Every sentence has two halves.
A complete sentence is a partnership — a subject that names who or what it’s about, and a predicate that says what that subject does or is. Learn the three shapes each half can take, then watch them at work.
Subject or predicate — three shapes each
Every subject and every predicate can show up in one of three sizes: simple, complete, or compound. Open each card to see the pattern and real examples.
Strip away every describing word, and what’s left is the simple subject.
It can be one word, but never more than the bare noun or pronoun itself.
Dogs bark.
Mary sings beautifully. (no describing words to add)
The old car is red. (the simple subject is just "car")
Find the simple subject first, then add back every word that describes it.
It can stretch across several words, but it is still only one job in the sentence.
The big brown dog barked loudly.
My friend Sarah is coming over.
The old car is red.
Look for a conjunction — usually and or or — joining two subjects.
Both subjects act together on one shared verb.
Tom and Jerry are best friends.
The teacher and the students are in the classroom.
John and Mary went to the store.
The cat and the dog are sleeping.
Find the verb (or verb phrase) that tells what the subject does or is.
Leave out any objects, descriptions, or extra details — just the verb.
The cat slept.
They are playing.
The car is red. (the complete predicate would also include "red")
Find the simple predicate first, then add back everything that tells more about it.
It covers the verb plus its objects, complements, and modifiers.
The cat slept on the couch.
They are playing in the park.
The car is red.
Look for a conjunction joining two verbs or verb phrases.
One subject performs both actions.
The dog barked and ran.
She writes and illustrates her books.
John danced and sang at the party.
The cat slept and purred.
| Part | Its job | Common examples |
|---|---|---|
| Simple subject | The bare noun or pronoun | Dogs, She, Mary |
| Complete subject | The simple subject plus its describing words | The big brown dog, My friend Sarah |
| Compound subject | Two or more subjects sharing one verb | Tom and Jerry, the cat and the dog |
| Simple predicate | The bare verb or verb phrase | slept, are playing, is |
| Complete predicate | The simple predicate plus everything that completes it | slept on the couch, is red |
| Compound predicate | Two or more verbs sharing one subject | barked and ran, danced and sang |
Subjects and predicates in action
Ten quick questions — spot whether the underlined part is a simple, complete, or compound subject or predicate. You get instant scoring and a short explanation for every answer.
Every sentence, two halves
A sentence is a partnership: a subject that names who or what it’s about, and a predicate that says what that subject does or is. Each half can grow — simple, complete, or compound — but the partnership never changes. Spot both halves, and every sentence opens up.