What is a Subject?

The subject of a sentence identifies who or what the sentence is about. Nouns, pronouns, gerunds, and phrases can all be subjects. Subjects can be singular or plural. The subject has two forms: the simple subject and the complete subject.

Simple subject

The simple subject refers to the main word or words that the sentence is about.

• Example: The biggest tree in the yard is a chrysanthemum tree.

In the above example, the noun tree is the simple subject.

Complete subject

The complete subject refers to the simple subject and any additional words that modify the simple subject.

• Example: The biggest tree in the yard is a chrysanthemum tree.

In the above example, the complete subject consists of an article (the), an adjective (biggest), the simple subject (tree), and a prepositional phrase (in the yard).

Noun as subject

A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea.

• Example: The brown dog ran to the tree.
• Example: Dogs love to eat dog treats.
• Example: Dogs and cats are more popular pets than frogs and snails.

Pronoun as subject

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun.

• Example: They went to a movie.
• Example: Who is at the door?
• Example: Anyone can tell you that two plus two equals four.

Gerund as subject

A gerund is a verbal, a word that has the qualities of both a verb and a noun. Gerunds are recognizable by their -ing suffix.

• Example: Running is a great way to keep healthy.
• Example: Lying by the shore is my idea of a perfect day.

Phrase as subject

Infinitive phrases, which begin with infinitives like the word to, can be used as subjects for a sentence. Nominal phrases, which function as a noun, can also be used as subjects.

• Example: To sing is to communicate your feelings.
• Example: After dark is a terrible time to drink a shot of espresso.

What is a Predicate?

The predicate of a sentence describes the state or action of the subject. The predicate has two forms: the simple predicate and the complete predicate.

Simple predicate

The simple predicate refers to the verb or verbs of the sentence.

• Example: Fish swim.

Multiple verbs can function as the predicate of a sentence.

• Example: Flying fish swim and fly.

Linking verbs can function as the predicate of a sentence.

• Example: Fish are beautiful.

The predicate can include a verb participle and a form of the verb to be.

• Example: Fish are breeding.
• Example: Fish have been breeding.

Complete predicate

The complete predicate refers to everything in the sentence that is not part of the subject.

• Example: Bruce Wayne is a wealthy playboy.

In the above example, the complete predicate consists of the verb (is), a particle (a), an adjective (wealthy), and a complement (playboy).

• Example: By day, Bruce Wayne is a wealthy playboy.
• Example: Bruce Wayne is a wealthy playboy by day.

In the above example, the prepositional phrase by day is part of the complete predicate regardless of its position in the sentence. This is because by day modifies playboy, which is part of the predicate.

What is an Object?

An object is a word or group of words in a sentence that receives the action of a verb. Nouns, pronouns, gerunds, and phrases can all be objects. There are two types of objects: direct objects and indirect objects.

Direct object

The direct object is the object that is being acted upon by the verb in a sentence.

• Example: I threw the ball.
• Example: Apollo Creed punched Rocky.

The direct object does not always need to come after the verb in a sentence. This is often the case when a sentence is written in passive voice.

• Example: The ball was thrown by me.
• Example: Rocky was punched by Apollo Creed.

An easy way to identify the direct object is to ask a question about who or what received the action of a sentence.

• What did I throw? I threw the ball.
• Who did Apollo Creed punch? Apollo Creed punched Rocky.

Indirect object

The indirect object is a secondary object that is being acted upon by a verb in a sentence. A sentence must have a direct object in order to have an indirect object.

• Example: I gave the apple to Julie.
• Example: I gave Julie the apple.

The indirect object does not always need to come after the verb in a sentence. This is often the case when a sentence is written in passive voice.

• Example: Julie was given the apple by me.

An easy way to identify the indirect object is to determine the direct object and then ask a question about “to whom” or “to what.”

• Example: What did I give? I gave the apple. (Direct object)
• Example: To whom did I give the apple? I gave the apple to Julie. (Indirect object)

What is a Complement?

A complement is a word or group of words that provides additional meaning to a subject or object. Adjectives, nouns, pronouns, gerunds, and phrases can all be complements.

