COMPLETE SUBJECT

● A complete subject is the simple subject, or the main word or words in a subject, along with any of the
modifiers that might describe the subject.
● To identify the complete subject in a sentence, ask yourself who or what performs the action in the
sentence. When determining the complete subject, remember to include both the simple subject plus all of the
words that modify it.
e.g.
• Bean burritos make a great meal. (What makes a great meal? Bean burritos make a great meal. Bean
burritos is the complete subject.)
• Joshua’s road bike is much faster than his mountain bike. (What is much faster than his mountain bike?
Joshua’s road bike is much faster than his mountain bike. Joshua’s road bike is the complete subject.)
• Long hikes help me to stay in shape. (What helps me to stay in shape? Long hikes help me to stay in
shape. Long hikes is the complete subject.)
• My favorite green sweater got a food stain on it. (What got a food stain on it? My favorite green
sweater got a food stain on it. My favorite green sweater is the complete subject.)
• The school choir is performing tomorrow night. (Who is performing tomorrow night? The school choir
is performing tomorrow night. The school choir is the complete subject.)
• The baby’s toys were scattered across the floor. (What were scattered across the floor? The baby’s toys
were scattered across the floor. The baby’s toys is the complete subject.)
ACTIVITY 1
EXERCISE:
Directions: Identify which is the complete subject in the sentence.
1. We went to the store.
2. The students took notes and asked questions.
3. Tim started a club.
4. I woke up and went to the school.
5. James mowed the lawns.
6. Chris helped his mother in cleaning their house.
7. She wants some coffee.
8. Thai peppers can be extremely hot.
9. Zari study hard and learn a lot.
10. He could tell you.
Complete Predicate

A complete predicate includes not only the verb or verb phrase but also all the
words that give more information about it. To identify a complete predicate in a
sentence, ask yourself what the subject does or is. Remember that a complete
predicate includes the verb or verb phrase plus all the words that accompany it.

EXAMPLE:
She bought a new cat.
(What did she bought? She bought a new cat. Bought a new cat is the complete predicate.)
The new cabinet is easy to assemble.

(What is the new cabinet? It is easy to assemble. Is easy to assemble is the complete predicate.)

Dad will take us to the park.

(What will Dad do? He will take us to the park. Will take us to the park is the complete predicate.)

ACTIVITY 2
EXERCISE:
Directions: Underline the complete predicate in each sentences.
Example: He is baking a cake.
1. She loves to eat chocolate.
2. Ken adopted a new puppy.
3. The dogs are running around in the yard.
4. The boy is busy doing his homework.
5. Trishia is scheduling a dentist appointment.
6. Mark is staring at me.
7. She is listening to her teacher.
8. Jen reads a novel.
9. The students finished their activities on time.
10. This week will be a hot one.
SIMPLE SUBJECT
A Simple Subject is a single noun or pronoun connected to a verb. Normally, the simple subject of a
sentence will come before the verb. Every complete sentence includes at least one simple subject.

EXAMPLES:
Dogs are good pets.
Peter and I live in Seattle.
The people here are all my friends.

ACTIVITY 3
EXERCISE:
Directions: Identify the Simple Subject.

1. Baseball players exercise often.

2. Is she your best friend?
3. Planes fly in the air.
4. Fast jet planes fly in the air.
5. Fast jet planes and blimps fly in the air.
6. Kenji is that firefighter.
7. That firefighter is Kenji.
8. My brother rides his bike to school.
9. My favorite older brother, who just started tenth grade, rides his bike to school.
10. Ice cream is my favorite dessert.

SIMPLE PREDICATE

 A simple predicate is the main verb or verb phrase of a sentence that tells what the subject does. It does
not include any modifiers in the sentence. It doesn’t give any more information about the verb or verb
 phrase, which is why the predicate is considered “simple.” To identify a simple predicate in a sentence,
ask yourself what the subject does or is, but remember to focus only on the verb or verb phrase itself.

EXAMPLES OF SIMPLE PREDICATE

 To better understand simple predicate, Let’s look at the following sentences:

 I walked to the store.

(What did I do? Walked. “Walked” is the simple predicate. “To the store” modifies where I walked; therefore, it
is not a part of the simple predicate.)
 Blue is my favorite color.
(What is blue? It is my favorite color. “Is” is the simple predicate.)
 Miles was helping his dad in the garage.
(What was Miles doing? He was helping his dad in the garage. “Was helping” is the simple predicate.)
 They did not get to the airport on time.
(The simple predicate in the sentence are “did” and “get”. “Not” is a modifier, not a verb, and isn’t part of the
simple predicate.)

ACTIVITY 4.
EXERCISES:
Directions: Underline the Simple Predicate on the following sentences. It can be a main verb or a verb
phrase. (note: ONLY THE SIMPLE PREDICATE)
Example: I saw a hawk out the window.
1. The hike was five miles long.
2. The baby is taking a nap.
3. They went to a play on Saturday afternoon.
4. Mom did enjoy the game a lot.
5. The fundraiser had been a great success.
6. The cake had been baking for almost an hour.
7. Anna returned from her trip to Japan.
8. The movie featured the great dancers.
9. I shall go to a movie tomorrow.
10. The family has frequently taken trips to go Barcelona.
COMPOUND SUBJECTS

A compound subject consists of two or more simple subjects that share a verb or verb phrase. These
subjects are joined by a conjunction such as and, or, or nor. Because a compound subject consists only of
simple subjects, it does not include any of the words that modify the subjects.

EXAMPLES:
Sittie and Kim bought raffle tickets at the fair.
Ryan or Ellie will call us when they get to town.
Rain, wind, and low temperatures are expected today.

ACTIVITY 5
EXERCISES:
Directions: Underline the Compound subjects on the following sentences. (note: ONLY THE
COMPOUND SUBJECTS)

Example: Anja, Stef, and I watched the movie.

1. Yellow stickers, old photographs, and glitter covered Jane’s diary.
2. Chocolate and strawberry are my two favorite flavors of ice cream.
3. Hank and Tom arrived at their destination.
4. Either you or your brother is going to be punished.
5. Jean and Cleia read very slowly.
6. Uncle Jim, Aunt Sue and my cousin Jake went to Jamaica on vacation.
7. Either the matches or the candles caused the fire.
8. Neither the rugs downstairs nor the carpet upstairs has been vacuumed.
9. Potato chips and cupcakes are bad for you.
10. The fork and spoons need to be washed.
COMPOUND PREDICATE
A compound predicate is two or more verbs or verb phrases that share the same subject and are joined by
conjunction. A compound predicate may also include additional words that give more information about the
verbs or verb phrases in the sentence.

EXAMPLES:
Jordan is washing the dishes when his Mom called him.
My parents drink coffee and read the newspaper every morning.
The brothers practice piano and play the guitar.

ACTIVITY 6
EXERCISES:
Directions: Underline the Compound Predicate on the following sentences. (note: ONLY THE
COMPOUND PREDICATE)
Example: The students listened carefully during the class and wrote some important details.

1. Samantha watched a movie while eating a popcorn.

2. Xavier and Tomas mopped and swept the floor to keep their house clean.
3. Bernadette is making a scrapbook when her cousins arrived.
4. Chloe ate breakfast and then fed her dogs.
5. Mom is busy cooking while listening to the radio.
6. William visited the Philippines and met her relatives.
7. Bianca walks along the sea and admires the waves.
8. Arthur asked for a cellphone but he received a watch instead.
9 .The cupcakes looks delicious and taste great.
10. Cindy went to the store and bought some groceries.