Chapter: Subject and Predicate
Access free English grammar study materials for all classes, SAT, and IELTS. This chapter on Subject and Predicate simplifies sentence structure fundamentals for beginners and competitive exam aspirants. Improve your writing, reading, and comprehension with detailed notes, worksheets, and downloadable resources crafted for effective learning.
Grammar Made Easy Subject & Predicate
What Are Subject and Predicate?
Every complete sentence contains two essential parts: the subject (who or what the sentence is about) and the predicate (what the subject does or is). Think of them as a team – the subject is the star player, while the predicate is the action they perform. For example, in “The cat jumped over the fence“, “The cat” is the subject, and “jumped over the fence” is the predicate. Mastering this concept helps you build better sentences and understand complex ones.
Subject
The subject is the noun/pronoun that performs the action or is described. It answers “who?” or “what?” before the verb. Subjects can be simple (“Dogs bark”) or complete (“The big black dog barked”). Compound subjects contain multiple nouns joined by conjunctions (“Tom and Jerry fight”). In commands, the subject (you) is often implied (“[You] Sit down”).
Predicate
The predicate contains the verb and its modifiers, telling what the subject does or is. Simple predicates include just the verb (“She runs“), while complete predicates contain all descriptors (“She runs quickly every morning“). Compound predicates have multiple verbs (“He laughed and cried“). Predicates can include objects, complements, and adverbs.
See It in Action!
The clever student solved three difficult problems
↑ Subject ↑ | ↑ Predicate ↑
🔍 Visual Tip:
Imagine sentences as pizzas: the subject is the base (what holds everything), and the predicate is all the toppings (the flavorful action).
Subject Base
Predicate Toppings
Golden Rules
Every sentence must have both
Even short sentences like “Run!” have an implied subject (you).
Subject-Verb Agreement
Singular subjects need singular verbs (“The dog barks“), plural need plural (“Dogs bark“).
Inverted Sentences
In questions, the subject often comes after the verb (“Are you ready?”).
💡 Pro Tip:
To find the subject, ask “who/what [verb]?” before the main verb. For “The birds sing beautifully“, ask “Who sing?” → “The birds” (subject).
Practice Time!
Identify the subject and predicate:
-
“The sun shines brightly.”
Predicate: -
“My best friend loves chocolate cake.”
Subject: -
“After the rain, the rainbow appeared.”
Complete subject: -
“Alice and her brother play chess daily.”
Compound part: -
“The old library on Main Street contains rare books.”
Simple subject:
Fix These Sentences
Common mistakes with subjects/predicates:
- “My favorite movie is Titanic and watched it yesterday.” (Missing subject in second part)
- “The team of scientists are working hard.” (Subject-verb disagreement)
- “In the morning walks my dog.” (Inverted sentence error)
- “Loves to read mystery novels.” (Missing subject)
- “The flowers in the garden grows quickly.” (Subject-verb disagreement)
Show Corrections
1. “My favorite movie is Titanic, and I watched it yesterday.”
2. “The team of scientists is working hard.” (Team = singular)
3. “In the morning, my dog walks.”
4. “She loves to read mystery novels.”
5. “The flowers in the garden grow quickly.”
Reading Practice
Passage 1:
“The curious child explored the dusty attic. She discovered an old treasure map inside a wooden box. Her excitement knew no bounds.”
Questions:
- Underline all complete predicates in the passage.
- What is the simple subject of the second sentence?
- Is “Her excitement knew no bounds” a complete thought? Why?
Passage 2:
“Running late for school, Tom and Jerry grabbed their bags and rushed out. They missed the bus but found a creative solution.”
Questions:
- Identify the compound subject in the first sentence.
- What is the implied subject in “Running late for school”?
- How many predicates are in the second sentence?
View Answers
Passage 1 Answers:
1. “explored the dusty attic”, “discovered…box”, “knew no bounds”
2. “She”
3. Yes – it has both subject (“Her excitement”) and predicate (“knew no bounds”)
Passage 2 Answers:
1. “Tom and Jerry”
2. “They” (Tom and Jerry)
3. Two (“missed the bus” and “found…solution”)
💡 Remember: Subjects and predicates are like puzzle pieces – they must fit together perfectly for clear sentences!