Difficult to Find Subjects

Difficult to Find Subjects

Grade 7 Language Arts

Most sentences start with the subject at the beginning of the sentence.

Loggers cut special trees.

Imperative sentences often do not include a written subject. Instead, the subject is the person being spoken to. We call this subject the "understood you".

• Plant these seedlings. ~ (You) Plant these seedlings.

• Water the new seedlings. ~ (You) Water the new seedlings.

Interrogative sentences often have a subject that is located in the middle with parts of the predicate in front and behind the subject.

• Are the trees too small?

• Do most people understand the delicate balance of nature?

To find the subject, it helps to rearrange the words into a statement:

• Do most people understand the delicate balance of nature?

• Most people do understand the delicate balance of nature

• What can individuals do to protect the environment?

• Individuals can do what to protect the environment.

Sentences that begin with "There" and "Here" usually have the predicate before the subject.

• There are environmental laws to protect the wilderness.

• Environmental laws to protect the wilderness are there.

• Here is a map of the protected lands in our state.

• A map of the protected lands in our state is here.