Download Subjects and Predicates

Subjects and
Predicates
By: Julia Altoe
2nd academic
What is a subject and
predicate?
 Every
sentence has two parts- a subject
and a predicate.
 The subject is what or whom the sentence
is about.
 The predicate tells something about the
subject.
Subjects!




There are three types of subjects; complete,
simple, and compound. The complete
subject is the noun or pronoun plus any words
that modify the simple subject that tells who
or what the subject is about.
Example~
The dog ran after the bone that fell in the
bush.
The dog is the complete subject!
Simple Subjects…




The simple subject is the essential noun (1),
pronoun, or group of words acting as a noun
that cannot be left out of the complete
subject.
Examples~
Mary went to Barnes and Nobles to pick out a
book.
Mary is the subject because it is tell whom the
sentence is about..
Compound subjects




The compound subject is two or more
subjects joined by the coordinating
conjunctions "and" or "or". To find the subject,
isolate the verb, and ask the question who or
what.
Examples~
John and Jessica wanted to get ice cream
after school.
Who wanted to go get ice cream? John and
Jessica, so they are the compound subjects.
More Examples of subjects
 Find
the subjects in the sentences below...
 Ally and Jake ran after the bus.
 The book bag is a gorgeous, violet color.
 I despise getting up early to go to school.
 She turned around, and looked at me
with a devious smile.
 Sofia, the exchange student, who’s been
living with the Clarks, is from Italy.
Predicates!




There are also three types of predicates:
complete, simple, and compound. Complete
predicates are the verb plus the objects,
complements, and adverbial modifiers that
tell what the complete subjects do or are.
Examples~
The cat jumped over the couch.
Jumped over the couch is the complete
predicate!
Simple Predicates






A simple predicate is a verb or verb phase in
a sentence. To find the predicate, ask the
question "What does the subject do?“
Examples~
Today, we jogged in gym class.
What did we do in gym class? Jogged,
making that the predicate.
I gave Lucas a hug during lunch.
What did you do to Lucas? Gave him a hug,
gave is the predicate because it is describing
the something the subject did.
Compound Predicates





A compound Predicate is two or more verbs
joined together by the coordinating
conjunctions "and" or "or".
examples~
We walked and played soccer at the park.
Walked and played are the compound
predicates because there are two verbs, and
“and” are joining them together.
I went to the mall, and bought a new dress.
Imperative sentences and
Positioning..







There are also imperative sentences; sentences that differ from the
conventional sentences, because their subject is the understood
"you.“
Examples~
(You) went to the cheer competition.
(You) decided to go swimming at the neighborhood pool.
There are another kind of sentence that has to do with positioning..
Usually, the subject most often appears before the verb, but it can
also come behind it too, "there is" or " there are". These two phases
are used to get the sentence going, they are not the subjects, but
show that the subjects are coming soon. These sentences can also
be inverted.
Examples~
There are beautiful lakes in Michigan. vs. beautiful lakes are in
Michigan.
A Quick Video and citations!





http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?vid
eo_id=159877
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdUXxdmhIsw
Citations~
Writers Workshop: Writer Resources." Grammar
Handbook « « The Center for Writing Studies, Illinois.
University of Illinois Board of Trustees, 2013. Web. 29
Aug. 2013.
Peck, Frances. "Subject and Predicate." Subject
and Predicate. University of Ottawa, 2013. Web. 29
Aug. 2013.