Subjects, Predicates, and Sentences

Tell me what is happening. Who? What is happening?

Who? The fireman What’s happening? is putting out a fire. The fireman is putting out a fire. This is a complete sentence.

What must a complete sentence have? A subject: (noun or pronoun) The fireman A predicate: (verb) is putting out a fire. A sentence must also make sense.

A subject tells who or what the sentence is about. The fireman battles the fire. Who battles the fire? The fireman

The predicate • tells what the subject does or has. • It also describes what the subject is or is like.

The fireman Ø fights fires.  (does) Ø has a long hose.  (has) Ø is a hero.     (is) Ø is brave.     (is like) These are predicates

A sentence must have a subject and a predicate AND express a complete thought. (make sense)

Finding subjects A declarative sentence usually begins with the subject. The elephant ate many peanuts. The teacher told us a story. Our class went to the zoo.

Finding subjects Interrogative sentences: Questions may begin with part or all of the predicate.  The subject comes next followed by the rest of the predicate.

To locate the subject of an interrogative sentence,change the question into a declarative sentence. (Make a statement.) Have you seen a dog? Question You have seen a dog.  Statement Have I seen a dog?  Question I have seen a dog.    Statement Why do you ask?     Question You do ask why.      Statement

Imperative sentence You Catch the cat! In requests and commands, the subject is usually not stated.  The word you is understood to be the subject. You Catch the cat!

Let’s recap!!! All sentences must: • have a subject (noun or pronoun) • have a predicate (the verb) • make sense