Subject And Predicate Exercises With Answers

Subject and Predicate Exercises with Answers: Mastering the Building Blocks of Sentences

Understanding the subject and predicate is fundamental to mastering grammar and constructing clear, effective sentences. The subject tells who or what the sentence is about, while the predicate describes what the subject does or is. This comprehensive guide provides a range of exercises, from simple identification to more complex sentence structures, all with detailed answers to help you solidify your understanding. Let's dive in!

What are Subjects and Predicates?

Before we tackle the exercises, let's refresh our understanding of these core sentence components.

Subject: The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action or is the focus of the sentence. It answers the question "Who?" or "What?"

Predicate: The predicate is the part of the sentence that contains the verb and tells what the subject does or is. It describes the action, state of being, or condition of the subject.

Exercise 1: Identifying Subjects and Predicates in Simple Sentences

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

1. The cat slept soundly.
2. Birds sing beautifully.
3. The sun shines brightly.
4. The dog barked loudly.
5. Flowers bloom in spring.
6. The rain fell heavily.
7. Children play happily.
8. The stars twinkle at night.
9. The wind howled fiercely.
10. The river flows swiftly.

Answers:

1. Subject: The cat; Predicate: slept soundly
2. Subject: Birds; Predicate: sing beautifully
3. Subject: The sun; Predicate: shines brightly
4. Subject: The dog; Predicate: barked loudly
5. Subject: Flowers; Predicate: bloom in spring
6. Subject: The rain; Predicate: fell heavily
7. Subject: Children; Predicate: play happily
8. Subject: The stars; Predicate: twinkle at night
9. Subject: The wind; Predicate: howled fiercely
10. Subject: The river; Predicate: flows swiftly

Exercise 2: Identifying Subjects and Predicates with Compound Subjects

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in each sentence. Note that these sentences contain compound subjects – two or more subjects joined together.

1. Dogs and cats are popular pets.
2. John and Mary went to the park.
3. Sarah and David painted the house.
4. Apples and oranges are delicious fruits.
5. The teacher and the students discussed the assignment.
6. Rain and wind damaged the crops.
7. My sister and I went shopping.
8. Courage and determination lead to success.
9. The car and the truck collided.
10. The sun and the moon are celestial bodies.

Answers:

1. Subject: Dogs and cats; Predicate: are popular pets
2. Subject: John and Mary; Predicate: went to the park
3. Subject: Sarah and David; Predicate: painted the house
4. Subject: Apples and oranges; Predicate: are delicious fruits
5. Subject: The teacher and the students; Predicate: discussed the assignment
6. Subject: Rain and wind; Predicate: damaged the crops
7. Subject: My sister and I; Predicate: went shopping
8. Subject: Courage and determination; Predicate: lead to success
9. Subject: The car and the truck; Predicate: collided
10. Subject: The sun and the moon; Predicate: are celestial bodies

Exercise 3: Identifying Subjects and Predicates with Compound Predicates

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in each sentence. These sentences have compound predicates – two or more predicates joined together.

1. The chef cooked the meal and served it promptly.
2. The children laughed and played in the garden.
3. She sings beautifully and dances gracefully.
4. He studied diligently and passed the exam.
5. The birds chirped and flew away.
6. The storm raged and caused significant damage.
7. I read a book and wrote a letter.
8. The athlete trained hard and won the competition.
9. The company grew rapidly and expanded its operations.
10. The students learned and applied new knowledge.

Answers:

1. Subject: The chef; Predicate: cooked the meal and served it promptly
2. Subject: The children; Predicate: laughed and played in the garden
3. Subject: She; Predicate: sings beautifully and dances gracefully
4. Subject: He; Predicate: studied diligently and passed the exam
5. Subject: The birds; Predicate: chirped and flew away
6. Subject: The storm; Predicate: raged and caused significant damage
7. Subject: I; Predicate: read a book and wrote a letter
8. Subject: The athlete; Predicate: trained hard and won the competition
9. Subject: The company; Predicate: grew rapidly and expanded its operations
10. Subject: The students; Predicate: learned and applied new knowledge

Exercise 4: Identifying Subjects and Predicates in Complex Sentences

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in each sentence. These sentences are more complex, containing subordinate clauses. Focus on the main clause to identify the main subject and predicate.

