Sentences - Part 2 (The Subject and the Object, Direct and Indirect Objects, Positive and Negative Sentences and Questions)

The Subject and the Object

The subject of a sentence sometimes does something  to someone or something else. The person or thing that receives the action is called  the object.

Retrieved from: Basic English Grammar - Book 1

Direct and Indirect Objects 

Some verbs have two objects. The direct object receives the action of the verb. The indirect object tells to whom  or for whom the action is done.

Retrieved from: Basic English Grammar - Book 1

* The indirect object usually comes before the direct object.

Exercise 1 
Read the following sentences. Then draw a line  under the subjects and a circle around the objects.

1. Anne has drawn a panda.
2. They are playing table tennis.
3. Little Kate knows the alphabet well.
4. Dad bought a computer.
5. I am writing a letter.
6. Birds have feathers.
7. The workmen are building a house.
8. Samantha has a pretty doll.
9. The children received one gift each.
10. Do you know the answer?

Exercise 2 
There are two objects in each sentence. Draw a  line under the direct objects and a circle around the indirect objects.

1. Dad gave Dave a present.
2. Mom is making the children a meal.
3. Mr. Thomas bought them ice cream cones.
4. I sent Anne a birthday card.
5. Granny told us a story.
6. The waiter brought the guests their drinks.
7. Can I get you a sandwich?
8. The police officer showed us the way to the museum.

Exercise 3

All the following sentences have verbs with direct objects. Rewrite each sentence, adding an indirect object to it. For example, for the first sentence you could write:

Retrieved from: Basic English Grammar - Book 2

Positive and Negative Sentences 

A positive sentence tells you that something is so. A sentence that tells you something is not so is called   a negative sentence. It contains a negative word like not, never, no, no one, nobody, none, or a negative  verb like isn’t or can’t or won’t.

Retrieved from: Basic English Grammar - Book 1

Questions

There are two kinds of questions: yes or no questions and wh- questions.

* You ask a yes or no question to get yes or no as the answer. Use the verbs be, have or do, or any of the helping verbs, to ask yes or no questions.

• Can you swim? Yes.
• Is it raining? No. 
• Are they coming? No.
• May I come in? Yes.

* In questions, the helping or auxiliary verbs come before the subject of the sentence. When be and have   are used as ordinary verbs, they come before the subjects, too.

Retrieved from: Basic English Grammar - Book 1

Here are some different ways of asking the same question: 

• Has he a sister called Jane? 
• Does he have a sister called Jane? 
• Has he got a sister called Jane?

Wh- questions usually include the verbs be, have, do, or any of the helping verbs.

* To ask for facts, use the question words what, which, who, whom, how, when, where. The helping verbs  in wh- questions usually come before the subject. So   does the verb be when it is used as an ordinary verb.

Retrieved from: Basic English Grammar - Book 1

• Where are you? 
• What is David saying? 
• How did you get up here? 
• Why was the girl crying? 
• Which color do you prefer? 
• Who is she going to invite to her party? 
• Whom is she going to invite to her party? 
• What is your problem? 
• When do the stores open in the morning? 
• Where shall I put this box? 
• What have you done to my computer? 
• How am I going to finish all this work? 
• What would you like for dinner?

* If the wh- question word is the subject of the question,   it comes before the verb. For example:

• Who told you that?
• What made you change your mind?

Exercise 1 
Write short answers to the following questions. Example:

• Is he tall? Yes, he is.

Retrieved from: Basic English Grammar - Book 1

Exercise 2 
Fill in the blanks with the correct question words from  the box.

Retrieved from: Basic English Grammar - Book 1

Retrieved from: Basic English Grammar - Book 1