What Is a Subject in English Grammar?
In English grammar, a subject is one of the two main parts of a sentence. (The other main part is the predicate.)
The subject is sometimes called the naming part of a sentence or clause. The subject usually appears before the predicate to show (a) what the sentence is about, or (b) who or what performs the action.
As show below, the subject is commonly a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase.
Types of Subjects
A subject may be one word or several words.
(1) The subject may be just a single word: a noun or a pronoun. In this first example, the proper noun Felix is the subject of the sentence:
Felix laughed.
In the next example, the personal pronoun he is the subject:
He laughed.
(2) The subject may be a noun phrase--that is, a word group made up of a head noun and any modifiers , determiners (such as the, a, her ), and/or complements. In this example, the subject is The first person in line :
The first person in line spoke to the television reporter.
(3) Two (or more) nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases may be linked by and to make a compound subject . In this example, the compound subject is Winnie and her sister:
Winnie and her sister will sing at the recital this evening.
A Note about Subjects in Questions and Commands
In a declarative sentence, as we've seen, the subject usually appears before the predicate:
Bobo will return soon.
In an interrogative sentence , however, the subject usually appears after a helping verb (such as will ) and before the main verb (such as return ):
Will Bobo return soon?
Finally, in an imperative sentence , the implied subject you is said to be "understood":
Come back here.
Examples of Subjects
In each of the following sentences, the subject is in italics.
1. Time flies.
2. We will try.
3. The Johnsons have returned.
4. Dead men tell no tales.
5. Our school cafeteria always smelled like stale cheese and dirty socks.
6. The children in the first row received badges.
7. The birds and the bees are flying in the trees.
8. My little dog and my old cat play hide-and-seek in the garage.
9. Could you carry some of these books?
10. [You] Go home now.
To learn more about subjects, see our glossary entry for subject along with the following articles:
What Is a Predicate in English Grammar?
In English grammar, apredicate is one of the two main parts of a sentence. (The other main part is thesubject.)
A predicate is usually defined as a word group that comes after the subject to complete the meaning of the sentence or clause.
Types of Predicates
A predicate may be one word or many words.
(1) A predicate may be just a single word: the verb. In this first example, the verblaughed is the predicate of the sentence:
Felix laughed.
(2) A predicate may be a word group made up of a main verb and any helping verbs . In the next example, will sing is the predicate:
Winnie will sing.
Notice that the helping verb ( will ) comes before the main verb ( sing ).
(3) A predicate may also be a completeverb phrase : that is, a main verb and all the words related to that verb except the subject. In this last example, the predicate is the verb phrase is always greener on the other side :
The grass is always greener on the other side.
Whether it's just one word or many words, the predicate usually follows the subject and tells us something about it.
Examples of Predicates
In each of the following sentences, the predicate is in italics.
1. Time flies.
2. We will try.
3. The Johnsons have returned.
4. Bobo has never driven before.
5. We will try harder next time.
6. Hummingbirds sing with their tail feathers.
7. Pedro has not returned from the store.
8. My brother flew a helicopter in Iraq.
9. My mother took our dog to the vet for its shots.
10. Our school cafeteria always smelled like stale cheese and dirty socks.
To learn more about predicates, see our glossary entry for predicate along with the following articles:
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