Simple subject - Sentence Parts English Grammar Lesson

The subject of a sentence is the person, place, or thing that is performing the action of the verb. There are several types of subjects, including simple subjects, compound subjects, and collective subjects.

Definitions and examples of each type of subject:

Simple subject: The main noun or pronoun that is performing the action of the verb.

Example:

• "The cat chased the mouse." (The simple subject is "cat.")

Compound subject: A subject made up of two or more nouns or pronouns that are joined by a conjunction.

Example: 

• "The cat and the dog chased the mouse." (The compound subject is "the cat and the dog.")

Collective subject: A subject that refers to a group of people or things as a whole.

Example: 

• "The team won the championship." (The collective subject is "team.")

 

Practical uses for understanding subjects in sentences. 

For example, you can use the subject to determine the tense of the verb. You can also use the subject to help you understand the main focus of the sentence.

Here are some example sentences showing the practical use of subjects:

• "The cat is sleeping on the couch." (The subject is "cat," and the verb is "is sleeping," which is in the present tense.)

• "The team was practicing for the big game." (The subject is "team," and the verb is "was practicing," which is in the past tense.)

 

There are also some special cases to consider when identifying subjects in sentences. For example, some sentences may have an implied subject, or the subject may be a gerund.

Examples of special cases:

Implied subject: The subject is understood but not explicitly stated in the sentence.

• Example: "It is raining outside." (The implied subject is "it.")

Gerund: A verb that ends in "-ing" and functions as a noun.

• Example: "Swimming is my favorite sport." (The subject is "swimming," which is a gerund.)

 

In addition to these types of subjects, you may also encounter subject-verb agreement issues in sentences. This means that the subject and verb must agree in number, or whether they are singular or plural.

For example:

• "The cat is sleeping on the couch." (The subject is singular, so the verb must also be singular: "is sleeping.")

• "The cats are sleeping on the couch." (The subject is plural, so the verb must also be plural: "are sleeping.")

 

 

Comprehension exercises for you to practice identifying subjects in sentences:

1. Identify the subject in the following sentence: "The cat chased the mouse."

2. Identify the compound subject in the following sentence: "The cat and the dog chased the mouse."

3. Identify the collective subject in the following sentence: "The team won the championship."

4. Identify the implied subject in the following sentence: "It is raining outside."

5. Complete the following sentence by filling in the missing subject: "___ is my favorite color." (The correct answer is "Blue.")