Subject-Predicate
How to solve the subject and predicate questions in
English grammar?
.
Explanation
of subject and predicate with examples
Enlargement of subject
Enlargement of predicate
Examples of analysis of sentences
Sentence is the main part of English
language like any other language. In English grammar the sentence is divided
into two main parts.
What are that parts?
Yes. ..They are Subject &
Predicate. Today we’ll learn about these two parts that are subject and
predicate.
What is a
subject in English Grammar?
1. We must talk about some person or
thing; if we talk at all.
In other words
We should have subject means we
should talk about a person or thing.
Definition of Subject - something about we make sentence is
called the subject .
Or
What or whom the sentence is about is called subject.
What is a
predicate in sentence?
2. We must say something about that
person or thing.
In other words,
We must say something about the
subject.
Definition of predicate- what we say about the subject is called as a predicate.
Let us see this with the help of
examples;
Look at the following sentence.
Cows eat grass.
In the above sentence we are talking
about cows, so cows are subject in this sentence.
And the remaining part that is ‘eat
grass’ means we are talking about the cows which is the subject of the above
sentence. So this remaining part ‘eat grass’ is called as a predicate.
2. The cat is resting under the
table.
In the above sentence we are talking
about the cat, so the cat is the subject in this sentence.
The remaining part is sleeping under
the table’ means a predicate. As per our definition we state about the subject
‘the cat’
What the cat is doing we state in
the remaining part of the sentence so the remaining part ‘is sleeping under the
table is predicate of the sentence.
If we say ‘your father’, you know
that your father is subject about which I wish to talk. But I have said nothing
about that subject. To make the sentence complete I must say something about
your father means the predicate is important part of any sentence to make the
complete sentence.
If we say,
Your father knows me.’ Then this
sentence conveys complete thought.
Now let’s have look on subject and predicate some examples.
The words in the bold letters are
subject and the underlined part is the predicate.
1. Sham is a musician.
2. The little girl is very naughty.
3. The tiger is a ferocious animal.
4. The cat is playing with a ball.
5. The chimpanzee is climbing the tree.
Now let us learn about the
enlargement of subject
What is enlargement of subject?
Enlargement means making something
larger. So let us see how the subject can be larger.
For example
1. Birds fly.
2. Bad boys hide their faults.
If we want to analyze the sentence 1
then we can break the sentences as the subject and predicate.
Birds –subject
Fly - predicate.
But in the sentence 2
Subject word -‘boys’
‘bad’ is the enlargement of the
subject
Hide – predicate.
Rest of predicate – their faults
Here in the sentence 2 predicate and
subject consist of more than one word, hide their faults. The verb hide is
clearly more important of the three because without it cannot form the
predicate. We call it as simple predicate or predicate –verb to distinguish it
from the complete predicate.
It is noticed that every predicate
is either a verb or contains a verb, because predicate cannot be formed without
a verb.
Enlargement of Predicate
Harry runs swiftly.
In the above sentence
Predicate - runs swiftly
Verb – runs
the adverb swiftly goes with the
verb runs. It is therefore the extension of predicate
Now look at the following sentence.
She writes her notebook neatly.
In the above sentence
Subject- she
Verb - Writes
Extension of predicate – neatly
Rest of the predicate – her notebook
Now examine how we breakup or
analyses the sentences.
1. The boss replied angrily.
Subject - boss
Enlargement of the subject - the
Predicate – replied
Extension of predicate – replied
Rest of the predicate- ---
2 . The girl sings beautifully in
the contest.
Subject - girl
Enlargement of the subject - the
Predicate – sings
Extension of predicate –beautifully
Rest of the predicate - in the
contest
3. Mr. Shave pays monthly for
magazine.
Subject – Mr. Shave
Enlargement of the subject – ---
Predicate – pays
Extension of predicate – monthly
Rest of the predicate – for magazine
4. The servants are paid monthly in
this hotel.
Subject - servants
Enlargement of the subject - The
Predicate – are paid
Extension of predicate – monthly
Rest of the predicate - in this
hotel
5. My sister knows him well.
Subject – sister
Enlargement of the subject - my
Predicate – knows
Extension of predicate – well
Rest of the predicate - him
6. His brother has come back
quickly.
Subject – brother
Enlargement of the subject - his
Predicate – has come
Extension of predicate – quickly
Rest of the predicate - back
7. That student will return soon.
Subject – student
Enlargement of the subject - that
Predicate – will return
Extension of predicate – soon
Rest of the predicate - ----
8. The hungry child cried bitterly.
Subject - child
Enlargement of the subject – the
hungry
Predicate – cried
Extension of predicate –bitterly
Rest of the predicate - ---
9. You have done your lesson well.
Subject - you
Enlargement of the subject -- -
Predicate – have done
Extension of predicate – well
Rest of the predicate – your lesson
10. The girl spends her money
foolishly.
Subject - girl
Enlargement of the subject – the
Predicate – spends
Extension of predicate –foolishly
Rest of the predicate – her money
Hope this post will be helpful to
solve the question of
subject and predicate in English grammar. If you find this
post helpful please leave comment in the comment box. Thank you