Barking dogs never bite. Plainly, dogs are here spoken about; Dogs, Therefore, is the subject. Barking simply describes the subject further.
A rare instance of charity by a miser in news. Since an instance is being spoken about, Instance is the subject. In order to decide which word or words make up the predicate, simple ask: What is said about the subject? a fool and his money are soon parted. What is said about the subject (a fool and his money)? The answer [they] are soon parted, makes up the predicate.
The inclusion of proper names in a dictionary might be defended on the ground that it would be convenient to have them there.
Here, the subject is inclusion ( the full subject is The inclusion of proper names in a dictionary); and the predicate, the statement about the subject, is: might be defended on the ground that it would be convenient to have them there.
KINDS OF SENTENCES
Sentence have three purpose: to state, to ask, and to command.
1. Sentence that state. A sentence that makes a statement ( or denies it) is called a declarative sentence). The boy stood on the burning deck.
2. Sentences that ask. A sentence that asks a question is called an Interrogative sentence.
Did the boy stand on the burning deck?
3. Sentence that command. A sentence that expresses a command is call an Imperative sentence.
Boy, stand on the burning deck! in structure, a sentence may be simple, complex compound, or compound-complex.
THE SIMPLE SENTENCE
Below are example of simple sentences. Note that each simple sentence has only one subject and predicate, either or both of which may be compound.
1. Come.
2. Boys like to play in the woods.
3. Gerry and Luis are working in the shop.
4. By the river a tall narra tree grew.
5. Mother, Jose, and I will go to church on Sunday.
6. Minutes are the gold dust of time.
7. In the sala, in the dining room, and in the kitchen, zinnias are scattered in profusion.
8. The weary travelers lay down under the trees and slept until sunrise.
9. From the cloudless sky, an expected shower came.
10. We must be kind to the poor, the young, the infirm.
All of the sentences given above are simple. Each of them contains only one subject and only one predicate, either or both of which may be compound.
THE COMPOUND SENTENCE
A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses. Here are some examples:
1. Food are essential to essential to life, but it should not be the end of existence.
2. I shall go, but you must stay
3. We knew the password, but we were too tongue-tied to speak.
THE COMPLEX SENTENCE
A sentence is complex if it contains a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. By a main clause is meant a word or a group of words which can stand alone because if expresses a complete thought. A subordinate clause, on the other hand, is a word group that contains a subject and a predicate, but the thought which it expresses is incomplete; hence, it can not stand alone a subordinate clause is used only as a part of the sentence. Here are a few complex sentence. Note the main clauses and the subordinate clauses. The main clauses are, in roman capital letters; the subordinate clauses are italicized.
1. I who am your friend will help you.
I will help you is the main clause, It expresses a complete thought and therefore, can stand alone.
Who am your friend is the subordinate clause. Even if we put a period at the end of this clause and begin it with a capital letter, still the thought remains incomplete; so the clause cannot stand alone.
