Parts of sentence
Understand how sentences work, and how they are built with this explanation!
Before this, learn: Parts of speech
1.Subject
1.1Basic Information about the Subject
A subject is one of the most important parts of a sentence because it tells us who or what the sentence is about.
The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is doing the action or we describe.
| Example | Comment |
|---|---|
| Anna is reading a book. | Who is reading? Anna - subject as a person. |
| The library is quiet. | What is quiet? The library - subject as a place. |
| My laptop is very expensive. | What is expensive? My laptop - subject as a thing. |
| Honesty is important. | What is important? Honesty - subject as an idea. |
So how to Find the Subject? - Just ask "Who?" or "What?" before the verb!
| Example | Comment |
|---|---|
| Dogs are amazing. | Who is amazing? Dogs |
| John and Anna are at home. | Who is at home? John and Anna |
| My friends and I like jogging in the morning. | Who likes jogging in the morning? My friends and I |
| They read books at home. | Who reads books at home? They |
| It is cold. | sometimes we do not translate the subject but it MUST be in the sentence. |
| This is a good picture. | What is a good picture? This |
| The children like games and ice-cream. | Who likes games and ice-cream? The children |
| The table costs much. | What costs much? The table |
2.Predicate
2.1Main verb
The main verb is the most important verb in a sentence. It shows the action or the state of the subject.
The main verb tells us what the subject is doing or what is happening. The main verb changes if the tense changes.
In a sentence, the main verb can stand alone, or it can work with helping verbs.
Main verbs are used to represent an action that the subject is doing, they often change if the tense changes
| Example | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Tom is speaking to Stephany. | "speaking" - the action |
| Tom often speaks to Stephany. | "speaks" - the action |
| Tom is not speaking to Stephany. | "speaking" - the action |
| Tom does not often speak to Stephany. | "speak" - the action |
| Do you often play videogames? | "play" - the action |
| She believes in herself. | "believes" - her mental state |
| She is happy. | "is" - her state |
2.2Helping verbs
A sentence can have a main verb alone, but when you see more than one verb together, the first one is often a helping verb. A helping verb (also called an auxiliary verb) helps the main verb form the verb's tense correctly according to the English grammar. Normally we don't translate helping verbs but without them we can't form tenses correctly.
| Tense | Example | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple Affirmative + | I speak English well. | "speak" - main |
| Present Simple Negative - | I do not speak Enlish well. | "speak" - main do - helping |
| Present Simple Question ? | Do you speak English well? | "speak" - main do - helping |
| Present Progressive + (Continuous) |
I am reading a book now. | "reading" - main am - helping |
| Present Progressive - (Continuous) |
I am not reading a book now. | "reading" - main am - helping |
| Present Progressive ? (Continuous) |
Are you reading a book now? | "reading" - main are - helping |
2.3Object
An object can be direct and indirect. When there is an object in the sentence, we need to put it after the verb. Verb and object are together.
| Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|
| A direct object is the person or thing that receives the action of the verb directly. | An indirect object is the person or thing that receives the direct object. |
| He gives Sarah a book. What does he give? a book. |
He gives Sarah a book. Who does he give the book to? Sarah. Sarah receives the book. |
| Example | Comment |
|---|---|
| She opens the door. | What? the door → direct |
| Can I introduce my friend to you? | Who? my friend → direct To whom? to you → indirect |
| You can ask John a question. | What? a question → direct Whom? John → indirect |
| Give it to me. | What? it → direct To whom? to me - indirect |
| Speak to him. | To whom? to him → indirect |
| She gives her sister a gift. | Whom? her sister → indirect What? a gift → direct |
3.Frequently asked questions
What are the parts of a sentence in English?
The main parts of an English sentence are the subject, the verb and often an object. The subject is who or what the sentence is about, the verb shows the action or state, and the object receives the action. In "Anna reads a book", "Anna" is the subject, "reads" is the main verb and "a book" is the object. To find the subject, ask "Who?" or "What?" before the verb: "Who reads?" Anna. The verb part can also have a helping verb: in "Anna is reading a book", "is" helps "reading".
Main verb vs helping verb: in 'She is playing', which one is the main verb?
In "She is playing", "playing" is the main verb because it shows the action, and "is" is the helping verb. A helping (auxiliary) verb helps the main verb make the tense, negative or question. When a sentence has two verbs, the first one is usually the helping verb: "They are watching TV" (are helps watching), "We do not like that movie" (do helps like), "Does she visit her grandparents?" (does helps visit). The -ing form is still the main verb, even though it is not the first verb.
Is 'is' a main verb or a helping verb in 'She is happy'?
In "She is happy", "is" is the main verb, because it is the only verb in the sentence and shows her state. The verb to be is a helping verb only when another verb follows it, as in "She is working" (is helps working). Compare "I am at home" (am is the main verb) with "I am cooking" (am is the helping verb). Some grammar books call be in "She is happy" a linking verb, because it links the subject to a word that describes it.
Direct object vs indirect object: what is the difference?
The direct object is the person or thing that receives the action, and the indirect object is the person who gets the direct object. In "Emma sends her cousin a postcard", "a postcard" is the direct object (What does she send?) and "her cousin" is the indirect object (Who does she send it to?). The indirect object usually comes first, right after the verb. To check, move it after to or for: "The company gives us a bonus" means "The company gives a bonus to us", so "us" is the indirect object.
Is it correct to say 'Is cold today' without the subject 'it'?
No, an English sentence needs a subject, so say "It is cold today", not "Is cold today". In sentences about weather, temperature, time and distance, "it" is the subject even though it doesn't mean anything: "It is raining", "It is very hot in summer", "It is five o'clock". Many languages leave this word out, but English doesn't. Commands like "Sit down" are the main exception: they have no subject.
