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Prepared by:

Patuxent Valley Middle School English Teachers

Prepared by:

Patuxent Valley Middle School English Teachers

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– Who or what the sentence speaks about is called the subject.

– What the sentence says about the subject is called the verb.

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Find the Subject….

Who or what is the sentence about?Who or what is the sentence about?

1. My best friend studies marine biology. Friend

2. Sharks attack their prey. Sharks

3. Michael works on a submarine.Michael

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Find the Verb….

There are three ways to find the verb.

1. My best friend studies marine biology.1. My best friend studies marine biology.1. What does the subject do?. What does the subject do?

StudiesStudies

1. Sharks attack their prey.1. What does the subject do?. What does the subject do? AttackAttack

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Find the Verb….

There are three ways to find the verb.

2. Put a pronoun (I, you, he, she, it, (I, you, he, she, it, oror they)they) in front of the word you think is a verb.

If the resultIf the resultmakes sense,makes sense,

you have you have a verb.a verb.

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Find the Verb….

There are three ways to find the verb.

3. Recognize the linking verbslinking verbs. They do not show action. Instead, they give information.

I am tall.I am tall.Bob seems unhappy.Bob seems unhappy.

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Many verbs consist of more than one word.

The verb often has a “helping” verb.“helping” verb.

– Mike is writingis writing a report about the great white shark.

– We are studyingare studying about the jaws and teeth of sharks.

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Words like notnot, justjust, nevernever, alwaysalways, and onlyonly are not part of the verb.A shark doesdoes not sleepsleep.People havehave always fearedfeared sharks.

When what LOOKSLOOKS like a verb has a “to”“to” in front of it, it is not a verb.Sharks likelike to live in cold water.

Notes:

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A sentence may have more than one verb.

– The shark swam and attacked. A sentence may have more than one

subject.

– Dolphins and whales have some protection from sharks.

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Subject: brotherbrother Verb: expectsexpects

Identify the subjectsIdentify the subjects and verbs in theand verbs in the

following. following.

My brother expects My brother expects to go on an importantto go on an important job interview soon.job interview soon.

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Subject: hehe Verb: practicedpracticed

Identify the subjectsIdentify the subjects and verbs in theand verbs in the

following. following.

He practiced for thisHe practiced for this interview in aninterview in an interesting way.interesting way.

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Subject: dressdress Verb: isis

Identify the subjectsIdentify the subjects and verbs in theand verbs in the

following. following.

Appropriate dress isAppropriate dress is important too.important too.

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Subject: applicantsapplicants Verbs: wrote / spokewrote / spokeThe job applicants wroteThe job applicants wrote

essays about their valuesessays about their valuesand spoke in front of aand spoke in front of asmall group.small group..

Identify the subjectsIdentify the subjects and verbs in theand verbs in the

following. following.

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Subject: BillBill Verb: should have should have

researchedresearched

Identify the subjectsIdentify the subjects and verbs in theand verbs in the

following. following.

Of course, Bill shouldOf course, Bill should have researched forhave researched for information aboutinformation about the company.the company.

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Subject:candidatecandidate Verb: wantswants

Identify the subjectsIdentify the subjects and verbs in theand verbs in the

following. following.

A worthy candidateA worthy candidatefor a job wants tofor a job wants to give a good impression.give a good impression.

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Just ask!Just ask!