| Part of Sentence | Definition | Examples |
| Subject |
The noun, or word group acting as a noun, that performs the action expressed in the predicate of a sentence or clause. |
The author uses symbolism and repetition to convey the character's personality.
Analyzing a literary text is a subjective process; supporting the analysis is not.
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| Predicate |
The part within a given clause or sentence other than the subject and its modifiers. |
Linguists study the science of language.
The connection between economic conditions and fashion trends appears variable rather than fixed.
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Object
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A noun, pronoun, word, or word group acting as a noun that receives the action of a verb or is influenced by a transitive verb, verbal (a word derived from a verb, i.e., gerund, infinitive, and participle), or a preposition. |
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Direct objects |
Receive the action of a verb or verbal and frequently follow it in a sentence. |
The essayist Pico Iyer examines social issues.
Aristotle's words about invention deserve renewed study.
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Indirect objects |
Tell for whom, to whom, or to what something is done. |
Reading the poem "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" gives me a sense of a long journey lying ahead.
The heroine lends the situation dignity.
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Objects of Prepositions |
Follow prepositions and are linked by them to the rest of the sentence. |
Accomplished public speakers can move their audiences to action with their eloquent words. |
| Complements |
A word or word group that completes the sense of a subject, object, or a verb. |
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Subject complements |
Follow a linking verb and modify or refer to the subject. They may be nouns (also known as predicate nouns) or adjectives (also known as predicate adjectives). |
The market is dynamic.
(adjective complement/predicate adjective)
The market is an economic indicator.
(noun complement/predicate noun)
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Object complements |
Follow and modify or refer to direct objects. |
The Church labeled Galileo a heretic.
(The noun heretic complements the direct object Galileo.)
They considered his ideas dangerous.
(The adjective dangerous complements the direct object his.)
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Verb complements |
Are direct or indirect objects of a verb. They may be nouns, pronouns, or words or word groups acting as nouns. |
Campus-based volunteer groups provide students an opportunity to work in the community.
( Students is the indirect object, and opportunity is the direct object of the verb provide; both objects are verb complements. |
| Phrases |
A group of related words that lacks a subject or predicate or both and that acts as a single part of speech. |
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Prepositional phrases |
Consist of prepositions and their objects and modifiers. |
The poet leads the reader through her childhood.
A consultant forms an opinion during an initial meeting.
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Verb phrases |
Are verb forms of more than one word that serve as the predicate of a sentence or clause. |
The main character has experienced much isolation.
Can we define normalcy ?
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Verbal phrases |
Are formed from a verbal (a word derived from a verb). |
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Infinitive phrases |
Consist of infinitives and their objects, plus any modifiers. |
The critic seems to avoid direct comment. |
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Participle phrases |
Consist of participles and their objects, plus any modifiers that function as adjectives. |
The corporation seeking financial stability must remain flexible. |
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Gerund phrases |
Consist of gerunds (the -ing form of a verb used as a noun) and their objects, plus any modifiers, which function as nouns. |
Tracing an earthquake's causes requires data from several sources. |
| Clauses |
A group of related words containing a subject and a predicate. |
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Main (independent) clauses |
Can stand by themselves as sentences. |
The author's style emphasizes the character's confusion. |
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Subordinate (dependent) clauses |
Cannot stand by themselves. |
The author's style emphasizes the character's confusion when he is captured. |
