Grammar 101
Simple Subjects & Predicates
Every sentence has two parts: a subject and a
predicate.
• The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about.
• The predicate tells what the subject is or does or what happens to
the subject.
Example:
Large potatoes grow underground.
Subject
Predicate
Both parts (subject and predicate) are usually
necessary for the meaning of a group of words to be
clear. When a subject or predicate is missing, the
group of words is a sentence fragment.
Simple Subject: the key word or words in the subject
Simple Predicate: the verb or verb phrase that tells something
about the subject
Finding Simple Subject & Predicates
Simple subjects and simple predicates do not include any modifying words,
phrases, or clauses.
Simple Subject: ask who or what is or does something
Simple Predicate: ask what the subject is or does or what happens to it
The ghost pops out of the mailbox.
Simple Subject
Simple Predicate
Tip: The subject is always a noun or pronoun.
Practice Examples (simple subject and predicate)
1. Liam’s entire family / ate dinner with us.
2. Some birds/ fly south each winter.
3. Both Juan and Maria / worked quickly to finish the project.
4. Several students / happily cheered for the football team.
5. The moon / shines brightly through the window.
Identify Simple Subjects & Predicates
1. Many passengers traveled overseas on airships before
the age of the airplane.
2. Several tragedies ended airship passenger service.
3. The event remains one of the most famous air disasters
of all time.
Grammar 101: Part II
Complete Subjects & Predicates
• The complete subject includes the simple subject and all
the words that modify, or tell more about, it.
• The complete predicate includes the verb and all the
words that modify, or tell more about, it.
Finding Complete Subjects and Predicates
Complete Subject: ask who or what is or what or who does
something
Complete Predicate: ask what the subject is or does or what
happens to the subject
Example
Disaster movies / fascinate nearly everybody.
Complete Subject
Complete Predicate
Identify the Complete Subject & Predicates
1. Socialite Molly Brown showed remarkable courage at the scene
of the Titanic tragedy.
2. The sailor in charge of the lifeboat turned out to be unfit for
the job.
3. The outspoken and courageous Brown supposedly ordered
everyone to start rowing or bailing water.
4. This vigorous work kept the women and children alive in the
frigid night air.
5. This courageous act earned Brown the nickname “the
unsinkable Mrs. Brown.”
Grammar 101: Part III Compound Subjects and Verbs
A sentence can have more than one subject or verb.
 A sentence part with more than one of these elements is a compound part.
A compound subject is made up of two or more subjects that share a verb.
The subjects are joined by a conjunction, or a connecting word, such as and,
or, OR but.
TIPS:
Reminder: An indefinite pronoun does
not refer to a specific person, place, or
thing.
In this case, every is functioning as a pronoun; notice, this is the same way
that everyone or everything (singular indefinite pronouns) function in
sentences.
TIP: Watch for conjunctions to identify compound subjects.
Common Conjunction Connectors:
• And
• Either
Or
• Neither
Nor
Examples: Subjects are underlined and conjunctions are italicized and bolded.
Mary and John walk to school.
Jack and Jill run up the hill to fetch a pail of water.
The cat or the dog has to go. (singular verb)
The cat or the dogs have to go. (plural verb)
Neither the book nor the papers make sense.
Either the matches or the candle caused that fire.
Practice Identifying Subjects & Conjunctions
1. Coke and Mountain Dew have high amounts of sugar.
2. Either you or your sister will need to help with the chores.
3. Everything under the bed and everything in the closet needs to be organized.
4. Anyone on the soccer team and anyone on the basketball team is eligible for the
scholarship.
5. Neither the shoes in the entryway nor the boots in the porch are the right ones.
Compound Verbs
A compound verb is made up of two or more verbs or verb phrases that are joined
by a conjunction and have the same subject.
Example: The exhausted diver ached and moaned.
A compound predicate is made up of a compound verb and all the words that go
with each verb.
Example: Both groups must be in top physical condition and must be ready for
any emergency.
Practice Identifying the Compound Verbs & Subjects
1. Last night we ate a pizza and watched a movie.
2. The weekend either flies by or drags on forever, depending on what you’re
doing.
3. Someone either hit my car with a shopping cart or backed into it as they
were leaving.
4. My cats sleep all day and run around all night.
Grammar 101: Part IV Subjects in Unusual Places
In most sentences subjects come before verbs.
However, on some occasions subjects appear in
unusual positions—after verbs or inside verb phrases.
Inverted Sentences:
In an inverted sentence the subject comes after the verb or part
of the verb phrase.
Usual Order: The savage storm came down on the Spanish galleon.
Inverted Order: Down came, the savage storm on the Spanish galleon.
Usual Order: The sea swept across the deck of the hopeless ship.
Inverted Order: Across the deck of the hopeless ship swept the sea.
Sentences Beginning with Here or There
Though here or there may begin a sentence, these words are rarely subjects.
The SUBJECT of a sentence that begins with one of these words (here or there)
usually follows the verb.
Example:
Here is the massive anchor of the galleon.
VERB
SUBJECT
There lies the great ship, far beneath the ocean.
VERB
SUBJECT
AGREEMENT BETWEEN SUBJECTS (IN UNUSUAL PLACES)& VERBS
TIP: Identify the SUBJECT before choosing the verb form.
Examples:
Here is the massive anchor of the galleon.
Singular Verb
Singular Subject
Here are the massive anchors of the galleon.
Plural Verb
Plural Subject
QUESTIONS
In a question the subject usually comes after the verb or inside the verb phrase. Turn the
question into a statement to find the subject.
Subject After the Verb:
Was the cargo of the galleon valuable? Statement: The cargo of the galleon was valuable.
Verb
Subject
Subject Inside the Verb Phrase:
Statement: The great ship did survive the storm.
Did the great ship survive the storm?
Verb
Subject
QUESTIONS
In some questions, words such as who or what are the subjects and
come before the verbs.
Example:
Who was aboard the galleon?
Who is the subject.
What happened to the people?
What is the subject.
What sort of pronouns are who and what in these sentences?
HINT: Both are in question formats.
IMPERATIVE SENTENCES
In an imperative sentence the subject is usually you. In most cases, you is not stated; it
is understood.
Request: Please read the ancient tale of the galleon.
Who should read the tale? It is implied that you will read it.
Command: Beware of the wild sea.
Who should beware of the wild sea? Again, it is implied that you will.