What Is Subject?
The subject is the part of a sentence. It names the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action or is being described. In simple words, the subject answers the question: “Who?” or “What?”
Examples:
The sun rises in the east.
Subject: The sun
- As it performs the action of rising.
Riya is reading a book.
Subject: Riya
- As it performs the action of reading.
Dogs bark at strangers.
Subject: Dogs
- As it performs the action of barking.
Honesty is the best policy.
Subject: Honesty
- Because the sentence tells us something about honesty.
In each sentence, the highlighted word tells us who or what the sentence is about.
Types of Subjects
Munna plays chess.
- Subject: Munna (Noun)
She sings well.
- Subject: She (Pronoun)
My best friend lives here.
- Subject: My best friend (Noun Phrase)
What Is Predicate?
A predicate is a part of a sentence. It has a verb. The verb tells us what the subject does or what is said about it. In simple words, the predicate answers, “What does the subject do?” or “What is said about the subject?”
Examples:
The sun rises in the east.
- Predicate: rises in the east
- Explanation: rises in the east is the predicate because it tells us what the sun does.
Riya writes books.
- Predicate: writes books.
- Explanation: writes books is the predicate because it tells us what Riya does.
Dogs bark at strangers.
- Predicate: bark at strangers
- Explanation: bark at strangers is the predicate because it tells us what Dogs does.
Hema is a teacher.
- Predicate: is a teacher
- Explanation: is a teacher is the predicate because it tells us what Hema is.
Everything except the subject forms the predicate.
Subject and Predicate in a Sentence
Sentence: Birds fly in the sky.
- Subject: Birds
- Predicate: fly in the sky
Sentence: I teach English.
- Subject: I
- Predicate: teach English.
Sentence: The old man walked slowly.
- Subject: The old man
- Predicate: walked slowly.
Sentence: She is very intelligent.
- Subject: She
- Predicate: is very intelligent.
Important Points to Remember
Every complete sentence has a subject and a predicate.
The subject may be one word or a group of words.
The predicate includes the verb and other related words.
In imperative sentences, the subject is usually understood.
Example:
I teach English.
- Subject: I
- Predicate: teach English
Go.
- Subject (understood): You
- Predicate: Go
Md. Rafi sang beautifully and sweetly.
- Subject: Md. Rafi
- Predicate: sang beautifully and sweetly
Close the door.
Subject (understood): You
Predicate: close the door
Exercises
Identify the Subject and the Predicate in Each Sentence
Exercise 1
1. Dogs bark.
2. Stars twinkle in the sky.
3. The sun rises in the east.
4. Rafi and Lata sang beautifully.
5. The cat chased the mouse.
6. Boil the milk.
7. We are Bihari and they are Bengali.
8. If Shweta visits Agra, she will see the Taj Mahal.
9. Take an umbrella in case it is raining.
10. Happily, she danced in the rain.
Exercise 2.
1. Soni is reading a book.
2. Park your car here.
3. They went to the park yesterday.
4. Yesterday they went to the park.
5. The sun shines brightly in the sky.
6. Unless the patient takes this tablet, he will not recover.
7. My favorite book is Macbeth.
8. The cat with the fluffy tail is on the windowsill.
9. Angrily, he slammed the door.
10. Open the window.
Exercise 3.
1. The teacher explained the lesson thoroughly.
2. My friend and I went to the park yesterday.
3. Running a marathon requires months of training.
4. The colour of the flowers attracts us.
5. The boy who is playing in the field helps the poor.
6. Soni ate a delicious meal.
7. Moni is a nurse and Soni (is) a doctor.
8. Nervously, she checked her watch.
9. Thank you.
10. As it is raining, we can’t attend the class.
Answers:
Exercise 1
Identify the Subjects and the Predicates in each sentence
Dogs bark.
Subject: Dogs
Predicate: bark
Stars twinkle in the sky.
Subject: Stars
Predicate: twinkle in the sky
The sun rises in the east.
Subject: The sun
Predicate: rises in the east
Rafi and Lata sang beautifully.
Subject: Rafi and Lata
Predicate: sang beautifully
The cat chased the mouse.
Subject: The cat
Predicate: chased the mouse
Boil the milk.
Subject (understood): You
Predicate: boil the milk
We are Bihari and they are Bengali.
Subject: We
Predicate: are Bihari
Subject: they
Predicate: are Bengali
If Shweta visits Agra, she will see the Taj Mahal.
Subject: Shweta
Predicate: visits Agra
Subject: she
Predicate: will see the Taj Mahal
Take an umbrella in case it is raining.
Subject: (You) (understood subject)
Predicate: take an umbrella in case it is raining
Happily, she danced in the rain.
Subject: she
Predicate: danced in the rain
(Happily is an adverb modifying the verb)
Answers:
Exercise 2
Identify subjects and predicates in the sentences
Soni is reading a book.
Subject: Soni
Predicate: is reading a book
Park your car here.
Subject: (You) (understood subject)
Predicate: park your car here
They went to the park yesterday.
Subject: They
Predicate: went to the park yesterday
Yesterday they went to the park.
Subject: they
Predicate: went to the park
(Yesterday is an adverb)
The sun shines brightly in the sky.
Subject: The sun
Predicate: shines brightly in the sky
Unless the patient takes this tablet, he will not recover.
Subject: the patient
Predicate: takes this tablet
Subject: he
Predicate: will not recover
My favorite book is Macbeth.
Subject: My favorite book
Predicate: is Macbeth
The cat with the fluffy tail is on the windowsill.
Subject: The cat with the fluffy tail
Predicate: is on the windowsill
Angrily, he slammed the door.
Subject: he
Predicate: slammed the door
(Angrily is an adverb)
Open the window.
Subject (understood): You
Predicate: open the window
Answers:
Exercise 3
Identify subjects and predicates in the sentences
The teacher explained the lesson thoroughly.
Subject: The teacher
Predicate: explained the lesson thoroughly
My friend and I went to the park yesterday.
Subject: My friend and I
Predicate: went to the park yesterday
Running a marathon requires months of training.
Subject: Running a marathon
Predicate: requires months of training
The colour of the flowers attracts us.
Subject: The colour of the flowers
Predicate: attracts us
The boy who is playing in the field helps the poor.
Subject: The boy who is playing in the field
Predicate: helps the poor
Soni ate a delicious meal.
Subject: Soni
Predicate: ate a delicious meal
Moni is a nurse and Soni (is) a doctor.
Subject: Moni
Predicate: is a nurse
Subject: Soni
Predicate: (is) a doctor
Nervously, she checked her watch.
Subject: she
Predicate: checked her watch
(Nervously is an adverb)
Thank you.
Subject (understood): I
Predicate: thank you
As it is raining, we can’t attend the class.
Subject: it
Predicate: is raining
Subject: we
Predicate: can’t attend the class
Conclusion
Understanding subject and predicate is the foundation of English grammar. Once you learn to identify them, forming correct and meaningful sentences becomes easy.