LESSON - 7

FINDING SUBJECTS IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF SENTENCES:

Interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative sentences may all have unusual subject-verb order.  To find the subject of an interrogative or exclamatory sentence, rewrite the sentence so that it is a declarative sentence. Then follow the usual steps.

                                                  Example:

Interrogative Sentence:  Is he watching the eclipse?

                    Declarative: He is watching the eclipse?

                             Verb:  is watching

                                      Who or what is watching?  She

                                      He is the subjects of the verbs ‘is watching’

You may need to drop some words to make a rewritten sentence sound correct:

                                                   Example:

Exclamatory: What a surprise your visit is!

Declarative:   Your visit is a surprise.

An imperative sentence appears to have no subject.  However, in imperative sentences, the subject is understood to be the word ‘you’.  In the example below, ‘you’ is written in parenthesis to show that it is understood.

                                                   Example:

(You) Close the door.

(You) Brush the dog.

FINDING SUBJECTS:  In the sentence below, draw a line under the subject of the verb. If the subject is understood, write (you) after the sentence.

1.     Wait for Monica’s sister. (………………………)

2.     Has Marie come home yet? (……………………)

3.     Is your phone still working? (…………………..)

4.     Give me your new address. (…………………….)

5.     Listen to the crowd!            (…………………….)