Complete Subject And Predicate Worksheet

Mastering the Building Blocks of Sentences: A Complete Guide to Subject and Predicate Worksheets

Understanding subjects and predicates is fundamental to comprehending sentence structure in English grammar. This comprehensive guide delves into the intricacies of identifying subjects and predicates, providing you with a solid foundation through explanations, examples, and a series of progressively challenging worksheets designed to solidify your understanding. Whether you're a student striving for grammatical mastery, a teacher seeking engaging resources, or simply an English enthusiast, this guide offers a complete resource for mastering subjects and predicates. This article covers various sentence structures, including simple, compound, and complex sentences, and will equip you to confidently tackle any subject and predicate worksheet.

Understanding the Core Components: Subject and Predicate

Every complete sentence contains two essential parts: a subject and a predicate. Think of them as the two pillars supporting the entire sentence.

• The Subject: This is the who or what the sentence is about. It's the person, place, thing, or idea performing the action or being described.

• The Predicate: This is the part of the sentence that tells us what the subject is doing or what is being said about the subject. It always includes the verb and any other words that modify or complete the verb's meaning.

Let's look at an example:

• Sentence: The playful puppy chased the bright red ball.

• Subject: The playful puppy (This is what the sentence is about.)

• Predicate: chased the bright red ball (This tells us what the puppy did.)

Identifying Subjects: Simple Sentences

In simple sentences (sentences with one independent clause), identifying the subject is usually straightforward. The subject typically comes before the verb. However, keep in mind these points:

• Inverted Sentences: In some sentences, the subject comes after the verb, especially in questions or sentences beginning with there or here. For example:

  • There are many stars in the sky. (Subject: stars)
  • Is the dog barking? (Subject: dog)

• Compound Subjects: A sentence can have more than one subject, joined by conjunctions like and, or, or nor. For example:

  • Tom and Mary went to the park. (Compound Subject: Tom and Mary)

• Understood Subjects: In imperative sentences (commands), the subject is often implied (you). For example:

  • Close the door. (Understood Subject: You)

Identifying Predicates: Simple Sentences

The predicate always contains the verb, which is the action word or state of being. The predicate can also include:

• Direct Objects: The receiver of the action. For example: She threw the ball. (Ball is the direct object)

• Indirect Objects: The recipient of the direct object. For example: She gave him the ball. (Him is the indirect object)

• Objects of Prepositions: Words or phrases that follow prepositions (to, from, with, etc.). For example: The book is on the table. (On the table is a prepositional phrase)

• Predicate Adjectives: Adjectives that describe the subject. For example: The flowers are beautiful. (Beautiful is a predicate adjective)

• Predicate Nominatives: Nouns or pronouns that rename the subject. For example: My dog is a Golden Retriever. (Golden Retriever is a predicate nominative)

Worksheet 1: Identifying Subjects and Predicates in Simple Sentences

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in each of the following simple sentences.

1. The cat sat on the mat.
2. Birds sing beautifully.
3. The sun shines brightly.
4. My friend plays the guitar.
5. Large trucks rumbled down the highway.
6. The old house stood on a hill.
7. Delicious aromas filled the kitchen.
8. Is the movie starting soon?
9. There are many reasons to be happy.
10. John and Mary went to the store.

(Answer Key at the end of the article)

Tackling Compound and Complex Sentences

Now let's move on to more complex sentence structures.

• Compound Sentences: These sentences have two or more independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) or by a semicolon. Each independent clause has its own subject and predicate. For example:

  • The rain fell heavily, and the streets flooded. (Two independent clauses, each with its own subject and predicate.)

• Complex Sentences: These sentences have one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as a sentence and are often introduced by subordinating conjunctions (because, although, since, if, when, etc.) or relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that). The subject and predicate are identified within each clause. For example:

  • Because it was raining, the game was postponed. (One independent clause with its own subject and predicate, and one dependent clause.)

