Subjects and Predicates
Free online lessons and exercises on subjects and predicates. These exercises will teach you how to identify both complete and simple subjects and predicates. Then, you can use what you have learned to eliminate sentence fragments from your writing. Practice involves using your knowledge of subjects and predicates to be able to identify and correct syntax errors, and to create sound, complete sentences.
- Exercise 1 - Learn about complete subjects.
- Exercise 2 - Learn about complete predicates.
- Exercise 3 - Learn about simple subjects.
- Exercise 4 - Learn about simple predicates.
- Exercise 5 - Use what you have learned to identify and eliminate sentence fragments from your sentences.
Explanation
* Every sentence has two main parts: a simple subject and a simple predicate.
The simple subject of a sentence is the main word in the complete subject. It is always a noun or a pronoun. Sometimes, the simple subject is also the complete subject.
Example: Most birds | can fly.
Example: They | can fly because they have wings.
The simple predicate is the complete verb within the complete predicate. The simple predicate may be one or more words.
Example: Most birds | can fly.
Example: They | can fly because they have wings.
* Every sentence has two main parts: a complete subject and a complete predicate.
The complete subject includes all words that tell who or what the subject is.
Example: Most birds | can fly.
The complete predicate includes all words that state the action or condition of the subject.
Example: Most birds | can fly.
* An incomplete sentence is called a sentence fragment. A fragment lacks either a subject, a predicate, or does not communicate a complete thought. Here are some examples of sentence fragments:
Example: Saw that it was time to leave. à lacks a subject
Example: The king and all his men. à lacks a predicate
Example: Before we went to soccer practice. à does not communicate a complete thought