Elements of Syntax
1. The simple sentence is the smallest complete unit of English words. Anything less than a
complete, simple sentence will fail to coherently communicate a complete thought. For example,
“preachers singers” or “speak sing” fail to communicate a complete thought, whereas “preachers
speak” and “singers sing” are proper simple sentences and communicate a complete thought.
2. The simple sentence is composed of two parts. In this context, the subject of a sentence
names what the sentence is about. The predicate of a sentence tells us what we should know
about the subject. While this is by no means an absolute rule, the subject of a sentence generally
starts at the beginning of the sentence and ends at the verb. Accordingly, the predicate of a
sentence commonly begins at the verb and continues to the end of a sentence. Consider the
following examples.
Table 1 – Subjects & Predicates
# SUBJECT PREDICATE
1 Jesus wept.
2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
3 [Understood – You] Preach the word.
4 God is light.
5 God hath not given us the spirit of fear.
3. As demonstrated in Table 1, the subject part of the sentence contains the subject, sometimes
in the form of a noun (1). The subject also may contain adjectives, phrases, and even clauses
pertaining to the subject (2). In some sentences, like imperatives, the subject may not even
appear in the text, but it can be inferred from the context (3). Types of nouns and other subjects
will be discussed in future lessons. The term that could, by itself, be the subject of the sentence
is often called the simple subject to distinguish it from the complete subject, which includes all
words not in the predicate (2).
4. The verb of the sentence relates the “subject thought” to the “predicate thought”. As
demonstrated in Table 1, the verb may simply name an action done by or to the subject (1). The
verb may also relate without action. The verb may equate two thoughts or compare the subject
and predicate thoughts in a descriptive sense (4). The types and rules of verbs will be discussed
in a later lesson.
5. A predicate may also contain a direct object. The direct object is that which is directly
related to the subject by the verb. In Sentence 2, “heaven” and “earth” are those things that were
created by God, making them the direct objects of the sentence. In Sentence 3, the “word” is that
which is to be preached, making it the direct object of the sentence. You can usually find the
direct object by asking the question, “what?” God created what? Answer: the heavens and the
earth – your direct object. Not all sentences have a direct object.
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6. A predicate may also contain an indirect object. In Sentence 5, “the spirit of fear” is the
direct object because it is that which directly results (or in this cause does “not” result) from the
verb. God hath not given what? Answer: the spirit of fear. The word “us” identifies to whom
the spirit of fear has (not) been given. “Us” is then the indirect object of the sentence. The
indirect object is usually the answer to the question, to whom?
Not all sentences have an indirect object. Usually, you would not have an indirect object
without a direct object.
7. Sentences do not have to be simple in class or nature. You may run across very confusing
sentences that are still simple sentences in type. Later lessons will address complex sentences
(sentences with one or more dependent clauses and an independent clause), compound sentences
(sentences with two or more independent clauses), and compound-complex sentences (sentences
with multiple dependent and independent clauses). The simple sentence is still the basic pattern
for the English sentence.
APPLICATION:
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you.
This sentence is complicated, but we can examine the independent clause like a simple sentence.
“He shall teach you all things.” The pronoun, “He”, is identified as the Comforter and the Holy
Ghost. “He”, as the subject, “shall teach”, our verb. What will be taught? Answer: “all things”
– the direct object. Who will be taught? Answer: “you”, the indirect object. To understand the
passage, one must answer the question: Who is “you”? In later lessons, we will learn that to
understand a pronoun, you must find its antecedent. For now, we have learned that the
Comforter was promised to whoever “you” is in this context.
1. The simple sentence is the smallest complete unit of English words. Anything less than a
complete, simple sentence will fail to coherently communicate a complete thought. For example,
“preachers singers” or “speak sing” fail to communicate a complete thought, whereas “preachers
speak” and “singers sing” are proper simple sentences and communicate a complete thought.
2. The simple sentence is composed of two parts. In this context, the subject of a sentence
names what the sentence is about. The predicate of a sentence tells us what we should know
about the subject. While this is by no means an absolute rule, the subject of a sentence generally
starts at the beginning of the sentence and ends at the verb. Accordingly, the predicate of a
sentence commonly begins at the verb and continues to the end of a sentence. Consider the
following examples.
Table 1 – Subjects & Predicates
# SUBJECT PREDICATE
1 Jesus wept.
2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
3 [Understood – You] Preach the word.
4 God is light.
5 God hath not given us the spirit of fear.
3. As demonstrated in Table 1, the subject part of the sentence contains the subject, sometimes
in the form of a noun (1). The subject also may contain adjectives, phrases, and even clauses
pertaining to the subject (2). In some sentences, like imperatives, the subject may not even
appear in the text, but it can be inferred from the context (3). Types of nouns and other subjects
will be discussed in future lessons. The term that could, by itself, be the subject of the sentence
is often called the simple subject to distinguish it from the complete subject, which includes all
words not in the predicate (2).
4. The verb of the sentence relates the “subject thought” to the “predicate thought”. As
demonstrated in Table 1, the verb may simply name an action done by or to the subject (1). The
verb may also relate without action. The verb may equate two thoughts or compare the subject
and predicate thoughts in a descriptive sense (4). The types and rules of verbs will be discussed
in a later lesson.
5. A predicate may also contain a direct object. The direct object is that which is directly
related to the subject by the verb. In Sentence 2, “heaven” and “earth” are those things that were
created by God, making them the direct objects of the sentence. In Sentence 3, the “word” is that
which is to be preached, making it the direct object of the sentence. You can usually find the
direct object by asking the question, “what?” God created what? Answer: the heavens and the
earth – your direct object. Not all sentences have a direct object.
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6. A predicate may also contain an indirect object. In Sentence 5, “the spirit of fear” is the
direct object because it is that which directly results (or in this cause does “not” result) from the
verb. God hath not given what? Answer: the spirit of fear. The word “us” identifies to whom
the spirit of fear has (not) been given. “Us” is then the indirect object of the sentence. The
indirect object is usually the answer to the question, to whom?
Not all sentences have an indirect object. Usually, you would not have an indirect object
without a direct object.
7. Sentences do not have to be simple in class or nature. You may run across very confusing
sentences that are still simple sentences in type. Later lessons will address complex sentences
(sentences with one or more dependent clauses and an independent clause), compound sentences
(sentences with two or more independent clauses), and compound-complex sentences (sentences
with multiple dependent and independent clauses). The simple sentence is still the basic pattern
for the English sentence.
APPLICATION:
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you.
This sentence is complicated, but we can examine the independent clause like a simple sentence.
“He shall teach you all things.” The pronoun, “He”, is identified as the Comforter and the Holy
Ghost. “He”, as the subject, “shall teach”, our verb. What will be taught? Answer: “all things”
– the direct object. Who will be taught? Answer: “you”, the indirect object. To understand the
passage, one must answer the question: Who is “you”? In later lessons, we will learn that to
understand a pronoun, you must find its antecedent. For now, we have learned that the
Comforter was promised to whoever “you” is in this context.
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