Identify the subject of a sentence
key notes:
Understanding the Subject:
- The subject of a sentence tells us who or what the sentence is about.
- It is usually a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea) or a pronoun (he, she, it, they).
Position in a Sentence:
- The subject often comes at the beginning of a sentence, before the verb.
- Example: In the sentence “The dog runs,” “The dog” is the subject.
Finding the Subject:
- To find the subject, ask “Who is doing something?” or “What is happening?”
- Example: In “The cat sleeps,” ask “Who sleeps?” The answer is “The cat,” which is the subject.
Subjects with Multiple Words:
- Sometimes the subject can be more than one word, such as “My best friend” in “My best friend is playing.”
Subjects in Questions:
- In questions, the subject might come after the verb.
- Example: “Is the boy reading?” Here, “the boy” is the subject.
Subjects in Imperative Sentences:
- In commands or requests (imperative sentences), the subject is often “you,” but it is usually not stated.
- Example: “Close the door.” (The subject is “you.”)
Practice Identifying Subjects:
- Encourage students to practice by underlining the subject in different sentences.
- Example: “The girl is dancing.” (Underline “The girl.”)
Simple and Compound Subjects:
- A simple subject is one noun or pronoun, like “dog” in “The dog barks.”
- A compound subject has two or more subjects joined by “and” or “or,” like “Tom and Jerry” in “Tom and Jerry are friends.”
Let’s practice! ✍️
