Grammar - Parts of A Sentence

English Grammar
Parts of a Sentence
Subject and Predicates
• The subject names the "do-er" of the
sentence; A predicate is the completer of a
sentence. The predicate does the rest of the
work. A simple predicate consists of only a
verb, verb string, or compound verb:
• The glacier melted.
• The glacier has been melting.
• The glacier melted, broke apart, and
slipped into the sea.
• A compound predicate consists of two (or
more) such predicates connected:
 The glacier began to slip down the
mountainside and eventually crushed some of
the village's outlying buildings.
• A complete predicate consists of the verb and
all accompanying modifiers and other words
that receive the action of a transitive verb or
complete its meaning.
Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs
Not every verb takes a direct object.
The direct object completes the meaning of the verb, but not
every verb needs completion.
For example:
 I built last year.
This sentence feels incomplete. Something is missing. What did I
build?
 I built a house last year."
Now the idea is complete.

 I laughed yesterday.
This sentence is completely fine. The idea is complete, and the
verb doesn't require a direct object.
• Verbs that take direct objects are
called transitive verbs.
• The meaning of a transitive verb

is incomplete without a direct
object.
Direct Object, Indirect Object and Object of the
Preposition
1. Direct Object:
A direct object is a person or thing that is affected
by the action of the verb. You could say that the
direct object “receives the action of the verb.”
• “He broke the window.”
• “The ball hit her.”
• “He is making a pancake.”
• “She said the right answer.”
2. Indirect Object
An indirect object is a person or thing that the action is done
to or for.
The indirect object usually comes just before the direct object.
You could also say that the indirect object is the receiver of the
direct object.
• “He gave his mother flowers.”

• “He baked his family some cookies.”
• “Jack is telling them the news.”
• “Barney is writing Fred a letter.”
• “She wrote me a message.”
Is it a direct object or an indirect object?
How can you tell a direct object from an indirect object?
1) A direct object receives the action of the verb. In

other words, it is directly affected by it.
• “He broke the window.”
2) An indirect object is the receiver of the direct object,

and it usually comes just before it.
• “He gave his mother flowers.”

3. The Object of the Preposition
The object of the preposition is a noun or a pronoun that

completes its meaning.
"The cat is looking at the fish."
Example 1:
• She is thinking about.
This sentence is incomplete. We don't know what she is
thinking about.
• She is thinking about your idea.

This sentence is complete. “your Idea" is the object of the
preposition "about."
• Be careful with the hot water.
• Emma gave the book to Ronnie.
• Ronnie is doing it for Emma.
Do not confuse the indirect object with the object of the preposition!
Have a look at the following examples:
1. Rani gave Raja the book.

2. Rani gave the book to Raja.
In the first sentence Raja is the indirect object.

In the second sentence Raja is the object of the preposition.
And by the way, these two sentences basically have the same
meaning.
How can you tell if a word is an indirect object or
the object of the preposition?
• If it comes just after a preposition – then it’s the

object of the preposition.
If it does not come just after a preposition – then
it’s an indirect object.
• Also, the indirect object is usually followed by the

direct object. The object of the preposition does
not.
Intransitive Verbs
• Verbs that don’t take direct objects are
called intransitive verbs.
• The meaning of an intransitive verb
is complete on its own.
1. The package arrived.

2. The boy ran.
• Though no direct object will ever follow,
complements in the form of adjectives,
adverbs, or prepositional phrases may
accompany an intransitive verb.
1. A tsunami happened in the Philippines.
2. The waiter sang well.
• Intransitive verbs can never be written in the

passive voice.
Common verbs that can be transitive
or intransitive
• Move Run
• Start Live
• Change Wash
• Close Write
• Open Do
• Stop
Decide whether the verbs in bold are transitive or
intransitive
1. She was crying all day long.
2. We showed her the photo album.
3. The doctor advised me to exercise regularly.
4. It was raining at that time.
5. She laughed at the joke.
6. She gave a chocolate to the child.
7. They slept in the street.
8. I ate the cherries.
9. My father doesn't drink coffee.
10.He always keeps his money in a wallet.
1. We are playing the violin.
2. The children are playing in the street.
3. He is writing his parents a letter.
4. They aren't reading, they are writing.
5. I am sleeping.
6. You are flying to Paris.
7. He is picking a card for his mother.
8. The students are answering the questions.
9. He is taking a test.
10. They are starting at 2:00 PM.
Complements
A complement (notice the spelling of the word) is any
word or phrase that completes the sense of
a subject, an object, or a verb.
A subject complement follows a linking verb; it is
normally an adjective or a noun that renames or
defines in some way the subject.
• A glacier is a huge body of ice.
• Glaciers are beautiful and potentially dangerous at
the same time.
• This glacier is not yet fully formed. (verb form acting
as an adjective, a participle)
An object complement follows and modifies or
refers to a direct object. It can be a noun or
adjective or any word acting as a noun or
adjective.
• The convention named John Vice President to
keep him happy. (The noun "Vice President"
complements the direct object “John"; the
adjective "happy" complements the object
"him.")
• The clown got the children too excited. (The
participle "excited" complements the object
"children.")

Grammar - Parts of A Sentence

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English Grammar

Now the idea is complete.

• The meaning of a transitive verb

• “He gave his mother flowers.”

1) A direct object receives the action of the verb. In

• “He broke the window.”

2) An indirect object is the receiver of the direct object,

• “He gave his mother flowers.”

The object of the preposition is a noun or a pronoun that

• She is thinking about your idea.

1. Rani gave Raja the book.

In the first sentence Raja is the indirect object.

• If it comes just after a preposition – then it’s the

• Also, the indirect object is usually followed by the

1. The package arrived.

• Intransitive verbs can never be written in the

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