Subject and Predicate

Subject and Predicate in English Grammar

Every complete sentence consists of two main parts: the subject and the predicate. The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about, and the predicate tells us what the subject does or is. Let’s break down these components further into their subcategories.

Subject

The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is doing or being something.

 

Simple Subject

The simple subject is the main noun or pronoun that the sentence is about.

  • Examples:
    • Dogs bark.
    • She runs fast.

Complete Subject

The complete subject includes the simple subject and all the words that modify it.

  • Examples:
    • The big brown dog barked loudly.
    • My friend Sarah is coming over.

Compound Subject

The compound subject consists of two or more subjects that share the same verb.

  • Examples:
    • Tom and Jerry are best friends.
    • The teacher and the students are in the classroom.

Predicate

The predicate of a sentence tells what the subject does or is. It includes the verb and all the words that describe the verb and complete its meaning.

 

Simple Predicate

The simple predicate is the main verb or verb phrase that tells something about the subject.

  • Examples:
    • The cat slept.
    • They are playing.

Complete Predicate

The complete predicate includes the simple predicate (the verb) and all the words that tell more about it.

  • Examples:
    • The cat slept on the couch.
    • They are playing in the park.

Compound Predicate

The compound predicate consists of two or more verbs or verb phrases that share the same subject.

  • Examples:
    • The dog barked and ran.
    • She writes and illustrates her books.

Identifying Subjects and Predicates

  1. Simple Subject:
    • The car is red.
    • Mary sings beautifully.
  2. Complete Subject:
    • The old car is red.
    • My friend Mary sings beautifully.
  3. Compound Subject:
    • John and Mary went to the store.
    • The cat and the dog are sleeping.
  4. Simple Predicate:
    • The car is red.
    • Mary sings beautifully.
  5. Complete Predicate:
    • The car is red.
    • Mary sings beautifully.
  6. Compound Predicate:
    • John danced and sang at the party.
    • The cat slept and purred.

Exercise 1: Identify the Parts

Identify the simple subject, complete subject, simple predicate, complete predicate, and compound predicate in the following sentences.

  1. The children played in the park.
  2. My brother and I went to the movie and enjoyed it.
  3. The bright yellow sunflowers are blooming in the garden.

Exercise 2: Create Sentences

Write sentences using the following guidelines:

  1. A sentence with a compound subject.
  2. A sentence with a compound predicate.
  3. A sentence with a complete subject and a simple predicate.

Exercise 1

  1. The children played in the park.
    • Simple Subject: children
    • Complete Subject: The children
    • Simple Predicate: played
    • Complete Predicate: played in the park
  2. My brother and I went to the movie and enjoyed it.
    • Simple Subject: brother, I
    • Complete Subject: My brother and I
    • Simple Predicate: went, enjoyed
    • Complete Predicate: went to the movie and enjoyed it
    • Compound Predicate: went to the movie and enjoyed it
  3. The bright yellow sunflowers are blooming in the garden.
    • Simple Subject: sunflowers
    • Complete Subject: The bright yellow sunflowers
    • Simple Predicate: are blooming
    • Complete Predicate: are blooming in the garden

Exercise 2 Sample Answers:

  1. The cat and the dog are playing outside.
  2. She cooked dinner and cleaned the kitchen.
  3. The tall man waved.

Summary:

Understanding the components of a sentence, particularly the subject and predicate, is fundamental in constructing clear and grammatically correct sentences. The subject can be simple, complete, or compound, while the predicate can also be simple, complete, or compound. Recognizing these parts helps in analyzing and improving sentence structure and writing skills.

Back to Grammar Page

Return to Home Page