Subjects & Predicates
The simple subject is the main word or words in the complete subject. Descriptive
words are not part of the simple subject.
Hint: Simple refers to one ( or more words).
When a proper noun is used as a subject, all parts of the name make up the
simple subject.
Ex: Mary Trujilio makes clay storyteller figures. Mary Trujilio is the simple
subject and answers who the sentence is about.
Ex: Oral tales are important in Pueblo culture.
tells who or what the sentence is about.
Tales is the simple subject and
Ex: This tradition has inspired Pueblo potters. Tradition is the simple subject
and answers who or what the sentence is about.
Practice: Circle the simple subject in each sentence.
1. A slow tortoise lived in the desert long ago.
2. A nimble rabbit crossed his path one day.
3. The rabbit challenged the tortoise to a race.
4. Immediately, his tricky neighbor accepted the challenge.
5. The mismatched animals agreed to hold the race four days later.
6. The confident rabbit crossed the finish line.
7. A big surprise awaited the rabbit.
8. A smiling tortoise greeted them.
9. The unsuspecting rabbit was the victim of a trick.
10.His opponent’s twin brother met him at the finish line!
The simple predicate is the verb. It is the main word or words in the complete
predicate. The predicate or verb is the most important word in a complete
predicate because it tells what the subject does.
Remember: a verb may show action, or it may be a linking or helping verb.
The simple predicate is usually one word, but it may be more than one word if it
has a helping verb.
Ex: Hercules arrived in a foreign city.
arrived is the action verb.
Ex: The ruler disliked Hercules.
disliked is the verb.
Ex: Greek myths are timeless.
are is the linking verb.
Ex: The prisoners were smiling over the announcement.
Were smiling is the
helping verb
Practice: Circle the simple predicate or verb.
1. The Hydra lunged at Hercules with one of its deadly heads.
2. Hercules swung his club.
3. He crushed the Hydra’s skull.
4. Two new heads quickly sprouted in its place.
5. Hercules battles the nine-headed Hydra.
6. Hercules is the hero of many Greek myths.
7. The cowardly king hated Hercules.
8. Hercules once captured a gigantic wild boar.
9. The king assigned the hero a series of difficult tasks.
10. The birds showered Hercules with sharp bronze feathers.
Complete Subjects & Predicates
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
Every sentence must have two basic parts: a subject and a predicate.
The complete subject contains all the words that tell whom or what the subject is
about.
Ex: The glass slipper fits only one person
The glass slipper is the complete
subject.
Hint: To find the complete subject:
1. ask who or what does something ( or is doing something).
Ex: The handsome prince searches for its owner.
The handsome prince is the
complete subject.
Hint: To find the complete predicate, ask what the subject does ( or is). The
complete predicate includes the verb and all the words that tell about the verb.
1. Hint: find the verb and draw a line separating the complete subject and
predicate.
Ex: The handsome prince/ searches for its owner.
Ex: The handsome prince searches for its owner.
complete predicate.
searches for its owner is the
Practice: Draw a line separating the complete subject and the complete
predicate.
Ex: Mighty Hercules/ fought many creatures.
1. People around the world tell Cinderella stories.
2. The oldest version comes from China.
3. The main character’s name is Yeh-Shen.
4. This lovely young woman lives with a cruel stepmother and a selfish
stepsister.
5. Yeh-Shen receives help from a wise old man and a dead goldfish.
6. The bones of the dead goldfish grant the unlucky maiden’s wish.
7. Cinderella goes to a party in a beautiful cloak and a beautiful pair of
slippers.
8. One of the slippers falls off Yeh-Shen’s foot.
9. A king seeks the slipper’s owner.
10.The first version of Cinderella was written in 1634.
Homework #1
Due Date:________________
Simple Subject and Simple Predicate
Directions: Circle the simple subject and underline the simple predicate.
1. A poor woodcutter lived with his wife in a humble cottage.
2. One day, a fairy granted him three wishes.
3. The excited couple discussed their good fortune at dinner.
4. The hungry husband carelessly wished for a sausage.
5. A huge sausage fell onto the table.
6. The wife complained about his wasteful wish.
7. Her spouse made another wish.
8. Now the sausage hung from the wife’s nose.
9. The startled man wished for the disappearance of the sausage.
10.Three wishes brought him nothing but regret.
11. “Cinderella” is one of the oldest best-known folktales.
12. Similar stories exist in many cultures.
13.The main characters go by different names.
14.An ancient Egyptian story tells of Rhodopis.
15.The poor young woman is sold into slavery.
Homework #2
Due Date:______________________
Simple Subjects and Simple Predicates
Directions: Circle the simple subject and underline the simple predicate.
1. Rhodopis marries the Pharoah at the end of the story.
2. This powerful ruler searches for the slipper’s owner.
3. The bird drops it into the Pharoah’s lap.
4. A great falcon carries off one of the slippers.
5. Her master gives her a pair of slippers.
6. John Henry is an American folk hero.
7. This African-American man was a real person.
8. In the ballad, his strength is extraordinary.
9. His determination is remarkable, although the strain of winning kills him.
10.The legend grew more serious with each passing year.
Homework #3
Due Date:___________________
Complete Subjects and Predicates
Directions. Find the verb. Draw a line in front of it to separate the complete
subject and the complete predicate.
Ex: Mighty Hercules/ fought many creatures.
1. A poor woodcutter lived with his wife in a humble cottage.
2. One day, a fairy granted him three wishes.
3. The excited couple discussed their good fortune at dinner.
4. The hungry husband carelessly wished for a sausage.
5. A huge sausage fell onto the table.
6. The wife complained about his wasteful wish.
7. Her spouse made another wish.
8. Now the sausage hung from the wife’s nose.
9. The startled man wished for the disappearance of the sausage.
10.Three wishes brought him nothing but regret.
11. “Cinderella” is one of the oldest best-known folktales.
12. Similar stories exist in many cultures.
13.The main characters go by different names.
14.An ancient Egyptian story tells of Rhodopis.
15.The poor young woman is sold into slavery.
Homework #4
Due Date:_______________
Complete Subjects and Predicates
Directions. Find the verb. Draw a line in front of it to separate the complete
subject and the complete predicate.
Ex: Mighty Hercules/ fought many creatures.
1. Rhodopis marries the Pharoah at the end of the story.
2. This powerful ruler searches for the slipper’s owner.
3. The bird drops it into the Pharoah’s lap.
4. A great falcon carries off one of the slippers.
5. Her master gives her a pair of slippers.
6. John Henry is an American folk hero.
7. This African-American man was a real person.
8. In the ballad, his strength is extraordinary.
9. His determination is remarkable, although the strain of winning kills him.
10.The legend grew more serious with each passing year.