Activity 1

To analyse simple sentences [LO 6.5.2]

UNDERSTANDING SENTENCES

1. Use the following questions to help you write good , FULL sentences, using “Yes, . . . “ or “No, . . .”

1.1 Have you ever heard a song by the band called Alien Ant Farm?

……………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………….

1.2 Did Ludwig van Beethoven like his father very much?

……………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………….

1.3 Do you think your grandmother likes heavy metal music?

……………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………….

1.4 Are there any piano players in your class?

……………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………….

1.5 Have you heard any songs by Baba Maal?

……………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………….

1.6 Did you know that he comes from Senegal?

……………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………….

1.7 Do you know how to play the piano?

……………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………….

Something about Sentences

You have just written seven sentences. In every sentence there must be at least one main verb. Look at the following examples:

Jimmy Dludlu plays the guitar.

Brittney Spears wears interesting clothes.

In these sentences the main verbs (“doing” words) are in bold.

2. Write down the main verbs from each of your sentences above.

2.1 ……………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………

2.2 ……………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………

2.3 ……………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………

2.4 ……………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………

2.5 ……………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………

2.6 ……………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………

2.7 ……………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………

1. Underline the verbs in the following sentences. Some of the sentences have two verbs.

1.1 Mary bought tickets for the concert.

1.2 She invited Lindi as well.

1.3 Mary and Lindi travelled there by car.

1.4 They sat in the second row.

1.5 The audience clapped as the concert started.

1.6 The curtains opened slowly.

1.7 The band played loudly.

1.8 Everyone enjoyed the show.

If you look carefully, you will see that somebody or something does the action. The word for the person or thing that does the action, is called the subject. We can break up a sentence into its parts:

Jimmy Dludlu / plays / the guitar.

Brittney Spears / wears / interesting clothes.

It is quite easy. All you do is find the verb, and ask: Who or what does it? The answer is the subject.

Jimmy Dludlu = the subject of “plays”.

Brittney Spears = the subject of “wears”.

The subject is always a person or thing (a noun).

4. Now write down the verbs that you underlined in the above sentences in one column and its subject in the next column.

Assessment Standard

We know this when the learner:

6.5 understands simple sentence structure;

6.5.2 analyses simple sentences (e.g. “Bongi/always/goes to school.”).