Our grammar rules are subjects and predicates. In every complete sentence, it includes simple and complete subjects and predicates. Starting off with a simple subject, it is the main word or phrase that a sentence is about. In the sentence “Bobby was eating cotton candy”, the simple subject in this sentence is Bobby because that is the main word that the sentence is about. In addition to a simple subject, there is also a complete subject. A complete subject is the simple subject and words that describe it, it is like the describing word. In the sentence “Joe, the astronaut went on the moon”, the complete subject is “Joe, the astronaut” because that is describing what Joe is. We also have simple predicates. Simple predicates are the verbs that tell what the subject does/is. Simple predicates tell the reader what the subject is doing. An example of a simple predicate is “The tree swayed and fell during the hurricane”. In this sentence, the simple predicate is “swayed” because that is the verb that tells us what the tree is doing. Furthermore, this leads us to our last one, complete predicates. Complete predicates are the verbs and words that describe it. Meaning they are the words that modify and complete the meaning of the sentence. In the sentence “He ran a long way”, the complete predicate is “Ran a long way” because it is the word that describes the verb. In conclusion, it is important to recognize the small parts of a sentence and remember the rules of subjects and predicates.
Test Questions:
1) Steve sang loudly at the karaoke bar. What is the simple predicate in this sentence?
- A) Steve
- B) Loudly
- C) Sang
- D) Karaoke bar
2) The rock flew and squashed the banana. The rock is the subject. Squashed the banana is the complete predicate.
-False
– True
3) The boy ate the apple. The simple subject is the boy.
- True
- False
4) Sarah, the artist, is painting a picture. What is the complete subject in this sentence?
- A) Sarah
- B)The artist
- C) Painting
- D) Painting a picture
5) Joe failed his math test. The simple subject is Joe.
-True
-False
Answer Key:
- Sang
- True
- True
- The artist
- True