3.2 Explicitly Teach Writing a Simple Sentence

Today we are going to focus on sentences. A sentence is a group of words that make a complete thought. When we write a sentence, we want to put our words in the correct order so readers can know what we mean. A sentence has two basic parts: a naming part and an action part.

We're going to learn how to build a sentence with the two basic parts that a sentence must have: a naming part, called a subject, and an action part, called a predicate. Sentences also need a capital letter at the beginning and end punctuation at the end. 

Here are the two parts of a basic sentence. We need both parts for our sentence to be a complete thought. If we do not have both parts, it is a sentence fragment and not a sentence.

Our yellow card is the naming part. What part is this? [Children echo: the naming part.] This part of the sentence is also called the subject. What is this part also called? [Children echo: the subject.] Right. It tells the reader who or what the sentence is about. Let’s read who or what this sentence is about.

Our blue card is the action part. What part is this? [Children echo: the action part.] This part of the sentence is also called the predicate. What is this part also called? [Children echo: the predicate.] It tells the reader what the subject is doing. Let’s read about what the cat is doing.

If we just had the naming part we would have a fragment. Fragments are just pieces of a sentence. They leave the reader confused and asking questions to complete the thought. For example, if I said to you, "A frog … " and then said nothing else, you are left with questions. What is the frog doing? If I just said, "jumps," you are also left with questions. Who or what jumps?

Let’s look at the beginning of these sentences. Every sentence starts with a capital letter. And let’s look at the end. Every sentence ends with a stop sign, or end punctuation. The end punctuation here is called a period.

I’m going to write a sentence on my own now. I first have to decide what my sentence is about. Who or what is my sentence about? I’m a teacher, so I am going to have my sentence be about a teacher.

I started my sentence with a capital letter. Now we know what the sentence is about: The teacher. That's the naming part. But it is not a complete sentence. I have not told my reader what the teacher is doing. I am now going to add an action part.

We now have The teacher listens. [Point to each word as you read it aloud.] This is a complete thought. It is a sentence. There is a naming part and an action part. My sentence also started with a capital letter and ended with a stop sign.

Let’s find the naming part of our sentence. Who or what is our sentence about. Can you hold up the naming card that says, A dog? Take your time and tap out the words if you need to as you read them.

Let’s find the action part of our sentence. What is the dog doing? Can you hold up the action part that says barks? Take your time and tap out the words if you need to as you read them.

Let’s push these two pieces together. Now we have a sentence: A dog barks. Let’s underline our capital letter that starts our sentence. Every sentence starts with a capital letter. Now let’s read our sentence again: A dog barks. Our sentence has a stop sign, or end punctuation. Let’s circle it. Every sentence has to have a stop sign.

Let’s write a basic sentence together. Who or what should our sentence be about?

Now that we have our naming part, or subject, we need the action part. What is the [person, animal or object] doing?