Subjects and Verbs

Locating Subjects and Verbs

To avoid writing a fragment, look for the subject and verb in a sentence. To find the subject, ask, “Which word tells what or who this sentence is about?” Once you have the answer (the subject), then ask, “What does the subject do?” or “What is being done to the subject?” This will help you locate the verb.

In some sentences, it’s easier to find the verb first. In this case, ask “Which word states the action or condition in this sentence?” This question should help you locate the verb. Then ask, “Who or what is involved in the action of the verb?” The resulting word or words will be the subject.

Compound Subjects

A compound subject consists of two or more subjects. These subjects may be joined by a conjunction such as and or or.The campers and hikers repelled the mosquitoes with insect spray.

Flies, gnats, and bees are always buzzing around the garbage can.

Neither the horse nor the driver looked tired.

Compound Verbs

A compound verb consists of two or more verbs. These verbs may be joined by a conjunction such as and, but, or, or nor.

I neither saw them nor heard them.

Randy left school and ran to the gym.

She sneezed and coughed all day.

Compound Subjects and Verbs

Some sentences contain both a compound subject and a compound verb.My father and brother swatted at the fly but smacked each other in the head instead.

The dog and cat eyed each other, circled warily, and then advanced into combat.

Hard to Find Subjects (declarative sentences: makes a statement [.])

Here and there are NEVER the subject of a sentence!

There are the buses. (buses/ are)

There are the downtown buildings. (buildings/are)

Here is the ticket for your trip. (ticket/is)

There is money in the cash register. (money/is)

The downtown buildings are there. (buildings/are)

The ticket for your trip is here. (ticket/is)

Money is in the cash register there. (money/is)

Hard to Find Subjets (interrogative sentences: asks a question [?])

Some interrogative sentences use subject-verb order. Often, however, the word order of an interrogative sentence is verb-subject.Which car gets the best mileage?

Is the City Zoo open in the morning?

Do they own that house?

Where will the dance be held?

Where are we going?

The dance will be held where?

Hard to Find Subjects (imperative sentences: gives an order or direction [./!])

The subject of an imperative sentence is usually “implied” rather than specifically stated.

In imperative sentences, the subject is understood to be YOU.

First, visit the Sears Tower.

First, [you] visit the Sears Tower.

After the tour, come home right away.

After the tour, [you] come home right away

Hard to Find Subjects (exclamatory sentences: conveys strong emotion [!])

In some exclamatory sentences, the subject appears before the verb. In others, the verb appears first. To find the subject, rearrange the sentence in subject-verb order.

What does he know!

Go now!

(subject understood: [You] go now! )

In other exclamatory sentences, both the subject and verb may be unstated.

Fire! ([You] watch out for the fire!}

Find the Subjects and Verbs

1. She dreams of living a sumptuous and luxurious life.

2. Mme. Loisel and her husband receive an invitation to a party at the home of the Minister of Education.

3. She started crying right then and there.

4. Melissa is Jessie’s daughter.

5. Williamsburg was the site of the first newspaper in Virginia, The Virginia Gazette.

6. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., supported the town’s restoration during the 1920s.

7. New York and Tokyo are sites of stock exchanges.

8. Today, people use the Internet and make trades on computers.

9. Always check your answers on a test.

10. Here are the tickets to the concert.