english writing course

Ch. 5 Assignment on SV identification

Name: Date:

Directions: 1. Read the numbered sentences below and put in bold the subjects and verbs in each

sentence. 2. Put in bold ALL the words between the Subject and its Verb. 3. How many SV combos (subject-verb combinations) are in each sentence is given in

parentheses after the sentence.

4. Here are two examples that have the subjects and verbs in bold:

o You have only to work up imagination to the state of vision, and you are there.

o For a long time, Life has been constructing organisms, and so it is only now beginning to develop its internal dispositions; it is only now concentrating its attention on advances and refinements of a finally perfected consciousness.

1. When you understand that your words will trigger images in the reader’s mind, you begin to understand better the operation of critical thinking. (3 SV Combos)

2. If you want to succeed in your classes, then it is important that you understand how to revise your reading and writing. (3 SV)

3. Most people stop in their writing efforts after high school because they do not desire to develop their vocabulary and writing skills. (2 SVs)

4. I was challenged to accept the fact that I still had lots to learn about educating myself. (2 SVs)

5. You must possess an interest in literacy, a trait that society is not interested in developing today. (2 SVs)

6. Society today doesn’t seem to want its citizens to become articulate adults. (1 SV)

7. He looks at writing and reading as a growing challenge as we grow into adults. (2 SVs)

8. The college student needs to be aware of the two readerships when he or she is in college. (2 SVs).

9. Students will scrub some ideas off their body of understanding when they enter college. (2 SVs)

10. Once students have a CLEW, their thinking becomes visceral as well as cerebral. (2 SVs)

SOME LESSONS I want you to learn from this exercise:

 If you can’t easily identify the subject or the verb, that means the sentence needs revising.

 Notice that sometimes the subject is not a person.  Notice that the verb could be several words away from its subject.  Notice that generally the first subject verb combination occurs early in the sentence.  Notice how a sentence that seems clunky has a verb several words from its subject.  You are now aware of expectations that occur automatically in the reader’s mind, and

now that you know what had been going on automatically, your reading –and rereading – can be more intense and methodical.