Subject / Predicate
Identifying basic elements in a sentence
| SUBJECT: NP | PREDICATE: VP | ||
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A basic element in every clause is the subject. The subject is the person or thing doing the action, "the agent" or the "doer". The subject is realized by a noun phrase (NP) which is composed of a noun (N) any determiner (Det) or any modifiers (Adj., Adv. + Adj.). N – person, animal, place, thing, or concept |
The other basic and necessary element of a clause is a predicate which includes a verb phrase (VP). The verb (V) may require an object (He gave a gift.) and/or an indirect object (He gave me a gift.), or a predicative complement (It seems good.) The predicate may also include other elements such as adverb phrase (AdvP) with one or more adverbs (Adv), a prepositional phrase (PP), or a clause, etc. |
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SUBJECT: NP Charlie proper noun |
PREDICATOR: V rose. *(rise – rose) |
COMPLEMENT: NP
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The verb doesn't require a complement. |
The boy determiner + noun |
raised |
his hand. (obj.) |
The verb requires a complement. |
That boy determiner + noun |
gave |
me (ind. obj.) his hand. (dir. obj.) |
The verb requires two complements. |
He pronoun |
†STATE-OF-BEING VERB is / seems †copula |
PREDICATIVE COMPLEMENT content. (adj.) |
The verb requires an adjective complement. |
Categories: NP –noun phrase; N – noun; VP – verb phrase; V – verb; Det – determiner; PP – prepositional phrase; P – preposition; AdvP – adverb phrase; Adv – adverb; AdjP– adjective phrase; Adj – adjective
Functions: Subject: Subject, Predicate: Predicator (V) Complements: Object, Indirect Object, Predicative Complement Adjuncts: (modifiers) Adj, Adv
Complements: dependents of the verb or verb phrase: Object, Indirect Object
Adjuncts: dependents (modifiers) or supplements, elements that are more loosely attached to the clause (CaGEL 15 §5)
Supplements: interpoloations, appendages (clauses or phrases tacked on but not closely related the central idea of the sentence)
*See rise / raise,
A related page is Clause.
Subject
A Head Noun and its Modifiers
Subject — head noun and its modifiers
A subject includes the head noun (main noun) which may or may not require a determiner, and one or more aduncts (additional words not required, such as modifiers).
| MOD. TO MODIFIER 1 | MODIFIER 1 | HEAD NOUN | MODIFYING CLAUSE 2 | *MOD. TO MODIFIER 2 |
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Junior / Master / Mister / Professor |
Charles |
who knows the answer |
all of the time |
The / This / Our (determiner) |
[who is] next to you |
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Exceptionally |
clever |
knowing the answer |
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Very |
enthusiastic |
who(m) you met |
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Feeling confident, |
in the white T-shirt |
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While smiling,** |
in order to impress me (infin. clause) |
with his knowledge |
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Pre-position modifiers are placed before the noun. Post-position modifiers are placed after the noun.
Head noun – the head noun is the main noun. It is distinguished from other nouns which may function as modifiers or as parts of other phrases.
Predicate
A Verb and Its Complements and Adjuncts
Predicate 1 – a verb and its complements and adjuncts
A predicate includes the verb, its complements (a word or words required by the verb to complete its meaning, such as a direct / indirect object), and may include adjuncts (additional words not required, such as adverbs for degree, frequency, manner, focus, opinion, time, and place).
| MOD. TO ADVERB 1 | ADVERB 1 | VERB | OBJECT NOUN | ADVERB 2 |
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rather (adv. degree) |
quickly (adv. manner) |
raised |
his hand. |
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all (modifies too) / too (modifies often) |
often (adv. frequency) |
put |
his hand |
up. (adverb of place) |
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now (adverb of time) |
raised |
his hand |
in the air. (preposition of place) |
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only (adv. focus) |
waved |
his hand |
for a moment. (preposition of time) |
very (adv.degree) |
confidently (adv. manner) |
rose (intransitive) |
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upward. (in that direction) (adverb of place) |
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whenever he can |
shows |
me his hand (indirect & direct objects) |
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all of a sudden |
stretched |
his hand |
high. (adverb of place) |
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*rose (v.) – stood up
intransitive – a verb that does not take an object. See Intransitive Verb List.
transitive – a verb that takes an object direct and indirect objects
Predicate 2 – a state-of-being verb and its complements and adjuncts
A predicate may also have a "be" verb, also called a copula or copular verb, meaning "linking" because it links two elements: the subject with a second element. For a list of "be"–like verbs, see States of "Being".
