SIMPLE SENTENCES with ZEST!

SENTENCE PATTERN 1 Simple Sentence

SIMPLE SENTENCES WILL ALWAYS BE AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE (EXPRESS A COMPLETE THOUGHT)

0 Fish swim in the river.0 Koalas eat eucalyptus.0 I am awesome.0 Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear.0 The giant, deadly shark angrily and savagely devoured the helpless

swimmer.

S V O+ + = SSA REVIEW

Compound Subjects

0 Some Simple Sentences can have more than one subject.

0 Mario and Luigi are brothers.

0 Sally and Paco dated for twelve minutes.

0 Rick and Steve aggressively punted the kitten into the swiftly flowing river.

0 The “Compound Subject” in a sentence will always perform the same action.

Pattern 2A – SS with Compound Subject

0NOTE: A Compound Subject may contain more than 2 items.0 Example:

0Huey, Dewey, and Louie are my favorite cartoon characters.

S V O+ + = SSS +

Compound Verb0 Some Simple Sentences can have more than one verb.

0 Robert laughed and cried throughout the entire movie.

0 Lionel sang and danced at Elton’s wedding.

0 Lisa polished the championship trophy and placed it on the mantel.0NOTE – even though the Verbs are split by an object, there is still only one

subject.

0 Each of these sentences has a “Compound Verb,” but is still a Simple Sentence – they express one idea.

Pattern 2B – SS with Compound Verb

0NOTE: A Compound Verb may contain more than 2 items.0 Example:

0Neil Patrick Harris acts, sings, and dances for his career.

S V O+ + = SSV +

Compound Subject and Verb0Finally, some simple sentences can have multiple Subjects and

Multiple Verbs

0 Javier and his colleagues drafted and revised the article several times.

0 Miley Cyrus and her dad partied and celebrated in the USA!

BEWARE!!!!0 In simple sentences subjects have to come as a pair.

Verbs do not. 0 Simple Sentence:

0Santa and Mrs. Claus rode the reindeer and drank hot cocoa to celebrate the end of Christmas.

0 Not a Simple Sentence:0Santa rode the reindeer, and Mrs. Claus drank hot cocoa

to celebrate the end of Christmas.0 NOTE: this is a Compound Sentence – we’ll learn about these later.

Pattern 2C – SS with Compound Subject and Verb

0 NOTE: A Compound Subject or Compound Verb may contain more than 2 items.0 Example:

0 Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello fight, kick, punch or maim Shredder and his henchmen.

S V

O

+

+ = SS

V++ S

In Sum0Simple Sentences can have simple or Compound Subjects

or Verbs

0SP 1 – S + V + O = SS

0SP 2A – S + S + V + O = SS

0SP 2B – S + V + V + O= SS

0SP 2C – S + S + V + V + O= SS

Knowledge Check

0The pretty sun set slowly over the horizon.0 YES

0The night brings with it an orchestra of cicadas. 0 YES

0Eating pizza with Splinter after destroying Shredder.0 NO – There is no subject.

0The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.0 YES

0Arnold Schwarzenegger and his beautiful ex-wife Maria Shriver yesterday.0 NO – There is no verb.

Knowledge Check x 2 (a little bit harder now)

0 New Chicago Bears punter Adam Podlesh punts and kicks like a girl.0 YES – it has a compound verb.

0 Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah are two of the best players in the NBA.0 YES – it has a compound subject.

0 The comedy duo Hiller and Miller love Mondays more than anything.0 YES – it has a compound subject.

0 Michael and Michelle argue and fight all the time.0 YES – it has a compound subject and verb.

0 Lyle ran around the block, and he fainted from exhaustion.0 NO – This is a compound SENTENCE – It has two subjects.

Lyle ran around the block, and he fainted from exhaustion.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

1. Write a simple sentence with only a subject and a verb.2. Write a simple sentence with a subject, verb and an object.3. Write a simple sentence with two or more subjects.4. Write a simple sentence with two or more verbs.5. Write a simple sentence with a compound subject and

compound verb.6. Write a sentence fragment without a subject.7. Write a sentence fragment without a verb.8. Write a sentence fragment that doesn’t express a complete

thought.