Analyze the simple sentences below
by marking the sentences parts as indicated in the following examples. A simple
sentence is made up of a subject-main verb combination (either or both of which
may be compound).
Type your response in the text box
above. (Copy and paste to save time and effort!)
Use these symbols [ ] _ _ ( ) to identify the parts
of each sentence as follows:
Put brackets [ ] around the subject,
which can be a noun, pronoun, gerund or infinitive. [subject]
Put underscores _ _ around the
verb, which can be transitive or intransitive
_verb_
Put parentheses ( ) around each
prepositional phrase
(prepositional phrases)
Examples
1. [Carlos] and [Maria]
_are_ foreign students (at the university).
2. (After their classes,)
[they] usually _eat_ lunch (in the university cafeteria) and then _study_ (at
the library) (for three hours).
3. [They] _might
spend_ two more hours (on homework) (after supper).
Exercise A: Simple Sentences
1. Snow is frozen water vapor in
the form of ice crystals. 2. It forms in the clouds at temperatures below
freezing. 3. Falling ice crystals are transparent and may be only a few millimeters
in diameter. 4. Four basic types of these six-sided crystals exist with countless
varieties of each type. 5. According to scientists, no two crystals are identical.
6. After reaching the ground, snow loses its crystalline shape and becomes
granular in form.
1. Snow is frozen water vapor in
the form of ice crystals.
2. It forms in the clouds at temperatures
below freezing.
3. Falling ice crystals are transparent
and may be only a few millimeters in diameter.
4. Four basic types of these six-sided
crystals exist with countless varieties of each type.
5. According to scientists, no two
crystals are identical.
6. After reaching the ground, snow
loses its crystalline shape and becomes granular in form.
7. Falling snow and ground snow are
very different in appearance.
Exercise B: Simple Sentences
Analyze the sentences below; follow
the marking system described in Exercise A.
1 In the north and in the mountains,
snow often falls as individual crystals. 2 In warmer areas, the crystals form
snowflakes. 3 Indeed, hundreds of crystals may combine and form a snowflake
of nearly one inch in diameter. 4 In some areas of the United States, a single
snowfall frequently exceeds 30 inches in depth. 5 These heavy snowfalls occur
in the Rocky Mountains. 6 Snow often creates transportation problems in these
parts of the United States.
1 In the north and in the mountains,
snow often falls as individual crystals.
2 In warmer areas, the crystals form
snowflakes.
3 Indeed, hundreds of crystals
may combine and form a snowflake of nearly one inch in diameter.
4 In some areas of the United
States, a single snowfall frequently exceeds 30 inches in depth.
5 These heavy snowfalls occur
in the Rocky Mountains.
6 Snow often creates transportation
problems in these parts of the United States.
Source: Improving the Grammar
of Written English, The Editing Process, Benson and Byrd
Marsha Chan
English as a Second Language Department
Mission College
3000 Mission College Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95054-1897
(408) 855-5314
URL: http://www.missioncollege.org/depts/esl/