13. Nouns/Subjects – Sentences, Conjunctions

A basic sentence has two parts. The first part is called the subject. The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about.
Note: The subject in a sentence can also be referred to as a noun.

NOUNS/SUBJECTS

Nouns are usually the subject in a sentence.
A noun can tell you who or what the sentence is about.

• A noun/subject can name a person: Woman
• A noun/subject can name a place: School
• A noun/subject can name a thing: Computer
• Sometimes a noun/subject can name things we cannot see: thoughts, emotions

Nouns/Subjects that we cannot see are called abstract nouns/subjects.

Read each word. Place each noun in the correct column.

Revise each sentence so it has a capital letter at the beginning and a punctuation mark at the end. Underline the subject/noun in each sentence. Read each sentence.

• the cat can jump to the top
• jan ran a mile
• a rat made a hole
• the idea came to jake

COMMON NOUNS

Common nouns give the general name of a person (lady), place (school) or thing (computer).

• My son went to the mall.
  • In the sentence above, we are talking about the son. Son is the subject in the sentence.
• The city is quiet at night.
  • In the sentence above, we are talking about the city. City is the subject in the sentence.
• My computer went on the blitz.
  • In the sentence above, we are talking about the computer. Computer is the subject in the sentence.
• The rights were accepted in 1948.
  • In the sentence above, we are talking about the rights. Rights is the subject in the sentence.

PROPER NOUNS

Proper nouns are nouns that give the specific name of:

• a person (Jocelyn)
• a place (NSCC)
• a thing (Macbook)
• An abstract noun (Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

REMEMBER: Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter.

Examples

• My son went to the mall.
  Jacob went to the mall.
  • In the sentence above, we are talking about the specific person Jacob. The proper noun Jacob is the subject in the sentence.
• The city is quiet at night.
  Halifax is quiet at night.
  • In the sentence above, we are talking about the specific city of Halifax. The proper noun Halifax is the subject in the sentence.
• My computer went on the blitz.
• My MacBook went on the blitz.
  • In the sentence above, we are talking about the specific computer brand MacBook. The proper noun MacBook is the subject in the sentence.
• The rights were accepted in 1948.
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was accepted in 1948.
  • In the sentence above, we are talking about the specific rights in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The proper noun Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the subject in the sentence.

Write a proper name for each of the common names. Read the words.

CONJUNCTIONS

A conjunction is the part of speech used to join words, or phrases.

Example

Gail and Pamela walk to class together.
and is linking the two subjects
Gail – Pamela.
When there are two or more subjects in a sentence, these are compound subjects.

Example

Gail and Pamela walk to class together, but they always take a short cut.
but is linking the two phrases
Gail and Pamela walk to class together – they always take a short cut.

Example

The tire went flat just as they turned the corner, so they stopped to change it.
so is linking the two phrases –
The tire went flat just as they turned the corner – they stopped to change it.

If you are using a conjunction to join compound subjects, or two groups of words, don’t forget to use a comma.

Remember: The comma is placed before the conjunction.

Underline the conjunction(s) once in each of the following sentences. Underline the compound subjects twice.

1. Gran and Mom jog, so they get fit together.
2. Jake and Jill clap, but Jim did not like the band, so he did not clap.
3. The pads, pens, and clips came, but the box they came in was wet.

What Says?

Spelling and Sentence Dictation

Review

• The subject in a sentence tells us who or what the sentence is about. The subject can be a person, place, thing, or idea.
• Some nouns are common that give the general name of a person, place, thing, or idea. (girl, boy, day, dog, teacher, puppy)
• Some nouns are proper that give the specific name of a person, place, thing, or idea. (Jan, Mike, Monday, Zip, Nancy, Jake)
• When there is more than one subject, it is called a compound subject.
• When the subject in a sentence has a series of three or more, commas a conjunction should be used.
  • Example: Jack, Jane, Steve and Bess jog.

Practice

Place each noun in the proper column.

Revise each sentence so it has a capital letter at the beginning and a punctuation mark at the end. Underline the subject/noun in each sentence. Read each sentence.

• the dog ate my homework
• jack sat on a tack
• a frog is in the pond
• where is the dress