What
are subjects: Subjects are the noun and
its modifiers that the sentence is about. You can identify the
subject using a series of questions. Find the word you think is
the subject then ask these questions:
1. Is this word a noun
or pronoun?
(if not it cannot be the subject)
2. Is this word in a prepositional
phrase? (if so it cannot be the subject)
3. Does this word perform the verb
in this sentence? (if not it cannot be the subject.
Simple
vs. Complete: These questions, however,
only identify the Simple Subject. The simple subject is the one
noun or pronoun the sentence is about. A complete subject is
the simple subject PLUS any modifiers (including articles like
The, An, A). To know more about modifiers, go to the
Adjectives
and Adverb
pages.
Unusual
Subjects: The complete subject of a
sentence can usually be found at the beginning of that
sentence. However, certian circumstances place the subject in
other areas. Below is a list of sentence circumstances where
the subject can be either the end, the middle or split
up.
1. A sentence that begins with the
word 'There'
2. Interrogative sentences (questions)
3. Quotes
4. A sentence that begins with the word 'Here'.
5. Commands (here the subject is understood to be
'You')
Compound
Subjects: A compound subject is two
subjects that share a predicate
(verb). Remember, a subject is the noun or pronoun that
performs the action of the verb. Some sentences have one verb,
but two nouns or pronounds perform it. In this circumstance
they are both the subject and identified as the compound
subject.
Subject Definition Page 