Subject and predicate

What are Subject and Predicate ?

Every complete sentence is made up of two main parts:

1. Subject - The part of the sentence that tells who or what the sentence is about.

2. Predicate - The part of the sentence that tells what the subject does or what happens to the subject.

Discover an in-depth explanation of What are Subject and Predicate ? along with examples and practical insights in the blog below.

Types of Subjects and Predicates

1. Simple Subject - The main noun or pronoun in the subject.

• Example: The cat is sleeping. (The cat is the simple subject.)

2. Complete Subject - The simple subject along with all its modifiers.

• Example: The small black cat is sleeping. (The small black cat is the complete subject.)

3. Simple Predicate - The main verb in the sentence.

• Example: The cat is sleeping. (is sleeping is the simple predicate.)

4. Complete Predicate - The simple predicate along with all its modifiers and additional words.

• Example: The cat is sleeping on the couch. (is sleeping on the couch is the complete predicate.)

Key Points to Remember

• Every sentence must have a subject and a predicate.

• The subject usually comes before the predicate in a sentence.

• The predicate always contains a verb.

• A sentence can have compound subjects or predicates.

Practice Exercises

• The object and the predicate in sentences.

• Rewrite the sentences, adding a subject or predicate like a human.

• Reconstruction of subject and predicate words to generate a new sentence

 

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Descriptive Guide on Subject and Predicate

What is Subject and Predicate? [With Explanation and Examples] Every English sentence has at least two basic parts: the subject and the predicate. The subject tells us what or who a sentence is about, and the predicate tells us what the subject did or what happened to it. When combined, they make up a full thought.

Understanding the Subject

The subject(noun, pronoun, or noun phrase) whom the sentence is about. There are, however, different kinds of subjects:

1. Simple Subject – The main word or words in the subject (a noun or pronoun).

• Example: Tom plays football. (Tom is the simple subject.)

2. Complete Subject – Make your simple subject with its modifiers.

• Example: The courageous boy is playing football. (The little boy, that brave little boy, is the full subject)

3. Compound Subject – When two or more subjects have a common predicate.

• Example: TFootball Match Between Tom and Jerry (Tom and Jerry combine to form a compound subject.)

Understanding the Predicate

The predicate says what the subject does or provides information about it. Predicate can be one of several types:

1. Simple Predicate – The main verb or verb phrase.

• Example: Tom plays football. (plays is its simple predicate.)

2. Complete Predicate – The action and all words that tell what the subject is doing.

• Example: For instance, Tom plays the football every evening. (plays football everyday evening is the complete predicate — one single word will not do).

3. Compound Predicate – When a subject has multiple actions.

• Example: Tom plays football and runs fast. (plays football and runs fast is a compound predicate.)

 Difference between a subject and a predicate

Here’s how to distinguish a subject from a predicate:

1. Identify the subject – Start with the question: “Who or what is the sentence about?
   
   

• Example: The small boy filled to half ran to the park.

• Answer: The little boy (The subject tells who the sentence is about.)

2. Identify the predicate – Ask, "What is the subject doing?” or “What’s happening to the subject?”
   
   

• Example: The little boy ran to the park.

• Answer:ran to the park (This is the predicate because it describes the action of the boy.)

3. Look for the verb – Find the verb – verb form a part of predicate.
   
   

• In The cat sleeps on the mat, for instance, sleeps is the verb; sleeps on the mat is the predicate.

4. Check for completeness – A sentence is complete only when it has both a subject and predicate.

• Example: The tall tree in garden — (It has no predicate, so it is not a complete sentence)

• The tree is taller and sways in the garden. (This is complete because it has both a subject and a predicate.)

Real-Life Examples

Every sentence we speak or write can be divided into subjects and predicates. Here are some examples:

• The teacher explained the lesson. The teacher explained the lesson (Predicate)

• My best friend and I went to the park. I had my best friend go to the park.

• The dog barked at the stranger. (Subject = The dog, Predicate = barked loudly at the stranger)

Fill-in-the-Blanks Exercise

These sentences are all open-ended, and you need to specify or add the subject and predicate:

1. _______ runs very fast. (Add a subject)

2. The birds _______ in the sky. (Add a predicate)

3. The little boy _______. (Complete the sentence)

4. _______ and _______ went to the zoo. (Add a compound subject)

5. My sister _______ and _______. (Add a compound predicate)

Conclusion

Understanding the subject and predicate helps us create meaningful sentences and improve our communication skills. By mastering this concept, students can form grammatically correct sentences, making their writing clearer and more effective. Recognizing subjects and predicates also enhances reading comprehension, allowing learners to identify the main ideas and actions in a sentence more easily. Keep practicing by identifying subjects and predicates in daily conversations and written texts. Sure! Here's how you can incorporate the keyword naturally into your content:

 

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The more you practice, the more naturally you will be able to use them in your speech and writing! Understanding what are subject and predicate ? is also important because every sentence must have both. The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about, while the predicate explains what the subject is doing.

For example:

• Mia (subject) jumped out of bed (predicate).

• Jake (subject) grabbed his backpack (predicate).

By recognizing subjects and predicates, you can improve your sentence structure while learning verbs more effectively!

 

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Part 1: Identify the Subject 

Read each sentence and underline the subject.

1. The little girl is reading a book.  

2. My best friend loves to play soccer.

3. The big brown dog barked loudly.

4. The teacher explained the lesson clearly.

5. A group of students visited the zoo.

Part 2: Identify the Predicate

Read each sentence and underline the predicate.

6. The birds are chirping in the trees.

7. My father cooks delicious meals.

8. The baby cried all night.

9. The sun shines brightly in the sky.

10. The old man walks slowly with a cane.