Parts of a sentence part 2

THE SUBJECT

D.O. I.O.

S.C.

SUBJ PRED

action

linking

A subject is the noun or pronoun that the sentence is about.

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

Wittgenstein wrote philosophy.

The complete subject includes the simple subject and all its modifiers.

The tall woman led us to the back room.

Subject pronouns are subjects (I, you, he, she, it, we, they),can be subjects, but object pronouns cannot.

Which is correct?

Him and her disagree.He and I entered the competition.

A compound subject is a double subject. More than one noun or pronoun is used as a double subject of the same clause.

Physics and astronomy are my favorite subjects.Einstein and Bohr debated quantum theory.

A compound subject is joined by the coordinating conjunction and is plural and must take a plural verb.

Jim and John are here.

A compound subject joined by the coordinating conjunction or is singular.

Jim or John is here.

Punctuating compounds: We do not put a comma before a coordinating conjunction that joins a compound subject.

Physics and astronomy are fun.NOT: Physics, and astronomy are fun.

To find the subject, first identify the predicate (verb) then ask the question,

Who/What (verb and as much of the rest of the sentence as you need) ?

Finding the Subject

For example: The tall woman led us to the back room.

Led is the predicate, so “Who/What led us to the back room”?

Answer: woman“Woman” is the simple subject.

Practice: Sally (run, runs) to the park every day. The dogs (bark, barks,) at strangers. Ted and Mary (is, are) going to the movies. The game (was, were) exciting. They (worry, worries) too much. She (study, studies) every night. Black or white (is, are) your choice. That (was, were) incredible. Those (is, are) pretty shoes. The cat or dog (is, are) in the yard.

Remember: The predicate must agree with the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular. The secret to subject-verb agreement lies in acute awareness of the true subject and its simple predicate as a pair. This is the worst mistake: Don’t make it!