Simple Subject
Phonetics:
ˈsɪmpl
sʌbdʒɪkt
Pronunciation:
Unveiling the Soul of Sentences: A Guide to Simple Subjects in English Grammar
Comprehensive Definition, Description, Examples & RulesÂ
Introduction
A simple subject is a type of subject that has only one noun as the primary focus of any sentence. A subject is a noun that can be a person, a thing, or a place. Every sentence in English grammar consists of two primary parts; the first is the subject, another is a verb. A simple subject is the primary word of the sentence which tells what or about whom the sentences are all about. The simple subject defines ‘what’ or ‘who’ is performing the action mentioned in the verb.Â
The primary importance of understanding simple subjects are:
- You need to understand simple subjects as it helps you to form sentences simply, which helps in communication.
- It will also help you identify any sentence’s primary noun or pronoun.
- If you understand the usage of a simple subject, then you will also understand a lot about the subject-verb agreement.
- It will help you form clear, constructive verb sentences that will be grammatically correct.
Definition of Simple Subject
The definition of simple subject in English grammar is a type that consists of only one noun, which is the primary focus of any sentence. A simple subject will directly define ‘what’ or ‘who’ is doing the action mentioned in the sentence’s verb. It is a primary word of the sentence that helps add more meaning.Â
The simple subject has a primary role in constructing a sentence as it helps to communicate effectively and add more meaning. It will help you understand the person, thing, or place acting in the sentence.Â
The simple subject also has a direct relation to the predicate verb. Both are integral parts of the sentence, and the predicate also tells a lot about the subject of the sentence. Example of simple subject with predicate verbs are:
- She is playing with the boy. (‘She’ is the subject, ‘playing with the boy’ is the predicate)
- Give me your bat. ( ‘Me’ is the subject, and ‘your bat’ is the predicate)
Identifying the Simple Subject
Some techniques will help you identify a simple subject in a sentence. The step-by-step representation of the techniques are:
- Ask ‘what’ or ‘who’ is acting in the sentence. The answer helps you find the simple subject of the sentence.
- The answer is a noun; you can identify if the noun is in a simple or compound context.
- You can identify the primary word of the sentence, which will act as the noun, and you can easily find the sentence’s subject through it. Â
Examples that will help you are:
- Johnny is going to the Gym. (‘Johnny’ is the simple subject)
- I will sleep for an hour. (‘I’ is the simple subject)
- Tina will watch a movie. (‘Tina’ is the simple subject)
- They are playing volleyball now. (‘They’ is the simple subject)
Examples of Simple Subjects
There are various examples of a simple subject, and you can identify the subject of the sentence by asking who or what is acting in the sentence. Here is an example for you:
- Rekha is planning a trip. (‘Rekha’ is the simple subject. It is your answer to ‘Who is planning a trip?’)
- I will be taking the exam. (‘I’ is the simple subject. It is the answer to ‘Who will take the exam?’)
- She will not attend the party. (‘She’ is the simple subject. It is the answer to ‘Who will not attend the party?’)
Examples using various types of sentences:
- Declarative: Andrew is walking on the beach. (‘Andrew’ is the simple subject. It is the answer to ‘Who is walking on the beach?’)
- Interrogative: Will I go to the zoo? (‘I’ is the simple subject. It is the answer if you ask, ‘Who will go to the zoo?’)
- Imperative: Please finish your food. (‘You’ is the subject hidden in the answer to ‘Who will finish the food?’)
- Exclamatory: Wow! We won the match. (‘We’ is the simple subject. It is the answer if you ask, ‘Who won the match?’)
Common Errors and Challenges
People can commit a few common mistakes while dealing with simple subjects. The mistakes are:
- They commit the error of subject-verb agreement. They need help understanding the context in which the sentence has to be written. It is a common mistake when you mess up a singular verb with a plural noun. Understanding the subject-verb agreement is very important while writing sentences with a simple subject.
- Writing complex text with a great distance between the subject and the verb. It is common when people want to modify that phrase; they bring in a lot of words between the subject and the verb, and the meaning of the sentence changes. While using a simple subject, you need to keep it very close to the verb.
The primary misconception of simple subjects is that you cannot form proper meaningful sentences with simple subjects. Various people think that to write a proper sentence; you must use complex or compound subjects to make it meaningful. It is a big misconception as you can easily form good sentences using only a simple subject.Â
The various solutions that you can use to overcome the challenges while writing on simple subjects are:
- Understanding the subject-verb agreement properly.
- Not using additional words like (actually, directly)
- Understand what you want to write in the sentence and then frame it.
- Use past, present, and future tense appropriately to understand your simple subject.
Importance of Using Simple Subjects
Your writing and speaking style has various benefits when you use simple subjects. These are:
- They help in framing easy, meaningful sentences.
- Your Writing style improves a lot if you use simple subjects in it.
- It will be very effective in communicating and speaking if you use simple subjects.
One of the primary benefits includes a simple subject’s coherence and clarity in communication. It helps to make the conversation very clear and also improves communication skills. It also makes the conversation very smooth and makes it easy to talk.Â
Real-life scenarios where simple subjects are crucial are:
- I will go to the office.
- What will you eat for lunch?
- He is going to take a cab.Â
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Key Takeaways
- A simple sentence is the easiest form of writing.
- It helps to add more meaning to the sentence.
- You can define the action of the verb with it.
- You need to follow the subject-verb agreement properly.
- You must ask questions about the verb acting to identify the simple subject.
Quiz
Question comes here
Frequently Asked Questions
The simple subject directly relates to the predicate verb of a sentence. The simple subjective will be doing the action mentioned in the predicate verb. Both these are simultaneous and define a similar meaning.
There is no special exception that you need to follow while identifying a simple subject of the sentence. You just need to ask the question of ‘who’ or ‘what’ to the sentence’s primary verb. The answer to your question will be your simple subject. For example:
- Diamonds are very precious. (‘Diamonds’ is the simple subject as it’s the answer to ‘What is precious?’)
There are various tips and techniques that you can follow which will help you to understand simple subjects. These are:
- Avoid making common errors.
- Understand the subject-verb agreement properly.
- Don’t use any form of extra words between your subject and the verb.
Simple subjects have a primary role in the concept of English grammar. They have various benefits that can be very helpful for you. These are:
- They help with fluent writing style and communication.
- A simple subject increases the clarity and coherence of communication.
- It helps to improve the writing quality.
There are additional resources available on the Internet that will help you practice the identification of any simple subject. You can take the worksheet test of the Edulyte that is available in the further article. It will help you to improve your skills in simple subjects.
