Subjects and Predicates
Every sentence divides into two parts: the subject — who or what the sentence is about — and the predicate — what is said about the subject.
The two parts of every sentence
Every complete sentence in English consists of two essential parts: the subject and the predicate. Understanding this division is the foundation of grammar analysis.
The subject
The subject is the noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that tells us who or what the sentence is about. To find the subject, ask: Who or what is the sentence about? or Who or what performs the action?
- The subject usually comes before the verb.
- It can be a single noun: Dogs bark.
- A pronoun: She is a doctor.
- A noun phrase: The old brown dog was sleeping.
- A compound subject: Tom and Maria arrived together.
The simple subject is just the main noun or pronoun. The complete subject includes all the words that describe it.
The dog barked. → simple subject: dog / complete subject: The dog
The old brown dog in the garden barked. → simple: dog / complete: The old brown dog in the garden
The predicate
The predicate tells us what the subject does, is, or has. It always contains a verb and may include objects, complements, and adverbials. To find the predicate, ask: What does the subject do or what is said about it?
The simple predicate is just the main verb (or verb phrase). The complete predicate includes the verb and everything that follows it.
| Complete subject | Complete predicate |
|---|---|
| The cat | sat on the mat. |
| My younger sister | is studying medicine in London. |
| The new manager | gave the team an important briefing yesterday. |
| All the students | passed the final exam with excellent marks. |
What can appear in the predicate?
- Verb only: Birds sing.
- Verb + direct object: She reads books.
- Verb + indirect object + direct object: He gave her a gift.
- Verb + subject complement: She is a teacher.
- Verb + object complement: They elected her president.
- Verb + adverbial: He arrived early.
Quick test: To find the verb (heart of the predicate), ask "What is the action or state?" To find the subject, take that verb and ask "Who or what [verb]s?" — the answer is your subject. The teacher explained the rule. → verb: explained → who explained? → The teacher = subject.