Subjects and Predicates

Subjects and Predicates
What is a Sentence?
• A sentence is a group of words that
contains two things:
– A subject (the doer of the action)
– A verb (the action or condition)
• A sentence must express a complete

thought.
What is a Sentence?
• This is a complete sentence.
The elephant played.
The verb is “played.” This is an action verb.
The subject is “elephant” because it is doing

the playing.
What is a Sentence?
• Is this a complete sentence?

Ex. Building a sandcastle.
The verb is “building.”
In this sentence no one is building;

therefore, there is no subject.
What is a Fragment?
A fragment is a group of words that is not a complete
sentence. It contains some of the elements needed to
make a sentence, but not all three parts.
Eg. The man on the street

This contains a subject, but not a verb.
Eg. Walking down the street

This contains a verb but no subject.
Eg. While the man was walking down the street ….?
 This fragment may contains a subject and a verb,
but it does not contain a complete thought.
The Predicate
• Predicate is a fancy word for “verb.” That means
that a predicate can include:
1. action verbs
2. linking verbs
3. helping verbs
• To find the predicate in the sentence, look for

any verbs that you have learned.
The Complete Predicate
• The complete predicate begins with the first
verb and includes all words following it. The
actual verb or verb phrase is called the simple
predicate.
Ex. The tall girls played a game of basketball.

The tall girls played a game of basketball.
The verb is an action verb. It is “played.”

That makes it the simple predicate.
Everything that follows “played” is a part of the

complete predicate. That means it includes the
words “played a game of basketball.”
The Compound Predicate
• A compound predicate would contain more than one main verb.
Compounds are connected by conjunctions such as and, but, or,
for, nor, yet, or so.
– Eg. I first walked and then ran down the street.

– I walked and then ran down the street.
(“Walked” is one main verb and “ran” is another.)
– Eg. I have seen the film and enjoyed it.

(“Have seen” is one verb and “enjoyed” is another.)
– Eg. I have seen the movie.

(This sentence Does NOT contain a compound predicate. “Have seen” is
one verb phrase. “Seen” is the only main verb.)
The Subject
• The subject of the sentence must be a:
1. noun (person, place, or thing)
2. pronoun ( a word that takes the place of
a person, place, or thing.)
• The subject is called the “doer” of the

action.
The Subject
• To find the subject of the sentence you must:
1. Find the verb
2. Ask “who?” or “what?” before it
Eg. Mary threw the ball.
Step one – Find the verb. It is “threw.”
Step two – Ask “who?’” or “what?”
before it. “Who threw?”
Mary threw the ball.
The Subject
• Try to find this subject:
Eg. On the table lay a pencil.
Step one – find the verb. It is “lay.”
Step two – Ask “who?” or “what?”
before it. Who lay? What lay?
Eg. On the table lay a pencil.

The Complete Subject
• The complete subject includes all words up until the verb
begins. Within the complete subject, there will be the main
subject called a simple subject.
Eg. The tall girls played a game.

The tall girls played a game.
The verb is “played,” so you would divide directly in front of

“played.” That means the complete subject includes the
words “The tall girls.”
Within these words is the simple subject which tells who

actually played. The simple subject is “girls” since it
answered the question, “Who played?”
The Compound Subject
• A compound subject would contain more than one
“doer” of the action. Often they are connected by
conjunctions such as and, but, or, for, nor, yet, or
so.
• Eg. The boys and the girls saw the play.

The boys and the girls saw the play.
(Both “boys” and “girls” answer the question of

“Who saw?” That means both of them are
subjects of this sentence. They are compound.)
Sentence Order
• Natural order means that the subject comes before
the verb in the sentence.
• Eg. A horse ran in the field.
A horse ran in the field.
(Subject – horse Verb – ran)
• Inverted order means that the subject does NOT

come before the verb in the sentence.
–Ex. In the field ran a horse.
In the field ran a horse.
(Subject – horse Verb – ran)
Sentence Order - Questions
• In a question that contains a single verb, the subject may be
an interrogative pronoun if that pronoun would be taking the
place of the answer to the question.
Ex. Who is speaking?

Ex. Who is speaking?
(The verb is “is speaking.” Would the answer to the question

tell who is speaking? Yes, it would. That means the pronoun
which takes that noun’s place is your subject.
“Who” is an interrogative pronoun replacing that person’s

name. “Who” is your subject.
Sentence Order - Questions
• In a question that contains a verb phrase,
typically a verb phrase splits apart and the
subject is located between the parts of the verb.
Ex. Have you talked to your Mom?
(The verb phrase is “Have talked.” In

between those two words is the word “you.”
Does “you” tell who talked? Yes, it does.
That means that “you” is the subject of the
sentence.)
Sentence Order - Commands
• A command tells you to do something. These are called
imperative sentences.
• The subject of every command in the English language
is the person being addressed… “you.”
– Eg. Close the door.

(“You” is the subject.)
– Eg. Open the window.

– Eg. Answer me!


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Subjects and Predicates

• A sentence must express a complete

The verb is “played.” This is an action verb.

The subject is “elephant” because it is doing

• Is this a complete sentence?

The verb is “building.”

In this sentence no one is building;

Eg. The man on the street

Eg. Walking down the street

• To find the predicate in the sentence, look for

Ex. The tall girls played a game of basketball.

The verb is an action verb. It is “played.”

Everything that follows “played” is a part of the

– Eg. I first walked and then ran down the street.

(“Walked” is one main verb and “ran” is another.)

– Eg. I have seen the film and enjoyed it.

– Eg. I have seen the movie.

• The subject is called the “doer” of the

Eg. On the table lay a pencil.

Eg. The tall girls played a game.

The verb is “played,” so you would divide directly in front of

Within these words is the simple subject which tells who

• Eg. The boys and the girls saw the play.

(Both “boys” and “girls” answer the question of

• Inverted order means that the subject does NOT

Ex. Who is speaking?

(The verb is “is speaking.” Would the answer to the question

“Who” is an interrogative pronoun replacing that person’s

Ex. Have you talked to your Mom?

(The verb phrase is “Have talked.” In

– Eg. Close the door.

– Eg. Open the window.

– Eg. Answer me!

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