English · The Sentence · Revising Strategies

Forming Compound Subjects and Predicates

The homework half of the lesson. Circle the joined words, name the kind, then fold and write your own.

Name Date

Part A — Find both / 6

Each sentence has two or three words that were joined together. Circle every one of them, not just the first.

1.
Dellandhisbrothercarrythecratesinside.
compound subject
2.
Thehoneysellerlabelseachjarandstackstheminrows.
compound predicate
3.
Browneggsandfreshbuttersitinthecoolerbythedoor.
compound subject
4.
Afarmerinabluecapweighsthebeansandwritestheprice.
compound predicate
5.
AflattireoralatestartcostsRosathebestcorner.
compound subject
6.
Thechildrenpickamelon,thumpittwice,andsetitdown.
compound predicate

Part B — Which kind? / 6

Nothing is marked for you. Decide which half got joined and write subject or predicate on the line.

1.
Dell and his brother open the gate at six.
This sentence has a compound
2.
The honey seller wipes the jars and lines them up.
This sentence has a compound
3.
A broken scale or a missing price tag slows the whole line.
This sentence has a compound
4.
The farmer loads his truck and drives to the next town.
This sentence has a compound
5.
Apples, pears and late plums crowd the end of the table.
This sentence has a compound
6.
The dog sniffs every basket but never takes anything.
This sentence has a compound

Part C — Fold them together / 3

Fold each set into one sentence. Say what is the same in all of them, keep that part once, and join what is different.

1.
The gate opens at seven.
The gate closes at noon.
All of it in one sentence
2.
Dell packs the truck.
Rosa packs the truck.
All of it in one sentence
3.
The bread sells out by nine.
The peaches sell out by nine.
The sweet corn sells out by nine.
All of it in one sentence

Part D — Write your own / 2

Now your own. Write the sentence on the first line, then write the joined words underneath it.

1.
A sentence with a compound subject
The two subjects
2.
A sentence with a compound predicate
The two predicates

Total / 17

Graded by

Notes

Answer key

Part A — the words that should be circled.

Dell · brother
labels · stacks
eggs · butter
weighs · writes
tire · start
pick · thump · set

Part B

compound subject
compound predicate
compound subject
compound predicate
compound subject
compound predicate

Part C

The gate opens at seven and closes at noon.
Dell and Rosa pack the truck. (pack, not packs, now that it is two people)
The bread, the peaches and the sweet corn sell out by nine.

Part D — answers vary. Look for two words joined by and, or or but, and check the verb on the compound subject one: two people take sell, not sells. A sentence that merely uses the word and somewhere is not enough, because the join has to be between two subjects or between two predicates.