Page 584 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

Recognizing Verbs and Subjects

2 Identify the verb and the subject of

a sentence.

A subject and verb are at the heart of every sentence, so it seems

they should be easy to find. However, sentences can be as varied and

intricate as the thoughts they express. Once a writer adds modifiers,

makes the verb or even the sentence compound, or decides to use an

introductory dependent clause, the subject and verb may seem to

have gone into hiding. The trick to finding the subject and verb of a
sentence is to look for the verb first. Once you find the verb, you can

more easily find its subject.

Finding the Verb

Here are some guidelines to help you spot the verb in a sentence.

1. A verb may show action.