• Adjective as complement
  • Example: Julie seemed happy.
• Noun as complement
  • Example: Fernando is a pediatrician.
• Pronoun as complement
  • Example: The culprit was me.
• Gerund as complement
  • Example: His passion is painting.
• Phrase as complement
  • Example: The car’s problem is that the rear driver’s side tire is flat.

What is a Phrase?

A phrase is a group of words that provides extra information beyond what a single word can convey in a sentence. Phrases may contain a subject or a predicate or be part of a subject or a predicate. However, a single phrase cannot contain both a subject and a predicate.

There are many categories of phrases. The parts of speech can each have their own type of phrase. Notice how in each example given below, the phrase provides extra information about its part of speech.

• Noun phrase: The happy baby giggled.
• Pronoun phrase: Who else forgot their math homework?
• Verb phrase: She has been dancing.
• Adverb phrase: The One Ring was destroyed once and for all.
• Adjective phrase: Julie is better than me at chemistry.
• Prepositional phrase: The key fell under the table.
• Conjunctional phrase: I’ll help cook as soon as I get home.
• Interjection phrase: Good grief, I’ll never kick that football.

In the following section, we will examine four types of phrases in detail:

• Gerund phrases
• Prepositional phrases
• Infinitive phrases
• Appositive phrases

Gerund phrase

A gerund phrase is a phrase that provides additional information about a gerund. Gerund phrases take the role of a noun in a sentence.

Gerund phrase as subject

Because a gerund can take the role of a noun, a gerund phrase can function as the complete subject of a sentence.

• Example: Biking all day long made me hungry.

Gerund phrase in predicate

A gerund phrase may appear in the predicate of a sentence.

• Example: I tried biking all day long.

In the above example, the verb of the sentence is the word tried. The gerund phrase biking all day long functions as the direct object of the sentence.

Not gerund phrases: progressive verb phrases and participle phrases

• Progressive verbs end in the suffix -ing but do not have noun qualities. The rules of gerund phrases do not apply to progressive verb phrases.
  • Example: I was biking all day long.

In the above example, was biking is the past progressive form of the verb to bike. The verb phrase does not have any noun qualities.

• Participle phrases are similar to gerund phrases, but they function as adjectives or adverbs, not as nouns. These phrases often require the use of commas.
  • Example: Pedaling with all her might, Julie biked thirty miles that day.
  • Example: Julie, pedaling with all her might, biked thirty miles that day.

In the above examples, the participle phrase pedaling with all her might acts as an adjective that modifies the noun Julie.

Prepositional phrase

Prepositions are words that indicate position or direction. A prepositional phrase is a phrase that provides extra information about a preposition. A prepositional phrase contains a preposition and the object of the preposition.

• Example: The snail crawled onto the leaf.

In the above example, onto is the preposition. Its object is leaf.

Prepositional phrases can function as nouns, complements, adjectives, or adverbs.

Prepositional phrase as noun

A prepositional phrase can fill the role of a noun.

• Example: Under the bridge is where we liked to sit after school was over.

In the above example, Under the bridge functions as a noun and is the subject of the sentence.

Prepositional phrase as complement

A prepositional phrase can fill the role of a complement.

• Example: Our favorite hangout spot is under the bridge.

In the above example, under the bridge functions as the complement of our favorite hangout spot.

Prepositional phrase as adjective

A prepositional phrase can fill the role of an adjective.

• Example: The airplane seat nearest the window is my favorite.

In the above example, nearest the window modifies the noun seat.

Prepositional phrase as adverb

A prepositional phrase can fill the role of an adverb.

• Example: The car drove over the bridge.

In the above example, over the bridge modifies the verb drove.

Infinitive phrase

An infinitive phrase is a phrase that uses the basic dictionary form of a verb preceded by the word to.

• Example: I want to visit Seoul, South Korea.
• Example: They worked to feed and clothe the homeless.

Infinitive phrases can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

Infinitive phrase as noun

An infinitive phrase can function as a subject or a direct object in a sentence.

• Example: To stroll the beach is my number one goal this weekend.

In the above example, the infinitive phrase To stroll the beach is the subject of the sentence.

