Sentence Structure
AdvancedEvery sentence needs a subject and a verb. Join ideas with and/but/because and ask questions with do/does/did.
- Every sentence needs a subject + verb; the basic order is S + V (+ O)
- Never use because and so together — choose one
- Questions: Do / Does / Did + subject + base verb — Did you leave the lights on?
文體小知識：Every sentence needs a subject and a verb.
§Text Passage
1After lunch, Marco and I returned to our classroom. Nobody was inside, but the lights were still on, and two fans were spinning noisily. 'Who forgot to switch off the lights?' Marco asked. We looked for the class monitor, but we could not find her. She was not in the hall, and she was not in the music room either. Because we are classmates who help each other, we decided to search for her together.
2Finally, we found her in the library, reading quietly under the window. 'Did you leave the lights on?' I asked her softly. She laughed and said, 'Oh no! I was in a hurry because the lunch bell rang early.' We did not blame her, because everyone forgets things sometimes. Instead, the three of us made a plan. We wrote a big reminder and stuck it beside the light switches.
3Then we went back to the classroom together, switched off the lights and the fans, and closed the door carefully. Our teacher heard about the plan and praised us in front of the class. Now the last student who leaves always checks the switches. Small actions like this save energy for our school, and they also show that we care about our community. It was a small afternoon, but we learned something big.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
After lunch, Marco and I returned to our classroom.
吃完午飯，我同 Marco 回到課室。
Nobody was inside, but the lights were still on, and two fans were spinning noisily.
課室裡面沒有人，但燈還開著，兩部風扇還在嗡嗡轉。
'Who forgot to switch off the lights?' Marco asked.
Marco 問：「誰忘記熄燈？」
We looked for the class monitor, but we could not find her.
我們找班長，但怎麼找也找不到。
She was not in the hall, and she was not in the music room either.
她不在禮堂，又不在音樂室。
Because we are classmates who help each other, we decided to search for her together.
因為我們是互相幫助的同學，所以我們決定一起去找她。
Finally, we found her in the library, reading quietly under the window.
最後我們在圖書館找到她，她靜靜地坐在窗邊看書。
'Did you leave the lights on?' I asked her softly.
我低聲問她：「是不是你忘記熄燈？」
She laughed and said, 'Oh no! I was in a hurry because the lunch bell rang early.'
她笑著說：「哎呀！因為午飯鐘早了響，我走得太急。」
We did not blame her, because everyone forgets things sometimes.
我們沒有怪她，因為每個人都會有忘記東西的時候。
Instead, the three of us made a plan.
相反，我們三個人想了個辦法。
We wrote a big reminder and stuck it beside the light switches.
我們寫了張大字提示，貼在燈掣旁邊。
Then we went back to the classroom together, switched off the lights and the fans, and closed the door carefully.
之後我們一起回到課室，熄了燈同風扇，再小心關上門。
Our teacher heard about the plan and praised us in front of the class.
老師知道了這個辦法，在全班面前讚我們。
Now the last student who leaves always checks the switches.
現在最後離開課室的同學一定會檢查電掣。
Small actions like this save energy for our school, and they also show that we care about our community.
這些小小的行動可以幫學校省電，還顯示出我們關心自己的社群。
It was a small afternoon, but we learned something big.
那個下午很平凡，但我們學會了很重要的東西。
1Summary 重點摘要
Every sentence needs a subject and a verb. Join ideas with and/but/because and ask questions with do/does/did.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Who does the action.
Action word.
Receives action.
SVO.
Starts with do/does.
Not.
Positive sentence.
Full stop, question mark.
3Step by step Steps
- SVOEnglish runs Subject + Verb + Object: We (S) switched off (V) the lights (O). Example: Marco and I returned to our classroom.
- QuestionDo / Does / Did + subject + base verb: Did you leave the lights on? With be, move it to the front: Where is the class monitor?
- Negativedo not / does not / did not + base verb: We did not blame her. With be, just add not: She was not in the hall.
- Find the subjectAsk who does it: 'Who forgot to switch off the lights?' — the class monitor. Even Nobody can be a subject: Nobody was inside.
- Joining sentencesand / but / because join two clauses: Because we are classmates who help each other, we decided to search together. Never use because and so together.
- PunctuationCapital letter to start; full stop, question mark or exclamation mark to end: 'Oh no!' she laughed. Every sentence needs one.
- From the passageWe wrote a big reminder and stuck it beside the light switches. — one subject We, two verbs; no need to repeat the subject.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Based on the passage about the lights left on, write three complete sentences with S + V + O, then extend them with and / because.
- Step 1: Every sentence needs a subject + verb — We found her in the library. (Never just Found her.)
- Step 2: Follow S + V + O order — The last student checks the switches.
- Step 3: Join two actions with and — We went back and switched off the lights.
- Step 4: Give a reason with because — We did not blame her because everyone forgets things sometimes.
- Step 5: Check capitals and end punctuation . ? ! (never use because and so together)
- Answer: A complete sentence = subject + verb (+ object), e.g. We switched off the lights and closed the door. Use and to join actions and because to give a reason: We wrote a big reminder because we wanted to help. Never use because and so in the same sentence — choose one. Finally check: capital letter at the start, . ? ! at the end, and questions like Did you leave the lights on? use did + subject + base verb.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What is SVO?
Q2How to make a question?
Q3How to make negative?
Q4What ends a question?
Q5What is the subject?
8Recap Recap
- Every sentence needs a subject + verb; the basic order is S + V (+ O)
- Never use because and so together — choose one
- Questions: Do / Does / Did + subject + base verb — Did you leave the lights on?
- Capital letter at the start and . ? ! at the end — never miss them
- From the passage: a reminder beside the switches — small actions save energy