English Grammar – Putting Together Simple Sentences

English grammar is easy once you know the rules. Below you will find some exercises to test your knowledge of the English written, and also spoken, language.

Here is a simple sentence: Val ate the cake. It falls into two parts.

The subject: Val.
The subject is the main person or thing written about.

The predicate: ate the cake.
The predicate includes the verb. It also includes the object where there is one. It completes what is happening in the sentence.

A) Divide these sentences into subjects and predicates. Point out the verbs.

1) Rabbits eat the grass.
2) The rats and mice ran away.
3) The dog carried the log.
4) John washed the dishes.
5) Pete and Brian saw the birds in the sky.
6) Joe kicked the ball.

B) Join these subjects and predicates to make simple sentences.

1) The dog // make bread
2) The wind // ate a bone
3) Bakers // dries washing

4) Comedians // build nests
5) Frost // entertain us.
6) Birds // bursts water pipes.

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EXPANDING SIMPLE SENTENCES

We can add adjectives (describing words) or extra nouns for the subject and object to make the sentence more interesting.
Val ate the cake
Hungry Val ate the large cake

The adjectives and extra nouns are counted as parts of the subject and object.
Subject: Hungry Val
Verb: ate
Object: the large cake

A) Write these sentences. Divide them into subject, verb and object.

1) A large car parked outside my house.
2) Two strong me carried a heavy box.
3) A fast car drove along the road.
4) The clever cat climbed up the big tree.
5) The winners of the race received their gold medals.
6) Ten black birds sat along the cable.

B) Find and write the subject of each of these sentences. Each one has two nouns.

1) Pete and Claire crossed the bridge.
2) The man at the desk gives the orders.
3) A shoal of fish broke our nets.
4) Mary’s brother opened his presents.
5) The people of the country watched the television.

C) Arrange the words to make four different individual sentences.

umbrella short man an The hit with the tall lady.

See related articles: 

English Grammar – Sentences

English Grammar – Compound Sentences and Conjunctions

English Grammar – Negatives

English Grammar – Pronouns and Special Pronouns

English Grammar – Plural Word Endings

English Grammar – English Grammar Test