PP.3 Identify the complete subject and predicate of a sentence
What is a sentence?
A sentence is a group of words that tells a complete thought. Every sentence must have a subject and a predicate.
- The dog barked.
- My sister reads every night.
If a group of words does not tell a complete thought, it is not a sentence.
What is the complete subject?
The complete subject is the part of the sentence that tells who or what the sentence is about. It includes the main noun and all the words that describe it.
- The small brown dog ran across the yard.
- My best friend likes to draw pictures.
Ask yourself, “Who or what is this sentence about?” to find the complete subject.
What is the complete predicate?
The complete predicate is the part of the sentence that tells what the subject does or is. It includes the verb and all the words that go with it.
- The small brown dog ran across the yard.
- My best friend likes to draw pictures.
The complete predicate always includes the verb and may include more details.
Putting the subject and predicate together
A sentence is complete when it has both a complete subject and a complete predicate that work together.
- The noisy children played happily at the park.
- The tall tree fell during the storm.
Each sentence must answer two questions: who or what, and what happened?
Finding the complete subject and predicate
You can find the complete subject and predicate by reading the sentence carefully and breaking it into two main parts.
- First, find the verb.
- Ask who or what does the verb to find the complete subject.
- Everything else that goes with the verb is the complete predicate.
Reading the sentence out loud can help you hear where the subject ends and the predicate begins.