Grammar 101Simple Subjects & Predicates

Every sentence has two parts: a subject and a predicate.

• The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about.

• The predicate tells what the subject is or does or what happens to the subject.

Example:

Large potatoes grow underground.

Subject Predicate

Both parts (subject and predicate) are usually necessary for the meaning of a group of words to be clear. When a subject or predicate is missing, the group of words is a sentence fragment.

Simple Subject: the key word or words in the subject

Simple Predicate: the verb or verb phrase that tells something about the subject

Finding Simple Subject & Predicates

Simple Subject: ask who or what is or does something

Simple Predicate: ask what the subject is or does or what happens to it

The ghost pops out of the mailbox.

Simple Subject Simple Predicate

Simple subjects and simple predicates do not include any modifying words, phrases, or clauses.

Tip: The subject is always a noun or pronoun.

Practice Examples (simple subject and predicate)

1. Liam’s entire family / ate dinner with us. 2. Some birds/ fly south each winter.

3. Both Juan and Maria / worked quickly to finish the project.

4. Several students / happily cheered for the football team.

5. The moon / shines brightly through the window.

Identify Simple Subjects & Predicates

1. Many passengers traveled overseas on airships before

the age of the airplane.

2. Several tragedies ended airship passenger service.

3. The event remains one of the most famous air disasters

of all time.

Grammar 101: Part II Complete Subjects & Predicates

• The complete subject includes the simple subject and all the words that modify, or tell more about, it.

• The complete predicate includes the verb and all the words that modify, or tell more about, it.

Finding Complete Subjects and Predicates

Complete Subject: ask who or what is or what or who does something

Complete Predicate: ask what the subject is or does or what happens to the subject

Example

Disaster movies / fascinate nearly everybody.

Complete Subject Complete Predicate

1. Socialite Molly Brown showed remarkable courage at the scene

of the Titanic tragedy.

2. The sailor in charge of the lifeboat turned out to be unfit for

the job.

3. The outspoken and courageous Brown supposedly ordered

everyone to start rowing or bailing water.

4. This vigorous work kept the women and children alive in the

frigid night air.

5. This courageous act earned Brown the nickname “the

unsinkable Mrs. Brown.”

Identify the Complete Subject & Predicates

Grammar 101: Part III Compound Subjects and Verbs

A sentence can have more than one subject or verb.

A sentence part with more than one of these elements is a compound part.

A compound subject is made up of two or more subjects that share a verb.

The subjects are joined by a conjunction, or a connecting word, such as and,

or, OR but.

TIPS:

In this case, every is functioning as a pronoun; notice, this is the same way that everyone or everything (singular indefinite pronouns) function in sentences.

Reminder: An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a specific person, place, or thing.

TIP: Watch for conjunctions to identify compound subjects.Common Conjunction Connectors:• And • Either Or • Neither Nor

Examples: Subjects are underlined and conjunctions are italicized and bolded.

Mary and John walk to school.

Jack and Jill run up the hill to fetch a pail of water.

The cat or the dog has to go. (singular verb)

The cat or the dogs have to go. (plural verb)

Neither the book nor the papers make sense.

Either the matches or the candle caused that fire.

Practice Identifying Subjects & Conjunctions

1. Coke and Mountain Dew have high amounts of sugar.

2. Either you or your sister will need to help with the chores.

3. Everything under the bed and everything in the closet needs to be organized.

4. Anyone on the soccer team and anyone on the basketball team is eligible for the

scholarship.

5. Neither the shoes in the entryway nor the boots in the porch are the right ones.

Compound Verbs

A compound verb is made up of two or more verbs or verb phrases that are joined by a conjunction and have the same subject.

Example: The exhausted diver ached and moaned.

A compound predicate is made up of a compound verb and all the words that go with each verb.

Example: Both groups must be in top physical condition and must be ready for any emergency.

Practice Identifying the Compound Verbs & Subjects

1. Last night we ate a pizza and watched a movie.

2. The weekend either flies by or drags on forever, depending on what you’re

doing.

3. Someone either hit my car with a shopping cart or backed into it as they

were leaving.

4. My cats sleep all day and run around all night.

5. Every Saturday, I go to the grocery store and buy food for the week.

Grammar 101: Part IV Subjects in Unusual Places

In most sentences subjects come before verbs. However, on some occasions subjects appear in unusual positions—after verbs or inside verb phrases.

Inverted Sentences:

In an inverted sentence the subject comes after the verb or part of the verb phrase.

Usual Order: The savage storm came down on the Spanish galleon.

Inverted Order: Down came, the savage storm on the Spanish galleon.

Usual Order: The sea swept across the deck of the hopeless ship.

Inverted Order: Across the deck of the hopeless ship swept the sea.

Sentences Beginning with Here or There

Though here or there may begin a sentence, these words are rarely subjects.

The SUBJECT of a sentence that begins with one of these words (here or there) usually follows the verb.

Example:

Here is the massive anchor of the galleon.

VERB SUBJECT

There lies the great ship, far beneath the ocean.

VERB SUBJECT

AGREEMENT BETWEEN SUBJECTS (IN UNUSUAL PLACES)& VERBS

TIP: Identify the SUBJECT before choosing the verb form.

Examples:

Here is the massive anchor of the galleon.

Singular Verb Singular Subject

Here are the massive anchors of the galleon.

Plural Verb Plural Subject

QUESTIONSIn a question the subject usually comes after the verb or inside the verb phrase. Turn the question into a statement to find the subject.

Subject After the Verb:Was the cargo of the galleon valuable? Statement: The cargo of the galleon was valuable. Verb Subject

Subject Inside the Verb Phrase: Statement: The great ship did survive the storm.Did the great ship survive the storm?

Verb Subject

QUESTIONS

In some questions, words such as who or what are the subjects and come before the verbs.

Example: Who was aboard the galleon? Who is the subject.

What happened to the people? What is the subject.

What sort of pronouns are who and what in these sentences? HINT: Both are in question formats.

IMPERATIVE SENTENCES

In an imperative sentence the subject is usually you. In most cases, you is not stated; it is understood.

Request: Please read the ancient tale of the galleon. Who should read the tale? It is implied that you will read it.

Command: Beware of the wild sea.Who should beware of the wild sea? Again, it is implied that you will.