Foundations of Grammar 5: What is a subject?
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This document discusses identifying the subject of a sentence. It explains that a sentence has two elements: a subject and a predicate. The subject is who or what the sentence is about. There are two steps to determine the subject: 1) identify the verb, and 2) ask "who?" or "what?" before the verb. The answer to that question is the subject. It provides examples of identifying subjects and notes that sentences can have compound subjects or multiple subjects if there are multiple verbs. Verbs must agree with their subjects.
Foundations of Grammar 5: What is a subject?
- 1. FOUNDATIONS OF GRAMMAR Podcast 5: What is a subject?
- 2. A complete sentence has two elements: a subject and a predicate. The subject is who or what the sentence is about. The Predicate communicates something about the subject.
- 3. There are two steps to determine the subject of a sentence. 1.First we need to identify the verb. 2. Then we ask the question “who?” or “what?” before the verb.
- 4. The subject of a sentence EXAMPLE 1: The students studied very hard for the exam. Step 1: Identify the verb. The verb is “studied”. Step 2: Ask the question “who?” (for people) or “what?” (for things) before the verb. Question: “Who studied?”. Answer: The students studied. “The students” is therefore the subject of this sentence.
- 5. EXAMPLE 2: Kate and Domenic came to dinner last night. Step 1: Identify the verb. The verb is “came”. Step 2: Ask the question “who?” or “what?” before the verb. Question: “Who came?” Answer: Kate and Domenic came. “Kate and Domenic” is therefore the subject of this sentence (NB: This is called a compound subject as it includes more than one noun).
- 6. More than one subject in a sentence There can be more than one subject in a sentence. If a sentence has more than one verb, we must repeat the two-step process to find the subject of each of the verbs.
- 7. EXAMPLE: I was driving while the children were arguing in the back Step 1: Identify the first verb. The first verb is “was driving”. Step 2: Ask the question “who?” or “what?” before the verb. “Who was driving?”. I was driving. “I” is therefore the subject of the first verb, “was driving”. Step 1: Identify the second verb. The second verb is “were arguing” Step 2: Ask the question “who?” or “what?” before the verb. “Who were arguing?”. The children were arguing “The children” is therefore the subject of the second verb, “were arguing”.
- 8. Verbs must agree with subjects Verbs must agree with subjects. For more information on this, refer to Podcast 4: What does it mean to conjugate a verb?
- 9. Thank You Example presentation title Page 9
- 10. Thank You Example presentation title Page 9
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