The Parts of a Sentence: 1.2

The Parts of a Sentence: 1.2The Subject andThe Predicate

Examples:Aunt Louise found a beautiful antique lamp at the garage sale.The kitten with the white paws is called Boots.Where are your mittens, Kris?How surprised we were!The SubjectA subject tells whom or what the sentence is about.

Example:Laughing and running down the street were two small boys.Who were laughing and running down the street? Two small boys were.Two small boys is the subject.How do I find the subject?Ask yourself these questions:

Who or what is doing something?What or who is something about?

A sealed envelope rested near the edge of the desk.

Are Dalmatians very good watchdogs?

Can horses and cattle swim?Practice Finding the SubjectAsk yourself:Who or what is doing something?What or who is something about?

A sealed envelope rested near the edge of the desk.

Are Dalmatians very good watchdogs?

Can horses and cattle swim?

Check your answers.The subject is in bold.

For example

The dangerous trip over the mountains took four days.

The dangerous trip over the mountains took four days.What is the complete subject?The complete subject consists of all the words that tell whom or what the sentence is about.

Someone in this room is about to get a big surprise!

In the last forty years, he has missed seeing only one home game.

Pacing back and forth in the cage was a hungry tiger.

Joey arrived late for the dance.Practice Finding the Complete SubjectRemember to ask yourself who or what the sentence is about. Include all of the words that tell what the sentence is about.

Someone in this room is about to get a big surprise!

In the last forty years, he has missed seeing only one home game. (in the last forty years is a prepositional phraselater!)

Pacing back and forth in the cage was a hungry tiger.

Joey arrived late for the dance.Check your answers.The complete subject is in bold.

For example

The dangerous trip over the mountains took four days.

The complete subject is: The dangerous trip over the mountains

The simple subject is: trip

See the difference?What is the simple subject?The simple subject is the main word or word group that tells whom or what the sentence is about.

Someone in this room is about to get a big surprise!

In the last forty years, he has missed seeing only one home game.

Pacing back and forth in the cage was a hungry tiger.

Joey arrived late for the dance.

Practice finding the Simple SubjectRemember to ask yourself who or what the sentence is about. Include the main word or words that tell what the sentence is about.

Someone in this room is about to get a big surprise!

In the last forty years, he has missed seeing only one home game.

Pacing back and forth in the cage was a hungry tiger.

Joey arrived late for the dance.

Check your answers.The simple subject is in bold.

For example

Stamp collecting is my fathers favorite hobby.

Stamp collecting is my fathers favorite hobby.Is the simple subject always just one word?No, the simple subject is not always just one word.

The simple subject may consist of more than one word.

Containing over eighty million items, the Library of Congress is the nations largest single library.

Madeline Albright was appointed secretary of state.

Accepting the awards was Leo Kolar.Practice finding the simple subject.Remember to ask yourself who or what the sentence is about. Include the main word or words that tell what the sentence is about.

Containing over eighty million items, the Library of Congress is the nations largest single library.

Madeline Albright was appointed secretary of state.

Accepting the awards was Leo Kolar.

Check your answers.The simple subject is in bold.

For example

Several of the players hit homeruns.Who hit the home runs? The complete subject is several of the players. The simple subject is several. It is not players because players is in a prepositional phrase:of the playersBe very careful finding the simple subject.The subject is never found in a preposition phrase, which is going to be confusing since we havent talked about prepositional phrases yet. However, the simple subject is not going to be found in phrases that start with words like on, if, in, at, etc.

At the end of the our street is a bus stop.Practice finding the simple subject.Watch out for prepositional phrases!

At the end of the our street is a bus stop.

Check your answer.The simple subject is in bold.

Ready to do some graded practice?Complete the attached worksheet as a graded practice: Graded Practice: Identifying Complete Subjects and Simple Subjects

When you finish with these questions, be sure to continue on with this PowerPoint!! You still have predicates to cover!

For example

The woman dances.

Who is the subject?The woman

What does the woman do?DancesWhat is the Predicate?The predicate of a sentence tells something about the subject.For example

Marcos brother delivers pizzas.

What/who is the subject?Marcos brotherWhat does Marcos brother do?Delivers pizza

Marcos brother delivers pizza.

What is the complete predicate?The complete predicate consists of a verb and all the words that describe the verb and complete its meaning.Under a large bush sat the tiny rabbit.

Does this copier staple and fold documents?

How talented you are!Practice finding the complete predicate.RememberFirst find the subject by asking who/what the sentence is about.Find the complete predicate by finding the verb and all the words that describe the verb.Under a large bush sat the tiny rabbit.

Does this copier staple and fold documents?

How talented you are!

Check your answers.The complete predicate is in bold.On the tiny branch perched a chickadee.

Covering the side of the hill were wildflowers.

Before winter many birds fly south.

Yesterday the movie star signed autographs.Is the predicate always found at the end of the sentence?As you discovered in the previous examples, the predicate can be found anywhere in a sentence.For example

These books are available in the media center.The complete predicate is: are available in the media center.The simple predicate is: areWhat is the simple predicate?The simple predicate is also called the verb. It is the main word or word group that tells something about the subject.

The simple predicate may be one word or a verb phrase (a main verb and one or more helping verbs).Our English class is reading the novel Frankenstein.

The musicians have been rehearsing since noon.Practice finding the simple predicate.Remember, you are looking for the main verb or verb phrase.Our English class is reading the novel Frankenstein.

The musicians have been rehearsing since noon.

Check your answers.The simple predicate is in bold.For example

She did not believe me.

She did not believe me.

not is an adverb and is not part of the predicateHeres something to keep in mind when looking at simple predicates!The words not (-nt) and never, which are frequently used with verbs, are not part of a verb phrase, therefore not part of the simple predicate Both of these words are adverbs.They havent left yet.

The two cousins had never met.

I will never eat there again!

Practice finding more simple predicates.Remember, look for the verb or verb phrase.

Not (-nt) and never are adverbs and not part of the simple predicate! They havent left yet.

The two cousins had never met.

I will never eat there again!

Check your answers.The simple predicate is in bold.Ready to do some graded practice?Complete the attached worksheets as graded practice:

Identifying Complete Predicates and Verbs

Identifying Simple Predicates

What is a subject?What is a predicate?What is the complete subject?What is the simple subject?What is the complete predicate?What is the simple predicate?QuizBe sure you understand the following grammar concepts for your upcoming quiz!