It is important to recognize how the different parts relate
to each other. Take the example of the Miller family. A mother
and father — Mr. and Mrs. Miller — are the core of a family.
Children and other members are additions to that family.
When they are together, they form a unit: the Miller family.
Similarly, a sentence has a subject and verb that form a core
unit. The direct object you add represents a building block that
depends on the core unit to make complete sense.
The following chart illustrates the different roles nouns assume
in sentences. The nouns book,hamburger,Susan, and lap
are used first as objects, and then as subjects.
Sometimes it is hard to recognize the subjects or objects of
a sentence. Use question words to assist you with this process.
Question words can refer to persons or things. They can help you
identify the subject or the object. The following explanations will
give you a short overview. More details follow later in this book.
Mother and Father Children
Together, they form the Miller family. Jake, still part of his own family,
could become an additional
member of the Miller family.
Core of the Unit Building Block
Spouse
Building Block
If Anna
marries
Jake, he will
be part of
her family.
Nouns
Subjects
Nouns
Direct Objects
Charles writesa book.
Jake eatsa hamburger.
Ben lovesSusan.
Maria swimsa lap.
A bookhas many pages.
A hamburgercan be hot.
Susanloves Ben.
A lap is long.