The verb is the most important part of a sentence. It is the heart of a sentence.
There are 3 categories of verbs:
Action
Helping
Linking

Action verbs are the easiest to identify. They involve physical or mental energy.
Kaylan bought the book.
Alexa remembered her homework.

Helping verbs assist other main verbs to create one verb.
Jude has visited Sea Isle many times.
Linking verbs connect the subject with an adjective or a noun.
The awesome player was the star of the game.
He appeared healthy during the game

Two Kinds of Action Verbs:
Transitive - action verb has a receiver
Phillip greeted the new students.
Intransitive - action verb has no receiver
Ty ran quickly.

Helping Verbs - are also known as auxiliary verbs.
They are used with mostly action verbs.
Helping verb + action verb = compound verb
was seen
had walked
would talk
Some helping verbs are:
can, be, have, shall, am, has, could, is, had, may, are, do, must, was, does, will, were, did, should, being, would, been, might

Linking Verbs - am, is, are was, were, has been, have been, had been, will be, shall be, may be, might be, can be, should be, would have been
Others are:
look, sound, smell, feel, taste, appear, seem, become, grow, turn, prove, remain

Participles- verb forms that act as adjectives to describe a noun or pronoun

Tommy stares at them, biting his lips.

Tommy is both frightened and defiant.

Present participles end in -ing. Past participles end in -ed.

*Click here for Uses of the Comma

Prepositions

A preposition is a word that shows a relationship of a noun or pronoun to some other word in the sentence. A preposition is always followed by an object, either a noun or pronoun.

A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, its object, and any other modifiers.

Example: Dogs help humans in many ways. The object of the preposition is a noun or pronoun folowing the preposition.

In English we have seventeen prepositions of one syllable:

1) at

2) by

3) in

4) on

5) near

6) to

7) from

8) down

9) off

10) through

11) out

12) past

13) up

14) of

15) for

16) with

17) like

We also have about 21 two syllable prepositions:

1) about

2) along

3) below

4) during

5) above

6) among

7) beneath

8) except

9) across

10) around

11) beside

12) inside

13) after

14) before

15) between

16) outside

17) against

18) behind

19) beyond

20)over

21) under

We have about six prepositions formed by combining some of the one syllable prepositions:

1) into

2) upon

3)without

4) onto

5) within

6) throughout

But we can get even more creative by adding a describing word with a preposition or by grouping some prepositions:

according to

out of

on account of

aside from

prior to

owing to

inside of

by means of

in front of

subsequent to

because of

as to

That's what we have by way of prepositions. Until, that is, you invent some more.

04.24.06 Prepositional phrases

Adjective Phrases
An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun by telling what kind
or which one.
1. The woman with the tan briefcase is the mayor. (Which woman?)
2. We have always liked the big house on the hill. (Which house?)

Adverb Phrases
An adverb phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb by
pointing out where, when, in what manner, or to what extent.
1. After the game, we went into town. (Went when? Went where?)
2. Tanya felt good about her report card. (Good to what extent?)

Exercise 1
Identifying Adjective Phrases.
Underline the adjective phrase in each sentence
below. Circle the noun or pronoun it modifies.
EXAMPLE:
Someone should water the flower bed
bed
in the front yard.
1. Only one of us can play the guitar.
2. Several houses on our street have decks.
3. Each student will write a report about a different capital.
4. Louise gave a surprise party for Mary.
5. My grandmother collects teacups from different countries.
6. The bike in the shop window is expensive.
7. The only difference between Gerri and her twin sister is their names.
8. Someone just bought that empty lot down the street.
9. Eddy made a statue of a bird.
10. The top of the wall is barbed wire.

See step 7 in diagramming at http://www.lifestreamcenter.net/DrB/Lessons/TS/diagram.htm

04.25.06
Exercise 2
Identifying Adverb Phrases.
Underline the adverb phrase in each sentence below.
Circle the word it modifies.
EXAMPLE: After our long workout, we collapsed .
1. This coupon is good for another month.
2. Our next-door neighbors moved to New Mexico.
3. After all your hard work, you deserve a vacation.
4. With your help, I finished the job.
5. After high school, my sister became a computer programmer.
6. We arrived at the theater early.
7. With only slight hesitation, Diane approached the microphone.
8. Peter quickly slipped under the gate.
9. Outside the theater a large crowd watched the arriving celebrities.
10. We sometimes drive far into the country.

05.08.06
Compound Subjects
A compound subject, or coordinate subject, consists of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by a conjunction , which together form the subject of a single verb. It can be difficult to decide whether this verb should be singular or plural.
If the nouns or pronouns are joined by and, the verb is usually plural:
My mother and I are going to Florida for our holidays.

But when the two nouns refer to the same person or thing, the verb is singular:
My flatmate, and fellow team member, has broken his leg.

And when the two linked nouns have become a fixed phrase, representing a single entity, the verb is singular:
Fish and chips is all he ever eats.

Diagraming compound subjects http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/diagrams2/one_pager1.htm

05.09.06 Compound Predicate
The compound predicate consists of two or more verbs that have the same subject and are joined by a conjunction such as "and" or "or":
I washed and dried.
I washed and dried the dishes.

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. They often end in -ly.

Classification of Adverbs:

Interrogative Adverb- is an adverb used to ask a question.

Examples are when, where, how, and why