41a Subjects

The subject of a sentence names whom or what the sentence is about. The simple subject is always a noun or pronoun; the complete subject consists of the simple subject and any words or word groups modifying the simple subject.

The complete subject

To find the complete subject, ask Who? or What?, insert the verb, and finish the question. The answer is the complete subject.

An example reads, The devastating effects of famine can last for many years. ‘The devastating effects of famine’ is marked as a complete subject.

An example reads, Adventure novels that contain multiple subplots are often made into successful movies. ‘Adventure novels that contain multiple subplots’ is marked as a complete subject.

An example reads, In our program, student teachers work full-time for ten months. ‘Student teachers’ is marked as a complete subject.

The simple subject

To find the simple subject, strip away all modifiers in the complete subject. This includes single-word modifiers such as the and devastating, phrases such as of famine, and subordinate clauses such as that contain multiple subplots.

Two examples.

A sentence may have a compound subject containing two or more simple subjects joined with a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or or.

An example reads, Great commitment and a little luck make a successful actor. ‘Commitment’ and ‘luck’ are marked as simple subjects.

Understood subjects

In imperative sentences, which give advice or issue commands, the subject is understood but not actually present in the sentence. The subject of an imperative sentence is understood to be you.

[You] Put your hands on the steering wheel.

Subject after the verb

Although the subject ordinarily comes before the verb (The planes took off), occasionally it does not. When a sentence begins with There is or There are (or There was or There were), the subject follows the verb. In such inverted constructions, the word There is an expletive, an empty word serving merely to get the sentence started.

An example reads, There are eight planes waiting to take off. ‘Planes’ is marked as a simple subject.

Occasionally a writer will invert a sentence for effect.

An example reads, Joyful is the child whose school closes for snow. The word child is marked as a simple subject.

Joyful is an adjective, so it cannot be the subject. Turn this sentence around and its structure becomes obvious.

An annotated sentence reads as follows: The child whose school closes for snow is joyful. [The word ‘child’ is annotated as S S.]

In questions, the subject frequently appears between the helping verb and the main verb.

An example reads, Do Kenyan marathoners train year-round? The word do is marked as a helping verb, marathoners as a simple subject, and train as a main verb.

TIP: The ability to recognize the subject of a sentence will help you edit for fragments (20), subject-verb agreement (22), and correct use of pronouns such as I and me (25).

Exercise 41–1

In the following sentences, underline the complete subject and write SS above the simple subject(s). If the subject is an understood you, insert you in parentheses. Answers appear in the back of the book.

An example reads, Parents and their children often look alike. ‘Parents and their children’ is underlined, and the words ‘parents’ and ‘children’ are marked as simple subjects.

  1. The hills and mountains seemed endless, and the snow atop them glistened.

  2. In foil fencing, points are scored by hitting an electronic target.

  3. Do not stand in the aisles or sit on the stairs.

  4. There were hundreds of fireflies in the open field.

  5. The evidence against the defendant was staggering.