Complete subjects and simple subjects are fundamental elements of sentence structure in grammar. A complete subject identifies the person, place, or thing performing the action of the verb, while a simple subject is the noun or pronoun that names that person, place, or thing. Together, the complete subject and verb form the predicate of a sentence, which expresses the main action or state of being. Understanding the difference between complete and simple subjects is crucial for constructing clear and grammatically correct sentences.
Choosing the Best Subject Structure
Every sentence relies on two main elements: a subject and a verb. The subject identifies who or what is performing the action of the verb. The subject can be a noun, pronoun, noun phrase, or noun clause.
Complete Subjects
A complete subject consists of the noun or pronoun and all the modifiers that describe it. For example:
- The excited dog barked at the mailman.
- All the students took the test.
- My favorite color is blue.
In each of these examples, the subject (highlighted in bold) is complete because it includes all the words needed to identify the person or thing performing the action.
Tips for Identifying Complete Subjects:
- Ask yourself, “Who or what is performing the action of the verb?”
- Look for nouns or pronouns that answer this question.
- Include all the modifiers that describe the noun or pronoun.
Simple Subjects
A simple subject is the core noun or pronoun in a complete subject. It does not include any modifiers. For example:
- The dog barked at the mailman. (dog is the simple subject)
- All students took the test. (students is the simple subject)
- My favorite color is blue. (color is the simple subject)
Tips for Identifying Simple Subjects:
- Remove all modifiers from the complete subject.
- Identify the noun or pronoun that remains.
Examples
Complete Subject: The playful golden retriever chased its tail.
Simple Subject: retriever
Complete Subject: Every student in the class raised their hand.
Simple Subject: student
Table Summary
| Sentence | Complete Subject | Simple Subject |
|---|---|---|
| The excited dog barked at the mailman. | The excited dog | dog |
| All the students took the test. | All the students | students |
| My favorite color is blue. | My favorite color | color |
| The playful golden retriever chased its tail. | The playful golden retriever | retriever |
| Every student in the class raised their hand. | Every student in the class | student |
Question 1: What is the difference between a complete subject and a simple subject?
Answer:
– A complete subject includes all the words needed to identify the subject of a sentence.
– In contrast, a simple subject only includes the main noun or pronoun.
Question 2: How can you identify a complete subject in a sentence?
Answer:
– The complete subject is the part of a sentence that includes the subject and all of its modifiers.
– Modifiers can include adjectives, prepositional phrases, and appositive phrases.
Question 3: What is the role of the subject in a sentence?
Answer:
– The subject of a sentence performs the action of the verb.
– It is typically a noun or pronoun that names the person, place, or thing that the sentence is about.
Thanks for hanging out with me today! I hope you found this little lesson on complete and simple subjects helpful. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably forget most of it within the next hour, but that’s okay! Just swing by again next time you’re feeling a little rusty on your grammar skills, and we’ll start again from scratch. Until then, stay cool and keep writing!