjects

Write the compound subject in the following sentences.
 1. The shapes and sizes of sand dunes are determined by the wind.
2. Water and other natural forces are continuing the age-old erosion of landforms.
3. Many rapids and waterfalls have also originated through erosion.
4. Canyons and gorges in the river systems of the world are the results of erosion.
5. My bus pass and a pair of gym socks were at the bottom of my locker.

EXERCISE 9: Identifying Compound Verbs

Write the compound verbs in the following sentences.
1. The team played well but lost the game.
2. Jenny is worrying about her grades and is studying very hard.
3. John went out early in the morning but came home late in the evening.
4. In the afternoons, most campers either swim or played softball.
5. During our absence, someone had entered the house but taken nothing.

EXERCISE 10: Identifying Subjects and Verbs

Write the subjects and verbs in the following sentences. Then underline the simple subject.
1. Settlers faced and overcame many dangers.
2. Few Hollywood stars have been born or raised in California.
3. Mount Evans is west of Denver and can be reached by the highest paved road in
America.
4. The view of the Great Plains from the top of Mount Evans is breathtaking.
5. Visitors should not feed or mistreat the animals at the zoo.

REVIEW
Underline the complete subject and double underline the complete predicate. Then draw a line
around the simple subject and around the simple predicate.
1. Into every bay and inlet swept the tide with irresistible force.
2. The first of the boats had already shoved off.
3. Watching them quizzically, with one eyebrow lifted, the captain tapped his boot with
his cigarette.
4. They could hear the doctor firing behind them.
5. Slowly the fisherman turned to greet the stranger.
6. The enemy on the road north was marching forward again.
7. He could almost smell the cooking in the kitchen.
8. Yesterday the soldiers fought a fierce battle farther down the coast.
9. Standing behind the counter, the merchant poked his wizened little head up out of his
collar.
10. The one-legged shoemaker was already sitting in the shade of the large elm tree.
11. Farther down the road he could see the white church with its thin spire glittering in the
early light.
12. Over the mountains at the right rose the sun.
13. Big men they were, tanned and sea-salted, with blunt, gnarled hands.
14. The trees between the sidewalk and the street cast rich shadows over the grilled
railing.
15. From the dockside, even at night, came the pungent tang of wet fish.
16. To most of them, dreary was the prospect.
17. Dullness, monotony, routine, he feared above all else.
18. To all his other anxieties there was now added an infuriating doubt of his own physical
endurance.
19. A few gorgeous feathers were carefully examined.
20. By that time, Phillip and his party had made another half-dozen miles.
21. Along the coast were burning great fires.
22. Pausing a moment as if to catch his breath, the sailor continued the story of the
sinking.
23. Not once, but twice, did the angry mate strike the mutineer.