Most of the tests I give in my English class are borrowed copies from the English teacher who taught English 12 last year. So that she didn’t have to try coming up with sample sentences for her exams and quizzes, she used the pre-written sentences in her other English books for the other grades she taught. After all, a sentence is a sentence is a sentence. A sentence containing a direct object pronoun is going to be just as understandable at the freshman level as at the senior level, so using other texts for sample sentences makes sense.

Well, I have her test bank to work from, but I don’t have any worksheets to work with. My seniors were having quite a bit of trouble with direct objects, indirect objects, object complements, predicate nominatives, and predicate adjectives, so I decided I really needed to come up with a worksheet or some method for helping them work through this so we can get onto something more interesting. So last night, I sat down at my computer, fired up Star Trek and Open Office. Now to come up with sample sentences for the exercises I was writing.

Now, for any of you who’ve ever talked to me about teaching or for any of you who’ve actually been the butt-end of my teaching methods, you know that when I come up with sample sentences, it’s more appropriate to label them as “freakish disasters.” After all, common themes in my sample sentences are: girrafes, fire, grapefruit, lampposts, accidents, dismemberment, and anything shiny. It’s no wonder I get asked all the time by my students if I have ADD, ADHD, or Tourrette’s Syndrome. So, knowing my prediliction for obscure vocabulary, obscure topics, and absurdity, I decided I should come up with a theme for all my sample sentences in order to strive for some modicum of sanity. Unfortunately, the only thing that had my attention was Star Trek, so that’s where I went. The following is basically the worksheet I gave my two English classes today as practice for the above mentioned grammatical structures. Can you guess my students’ reactions?

I. Each of the following sentences contains a direct object (DO). A DO answers the questions whom or what following an action verb. Some of the sentences also contain either an indirect object (IO) or an object complement (OC). An IO answers the questions to whom/what or for whom/what following an action verb and always come between the DO and the verb. An OC follows a DO and describes the DO. An OC can be an adjective (modifies a noun or pronoun), a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea) or a pronoun (a word which replaces a noun). You will never find a DO, IO, or OC in a prepositional phrase or in the subject; they are always in the predicate (i.e. following the verb). Label each DO, IO, and OC in the following sentences.

1. The U.S.S. Enterprise shot the Klingon ship.
2. Captain Kirk gave Sulu the order to fire all phasers.
3. Sulu fired the phasers at the Klingon ship ahead.
4. The phaser fire made the Klingons angry.
5. Spock made himself captain while Kirk was in the sickbay.
6. The Klingons declared the alien planet theirs.
7. Captain Kirk fought the Klingons for many years.
8. Many peoples find the Klingons scary.
9. Chekov gave Lieutenant Uhura the captain’s orders.
10. The Vulcans suppress all emotions.

II. Each of the following sentences contains a subject complement. A subject complement is either a predicate nominative (PN) or a predicate adjective (PA). Both follow linking verbs (e.g. is, am, are, was, were, appear, seem, smell, taste, etc.). A PN is a noun in the predicate which describes the subject. A PA is an adjective in the predicate which describes the subject. You will never find a PN or PA in a prepositional phrase or in the subject; they are always in the predicate (i.e. following the verb). Label each PN and PA in the following sentences.

1. Captain Kirk is captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
2. Science Officer Spock is a Vulcan.
3. Star Trek is old in comparison with the shows Voyager and Enterprise.
4. Dr. McCoy is both intelligent and emotional.
5. Alien cuisine tastes very different from Earth food.
6. Klingons appear very hostile compared to the Federation.
7. Do you ever wonder if an enclosed area like a spaceship smells funny?
8. Lieutenant Uhura is the communications officer on the bridge.
9. Scotty is the best engineer the U.S.S. Enterprise ever had.
10. Star Trek is a classic sci-fi TV series.