1. Because it was raining, the game was cancelled.
2. Although she was tired, she finished the race.
3. Since he was ill, he stayed home.
4. After the storm passed, the sun shone brightly.
5. While she was reading, the phone rang.
6. If it snows, we will build a snowman.
7. Before he left, he locked the door.
8. Unless you study, you will fail the test.
9. As soon as the bell rang, the students rushed out.
10. When the movie ended, the audience applauded.

Answers:

1. Subject: the game; Predicate: was cancelled (The main clause)
2. Subject: she; Predicate: finished the race (The main clause)
3. Subject: he; Predicate: stayed home (The main clause)
4. Subject: the sun; Predicate: shone brightly (The main clause)
5. Subject: the phone; Predicate: rang (The main clause)
6. Subject: we; Predicate: will build a snowman (The main clause)
7. Subject: he; Predicate: locked the door (The main clause)
8. Subject: you; Predicate: will fail the test (The main clause)
9. Subject: the students; Predicate: rushed out (The main clause)
10. Subject: the audience; Predicate: applauded (The main clause)

Exercise 5: Identifying Subjects and Predicates – A Mixed Bag

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in each sentence. This exercise includes a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences to test your comprehensive understanding.

1. The birds sang sweetly in the morning.
2. The sun rose and the sky turned bright.
3. Because he was late, he missed the bus.
4. She baked a cake and decorated it beautifully.
5. Although it was cold, we went for a walk.
6. The children played hide-and-seek and had a lot of fun.
7. Before the concert started, the audience settled down.
8. The flowers bloomed, filling the garden with color.
9. He ran quickly and jumped over the fence.
10. If you want to succeed, you must work hard.

Answers:

1. Subject: The birds; Predicate: sang sweetly in the morning
2. Subject: The sun; Predicate: rose and the sky turned bright
3. Subject: he; Predicate: missed the bus (The main clause)
4. Subject: She; Predicate: baked a cake and decorated it beautifully
5. Subject: we; Predicate: went for a walk (The main clause)
6. Subject: The children; Predicate: played hide-and-seek and had a lot of fun
7. Subject: the audience; Predicate: settled down (The main clause)
8. Subject: The flowers; Predicate: bloomed, filling the garden with color
9. Subject: He; Predicate: ran quickly and jumped over the fence
10. Subject: you; Predicate: must work hard (The main clause)

Advanced Concepts: Understanding More Complex Sentence Structures

This section delves into more complex sentence structures to further challenge your understanding of subjects and predicates.

Identifying Subjects and Predicates with Intervening Phrases and Clauses

Intervening phrases and clauses can sometimes obscure the subject and predicate. Remember to focus on the main clause to identify the core components. For example:

• The dog, running down the street, barked loudly. (Subject: The dog; Predicate: barked loudly)
• The book, which I borrowed from the library, was interesting. (Subject: The book; Predicate: was interesting)

Identifying Implied Subjects (Imperative Sentences)

Imperative sentences (commands) often have an implied subject, "you."

• Close the door. (Implied Subject: You; Predicate: Close the door)
• Study hard. (Implied Subject: You; Predicate: Study hard)

Identifying Subjects in Sentences with Linking Verbs

Linking verbs connect the subject to a subject complement (a word or phrase that describes the subject). The subject complement is not part of the predicate.

• She is a doctor. (Subject: She; Predicate: is a doctor. "doctor" is the subject complement.)
• The cake smells delicious. (Subject: The cake; Predicate: smells delicious. "delicious" is the subject complement)

By working through these exercises and understanding the nuances of sentence structure, you will significantly improve your grammatical skills and your ability to write clear and concise sentences. Remember, practice is key to mastering this fundamental aspect of English grammar. Continue to challenge yourself with varied sentence structures and you will build a strong foundation for effective communication.