| MOD. TO ADVERB 1 | ADVERB 1 | "STATE OF BEING" VERB | †PREDICATIVE COMPLEMENT | |
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is |
content. (adj.) |
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is |
a student / nine. *(noun) |
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fortunately (adv. evaluation) |
seems |
better (adj.) |
today. (preposition of time) |
very (adv.degree) |
often (adv. frequency) |
appears |
pleased (adj.) |
with his answer. (prep. phrase) |
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possibly (adv. opintion) |
became |
angry. (adj.) |
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† Also called a "predicate adjective" or "predicate nominative"
*A "be" verb may be followed by an adjective ("descriptive be") or a noun ("specifying be") Describing v. Specifying "be"
Subject and Predicate — together with complement and multiple adjunct words (modifiers)
Grammar Notes
Traditional & Current
(advanced)
| TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR DESCRIPTION | CURRENT LINGUISTIC GRAMMAR DESCRIPTION |
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In traditional grammar, a clause is constructed with a subject and a verb. The subject may consist of additional modifiers: determiner, adjective, prepositional phrase, adjective phrase, etc. The verb is either dynamic or stative. Dynamic verbs take adverb modifiers, stative verbs do not. The verb is either intransitive (does not accept an object) or transitive (accepts an object). If it does accept an object, then the object can also take additional modifiers. In traditional grammar, when a noun has a modifier, the word "adjective" is used both for the "part of speech" and for the function (of modifying). No distinction is made between category (part of speech) and function (a relational concept). For this reason, in current grammar descriptions, one does not say "adjective clause" (a clause cannot be an adjective, but a clause can function as a modifier) or "a noun used as an adjective" (a noun cannot be an adjective, but a noun can function as a modifier). |
In current linguistic description, a clause includes a subject and a predicate which are respectively realized with a noun phrase (NP) and a verb phrase (VP). A NP consists of a head noun and determiners (if required) and modifiers (optional). The head governs (determines) the dependents, elements that can be added to the noun phrase . "The head of a clause is realized by a verb phrase VP. And the head of the VP is realized by a verb. "The verb thus functions as the ultimate head of the clause, and is the syntactically more important element within it: properties of the verb determine what other kinds of elements are required or permitted." (See CaGEL for a more precise and complete summary. "Sentence and Clause" 2.1–8) CATEGORIES: NP –noun phrase; N – noun; VP – verb phrase; V – verb; Det – determiner; PP – prepositional phrase; P – preposition; AdvP – adverb phrase; Adv – adverb; AdjP– adjective phrase; Adj – adjective FUNCTIONS: Subject: Subject, Predicate: Predicator (V) Complements: (elements required by verb) Object, Indirect Object, Predicative Complement Adjuncts: (optional modifiers) Adj, AdjP, Adv, AdvP, PP.s |
REED-KELLOGG DIAGRAM — SUBJECT
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TREE DIAGRAM — SUBJECT |
REED-KELLOGG DIAGRAM — PREDICATE
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TREE DIAGRAM — PREDICATE
Click the diagram to enlarge it. |
Practice 1
Proverbs
Identify the subject in these proverbs (sayings).
- Select the word or words that make up the subject of the sentence (noun + modifiers)
- Read the feedback box to check your answer.
Curiosity killed the cat. — Wanting to know too much can get a person into serious trouble.
Two wrongs don't make a right. — This is a warning to a person who wants revenge.
Absence makes the heart grow stronger. — When a person we love is away, we tend to love them more. (A proverb we say to people who spend too much time together.)
Too many cooks spoil the broth. — We say this when it is better to have one person fully in charge of doing something (to avoid a situation in which everyone puts salt in the soup.)
A squeaking wheel gets oiled. — We tell this to a person who needs to keep on asking or complaining until the problem is properly fixed.
Practice 2
Proverbs
Identify the complete predicate in these proverbs (sayings).
- Select the word or words that make up the predicate and its modifiers (verb + object phrase + modifiers.)
- Read the feedback box to check your answer.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. — It's better to have a small real advantage than the possibility of a greater one.
That is like the tail wagging the dog. — An item of minor importance dominating a situation.
A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client. — literal meaning (exactly as each word reads)
A stitch in time saves nine. — A timely effort will prevent more work later.
Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer. — literal meaning
Practice 3
Saturday at the Movies
(Present tense is used for narrating events.)
Identify the sentence part
- Select the option that is the best description for the words in red.
- Read the feedback box to check your answer.
Related page on Verbs Followed by infinitves: Verb + Infinitive List