Worksheet 2: Identifying Subjects and Predicates in Compound and Complex Sentences

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in each clause of the following compound and complex sentences.

1. The dog barked loudly, and the cat hissed.
2. Although it was cold, we went for a walk.
3. Because she was tired, she went to bed early.
4. The sun shone brightly, but it was still chilly.
5. He studied hard, so he passed the test.
6. While I was cooking dinner, the phone rang.
7. The children played in the park, and their parents watched them.
8. Since it was raining, we stayed inside and read books.
9. The birds sang sweetly, and the flowers bloomed vibrantly.
10. If you study hard, you will succeed.

(Answer Key at the end of the article)

Advanced Considerations: Sentence Diagramming

Sentence diagramming is a visual method of analyzing sentence structure. It helps to clarify the relationships between the subject, predicate, and other sentence elements. While not strictly necessary for identifying subjects and predicates, it can be a valuable tool for deeper grammatical understanding. A basic diagram uses horizontal lines to represent the subject and predicate, and branching lines to show the relationships between other sentence parts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can a sentence have more than one predicate?

A: Yes, compound sentences have multiple predicates, one for each independent clause.

Q: What if the subject is implied?

A: In imperative sentences, the subject "you" is implied but still considered the subject.

Q: How do I identify the subject when it's a phrase?

A: The main noun or pronoun within the phrase is the subject. For example, in "The group of students celebrated," "group" is the subject.

Q: What if the verb is a linking verb?

A: Linking verbs (is, are, was, were, etc.) connect the subject to a predicate adjective or predicate nominative. The predicate nominative or adjective completes the meaning of the verb and is part of the predicate.

Conclusion: Mastering Sentence Structure

Understanding subjects and predicates is a cornerstone of grammatical competence. By diligently practicing with worksheets and applying the principles discussed here, you'll develop a strong foundation in sentence structure. Remember to break down sentences into their core components and carefully consider the roles of various sentence elements. This comprehensive guide and the accompanying worksheets will help you confidently identify subjects and predicates in any sentence structure, empowering you to better understand and express yourself through writing and speaking.

Answer Key to Worksheet 1:

1. Subject: The cat; Predicate: sat on the mat
2. Subject: Birds; Predicate: sing beautifully
3. Subject: The sun; Predicate: shines brightly
4. Subject: My friend; Predicate: plays the guitar
5. Subject: Large trucks; Predicate: rumbled down the highway
6. Subject: The old house; Predicate: stood on a hill
7. Subject: Delicious aromas; Predicate: filled the kitchen
8. Subject: movie; Predicate: Is starting soon?
9. Subject: reasons; Predicate: There are many to be happy
10. Subject: John and Mary; Predicate: went to the store

Answer Key to Worksheet 2:

1. Clause 1: Subject: The dog; Predicate: barked loudly; Clause 2: Subject: The cat; Predicate: hissed
2. Clause 1: Subject: it; Predicate: was cold; Clause 2: Subject: we; Predicate: went for a walk
3. Clause 1: Subject: she; Predicate: was tired; Clause 2: Subject: she; Predicate: went to bed early
4. Clause 1: Subject: The sun; Predicate: shone brightly; Clause 2: Subject: it; Predicate: was still chilly
5. Clause 1: Subject: He; Predicate: studied hard; Clause 2: Subject: he; Predicate: passed the test
6. Clause 1: Subject: I; Predicate: was cooking dinner; Clause 2: Subject: the phone; Predicate: rang
7. Clause 1: Subject: The children; Predicate: played in the park; Clause 2: Subject: their parents; Predicate: watched them
8. Clause 1: Subject: it; Predicate: was raining; Clause 2: Subject: we; Predicate: stayed inside and read books
9. Clause 1: Subject: The birds; Predicate: sang sweetly; Clause 2: Subject: the flowers; Predicate: bloomed vibrantly
10. Clause 1: Subject: you; Predicate: study hard; Clause 2: Subject: you; Predicate: will succeed