Unit 3: Simple and Complete Subjects and Predicates

Every complete sentence consists of two main parts: a subject and a predicate. The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about, while the predicate tells what the subject does or is.

  • Simple Subject: The main noun or pronoun inthe subject. It names exactly who or what the sentence is about (e.g., dog, teacher, he).
  • Complete Subject: Includes the simple subject and all the words that modify or describe it (e.g., The little black dog).
  • Simple Predicate: The main verb or verb phrase that tells the action or stateof being (e.g., ran, is sleeping, will eat).
  • Complete Predicate: Includes the verb andall the words that tell more about the action, such as objects or adverbs (e.g., chased the car down the street).
Illustration 1

Advanced Tip: Tricky Subjects! In imperative sentences (commands), the subject is often implied. For example, in “Closethe door,” the subject is an understood “You” [(You) close thedoor]. In questions, the subject typically appears between parts of the verb phrase or after the verb, as in “Did you finish your homework?“

Exercise 1: Subject Identification

Circle the simple subject and underline the complete subject in each sentence.

1. Our eager classroom teacher began the lesson.
2. The yellow marker did not show up on the overhead projector.
3. The algebra problem was really difficult to solve.
4. The students, including my best friend, have English class after Algebra.
5. A brave man lived in the mountains.
6. Davy’s pet bear danced in the forest.
7. The big, bad comet hurtled toward America.
8. The beautiful Sally Sugartree married Davy.
Exercise 2: Predicate Identification

Circle the simple predicate and underline the complete predicate in each sentence.

1. Ms. Linette asked Tyson to demonstrate the solution.
2. I solved the problem by working backwards.
3. My two classmates answered the problem correctly.
4. Several members of the class tried again.
5. ThePresident received piles of letters.
6. Davy learned all the latest dances.
7. Sally climbed a 50-foot hickory tree.
8. The people elected Davy to Congress.
Illustration 2
Exercise 3: Identifying Underlined Parts

Identify whether the underlined part is a Simple Subject (SS), Complete Subject (CS), Simple Predicate (SP), or Complete Predicate (CP).

1. My cousin lives on a big ranch in Montana. ______
2. Her family raises cattle on the ranch. ______
3. Rosa’s job is feeding the chickens before school. ______
4. Her brother John feeds the horses. ______
5. The dinner bell rings at 6:30 every evening. ______
6. The whole family sits on the porch. ______
7. Rosa searches the Internet for sites about animals. ______
8. The planet’s inhabitants lived in underground homes. ______
Exercise 4: Matching

Draw a line to match each Complete Subject on the left with a logical Complete Predicate on the right.

1. The basketball star        a. landed smoothly on Monday at noon.
2. The warm sunny day        b. brought his guitar and harmonica.
3. My cousin Fred              c. sells shoes on television.
4. Huge spaceships            d. appeared in theblack sky.
5. The athletic girl            e. was perfect foran outing in the park.
6. Many toys and games      f. jumped high into the air.
7. The spacecraft              g. cluttered the children’s playroom.
8. Twinkling stars              h. landed daily on the planet.
Exercise 5: Sentence Completion (Subjects)

Add a complete subject to each predicate to form a complete sentence.

1. __________________ are very dry environments.
2. __________________ live forover 200 years!
3. __________________ come out at night to hunt.
4. __________________ caught the lizard under a rock.
5. __________________ is dangerous if you touch it.
6. __________________ bought a new MP3 player.
7. __________________ locked her keys in the car.
8. __________________ took the bus to the mall after school.
Exercise 6: Sentence Completion (Predicates)
Add a complete predicate to each subject to form a complete sentence.
1. The little black dog __________________.
2. The lady across the street __________________.
3. My sister Tiana __________________.
4. That teacher __________________.
5. The warm, sunny day __________________.
6. The people in the park __________________.
7. A special machine __________________.
8. The children’s father __________________.
Illustration 3
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