Simple Examples:
* The cat slept soundly. (Subject: The cat; Verb: slept; Modifier: soundly)
* The old man walked slowly down the street. (Subject: The old man; Verb: walked; Modifiers: slowly, down the street)
More Complex Examples:
* The bright red sports car zoomed past the startled pedestrians on the sidewalk. (Subject: The bright red sports car; Verb: zoomed; Modifiers: past the startled pedestrians, on the sidewalk)
* The incredibly delicious chocolate cake, frosted with rich buttercream, was devoured in minutes by the hungry guests. (Subject: The incredibly delicious chocolate cake; Verb: was devoured; Modifiers: frosted with rich buttercream, in minutes, by the hungry guests)
* After a long, tiring day, the exhausted student finally finished their homework. (Subject: The exhausted student; Verb: finished; Modifiers: After a long, tiring day, their homework)
Key Points:
* Subject: The person, place, or thing performing the action.
* Verb: The action being performed.
* Modifier: Words, phrases, or clauses that provide additional information about the subject, verb, or entire sentence. Modifiers can be adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, etc.
Important Note: While the Subject-Verb-Modifier pattern is common, there are variations and exceptions. For instance, sentences can have multiple subjects, verbs, or modifiers. Understanding the core structure helps you analyze and create more complex sentences.