sentence

[jack]

In one SENTENCE define / explain the following (sentence = subject + predicate):

A) Epicenter

ans:
The part of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.

Does my ans have a subject and a predicate?

[Tdol]

No, it doesn't because there is no verb. Your answer makes sense because it follows on from the question.

The epicenter (subject) is the part of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake (predicate)

http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/subject.html
http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/predicate.html

[jack]

(directly above the focus of an earthquake) <---is this the predicate?


The part of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
is "earth's surface" the subject? What is a easy way to determine the subject and the verb in a sentence?

[milky]

(directly above the focus of an earthquake) <---is this the predicate?


The part of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
is "earth's surface" the subject? What is a easy way to determine the subject and the verb in a sentence?

http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/grammar/verbsub.html

[jack]

Thanks Milky, very useful link.

"The epicenter is the part of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake. "

Subject = epicenter
Verb = is
correct?

[Tdol]

The subject is 'epicenter', the verb is 'is' and the predicate is the verb + everything else.

[jack]

He is killed. <--"he" is the subject and "is" is the verb, what is "killed" called in that sentence?

[Tdol]

The verb consists of two words:

is (auxiliary verb) + killed (past participle)

They combine.

[jack]

He acts as if he _______ the coolest guy in school.
a) is
b) was
c) were

The answer is C.

Why is "a" wrong?? and what is wrong with "b"?


After working on my car all evening, I finally _______ down to sleep at around midnight.
a) laid
b) lied
c) lay

The answer is C.

Why is A wrong?

[RonBee]

He acts as if he _______ the coolest guy in school.
a) is
b) was
c) were

The answer is C.

Why is "a" wrong?? and what is wrong with "b"?

In my humble opinion, they are all wrong. That is because it is not idiomatic English. More likely:

• He acts as if he thinks he is the coolest guy in school.

After working on my car all evening, I finally _______ down to sleep at around midnight.
a) laid
b) lied
c) lay

The answer is C.

Why is A wrong?

It can't be "laid" because that would have to take a direct object. Example:

• I laid it down.

:)