• Example: I play to win.

In the above example, the infinitive phrase to win is the direct object.

Infinitive phrase as adjective

An infinitive phrase can function as an adjective.

• Example: I want someone to love.

In the above example, to love modifies the noun someone.

Infinitive phrase as adverb

An infinitive phrase can function as an adverb.

• Example: They work to feed the homeless.

In the above example, to feed the homeless modifies the verb work.

Appositive

The word appose is an old word that means “to place side by side.” An appositive is a noun or phrase that rewords another term in a sentence, providing extra information.

• Example: Jamie, a poet, is coming to give a guest lecture tomorrow.
• Example: Jamie is coming to give a guest lecture tomorrow.

In the above example, the appositive phrase a poet provides extra information about the noun Jamie. Because the phrase a poet is not crucial to the meaning of the sentence, commas are used to separate it from the rest of the sentence.

Commas, em dashes, and parentheses are all accepted ways to separate an appositive from the rest of its sentence.

• Example: Mia often ate sushi, her favorite food, for dinner.
• Example: Mia often ate sushi—her favorite food—for dinner.
• Example: Mia often ate sushi (her favorite food) for dinner.

When an appositive is crucial to the meaning of a sentence, do not use extra punctuation to separate it from the rest of the sentence. Context often determines whether an appositive is crucial.

Both examples given below can be correct or incorrect depending on context.

• Example: Mia and her sister, Lucy, went out for sushi after work.

The above example implies that Mia only has one sister. In this situation, knowing her name is not crucial to the meaning of the sentence. There is only one possible person her sister is referring to.

• Example: Mia and her sister Lucy went out for sushi after work.

The above example implies that Mia has more than one sister. In this situation, knowing her name is crucial to the meaning of the sentence, as her sister could refer to multiple people.

What is a Clause?

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate.

There are two main types of clauses:

• Independent clauses
• Dependent clauses

We will also examine two unique categories of dependent clauses:

• Subordinate clauses
• Relative clauses

Independent clause

An independent clause is a group of words that has a subject and a predicate and can function as a complete sentence.

• Example: Fish swim.
• Example: Birds fly. Fish swim.

Two independent clauses can be connected by a semicolon.

• Example: Birds fly; fish swim.

Two independent clauses can also be connected by a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

• Example: Birds fly, and fish swim.
• Example: Birds fly, but fish swim.

Three or more independent clauses can be connected by commas. The final item in the list should follow a coordinating conjunction.

• Example: Birds fly, fish swim, and snakes slither.

Dependent clause

A dependent clause is a group of words that has a subject and a predicate but cannot function as a complete sentence. To function as a sentence, a dependent clause must be connected to an independent clause that fulfills its verbal relationship. A sentence containing both an independent clause and a dependent clause is known as a complex sentence.

• Complex sentence: Nero plays the fiddle while Rome burns.
• Independent clause: Nero plays the fiddle
• Dependent clause: while Rome burns

In the above example, the dependent clause has a subject (Rome) and a predicate (burns). The words Rome burns can function as a complete sentence. However, while Rome burns cannot function as a complete sentence, because the word while establishes that Rome burns is part of a larger verbal relationship.

Use a comma when placing a dependent clause before an independent clause in a sentence.

• Example: While Rome burns, Nero plays the fiddle.

Dependent clauses cannot always be placed before independent clauses in a sentence.

• Correct: She is the woman that I love.
• Incorrect: That I love, she is the woman.

Subordinate clause

A subordinate clause is a dependent clause that contains a subordinating conjunction, such as the word when.

• Complex sentence: I was happy when Jacob came home.
• Independent clause: I was happy
• Dependent clause: when Jacob came home

There are many subordinating conjunctions. Here are a few:

• after
• although
• even though
• if
• once
• until
• when
• while

Relative clause

A relative clause is a dependent clause that contains a relative pronoun, such as the word that.

• Complex sentence: She was the only astrophysicist that he knew.
• Independent clause: She was the only astrophysicist
• Dependent clause: that he knew

Here is a list of relative pronouns:

• who
• whom
• whose
• that
• which