Lungs were clear with an occasional cough. verb = were,lungs = subject
He was discharged on the fourth hospital day. verb = discharged hospital = subject
After 24 hours in the hospital he was much improved. improved is a predicate adjective but now is the verb = was and the subject improved ???
The history from the mother is very sketchy. history = verb, mother = subject
Repeated chest x-rays, however, have shown atelectasis. repeated = verb, chest x-rays = subject
The first sentence is correct.
The second has the wrong subject.
In the third, the verb is correct, but not the subject.
The verb in the fourth is is. Who is?? (not mother)
Your subject is right for the last one. Please try again for the verb.
I'm sorry, but there seems to be some confusion in your examples. Let me help clarify them for you:
1. The sentence "Lungs were clear with an occasional cough" does not have a verb. The word "were" is used as a linking verb connecting the subject "lungs" to the predicate adjective "clear." The phrase "with an occasional cough" describes the condition of the lungs.
2. In the sentence "He was discharged on the fourth hospital day," the verb is "was discharged," and the subject is "He." "Fourth hospital day" is a prepositional phrase that provides additional information about when the discharge happened.
3. The sentence "After 24 hours in the hospital he was much improved" has a linking verb "was" connecting the subject "he" to the predicate adjective "improved." There is no separate verb for "now" in this sentence.
4. In "The history from the mother is very sketchy," the verb is "is," and the subject is "history." "From the mother" is a prepositional phrase that provides information about the source.
5. Lastly, in the sentence "Repeated chest x-rays, however, have shown atelectasis," the verb is "have shown," and the subject is "chest x-rays." "Repeated" is an adjective describing the type of chest x-rays being referred to, and "however" is an adverb that indicates a contrast or qualification.