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G SubPred

The document explains the basic components of a sentence, focusing on the subject and predicate. It defines three types of subjects (simple, complete, and compound) and three types of predicates (simple, complete, and compound), emphasizing that most sentences require both. It also notes that commands are exceptions, as they imply a subject ('you').

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31 views2 pages

G SubPred

The document explains the basic components of a sentence, focusing on the subject and predicate. It defines three types of subjects (simple, complete, and compound) and three types of predicates (simple, complete, and compound), emphasizing that most sentences require both. It also notes that commands are exceptions, as they imply a subject ('you').

Uploaded by

Solange
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

THE SUBJECT AND THE PREDICATE: THE BASIC SENTENCE PARTS

“Just to write a good sentence--that’s the postulate I go by. I guess I've always felt that if you keep a
kind of fidelity toward the individual sentence, that you could work toward the rest.” - Richard Ford

Question: What is a subject?

The subject is the person, place, or thing that acts, is acted on, or is described in the sentence.
Three types of subjects exist:

Simple subject: a noun or a pronoun

• he
• she
• dog
• house

Complete subject: a noun or a pronoun plus any modifiers

• the black dog


• the trees across the bay
• his dog house

Compound subject: two or more subjects joined by a conjunction

• Mitch or Amy
• the dog and the house
• he and I

Question: What is a predicate?

The predicate is the action or description that occurs in the sentence. As with subjects, three
types of predicates exist:

Simple predicate: a complete verb (a verb and any helping verbs)

• sit
• was singing
• could have danced

Complete predicate: a simple predicate plus all modifiers

• sit on the couch


• was singing quietly
• could have danced across the room
Compound predicate: two or more predicates with the same subject

• was singing quietly and smiling to himself


• could have danced across the room and stayed awake all night
• sit on the couch or sit on the floor

Question: Do all sentences need both a subject and a predicate?

Yes, most complete sentences need both.

Simple Complete Compound


Subject James My friend James James and I
Predicate jumped jumped on the bed jumped on the bed and fell on the floor

Subject + Predicate =

James jumped.
James and I jumped.
My friend James jumped on the bed.
James jumped on the bed and fell on the floor.
James and I jumped on the bed.

Exception: A command is the only type of sentence that has no subject. The subject (“you”) is implied:

Stop.

• Implied subject: you


• Predicate: stop

Read the book.

• Implied subject: you


• Predicate: read the book

Walk the dogs and get the mail.

• Implied subject: you


• Predicate: walk the dogs and get the mail

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