Complete Subject, Predicate and Simple Subject, Predicate Lesson

Complete Subjects and Predicates 

Here’s the Idea

In order to share ideas and information successfully, you need to use complete sentences.

A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.

Here is a group of word:

These words are good building blocks, but to get a message across, they need a structure. Here is a sentence built from the words. Notice that the sentence communicates a  complete idea.

Architects can surprise us.

​ surprise	​can
​us	​architects

Every complete sentence has two basic parts: a subject and a predicate.

1. The complete subject includes all the words that tell whom or what the sentence is about. 

COMPLETE SUBJECT

Some architects bring nature indoors.

2. The complete predicate includes the verb and all the words that complete the verb’s meaning 

                            Complete Predicate

Some architects bring nature indoors.

Some architects bring nature indoors.

1. To find the complete subject, ask who or what does something (or is something).

Who brings nature indoors? Some architects

2. To find the complete predicate, ask what the subject does (or is).

             What do some architects do?  bring nature indoors.

​Here’s How- Finding Complete Subjects and Predicates

Multiple Choice

Find the complete subject in the sentence.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed an unusual home in the Pennsylvania woods.

• Designed an unusual home
• An unusual home
• Pennsylvania woods
• Frank Lloyd Wright

Multiple Choice

Find the complete predicate in the sentence:

Frank Lloyd Wright designed an unusual home in the Pennsylvania woods.

• in the Pennsylvania
• an unusual home
• designed an unusual home in the Pennsylvania woods.
• Frank Lloyd Wright

Multiple Choice

Find the complete subject in the sentence:

The owners called the house Fallingwater.

• Fallingwater
• The owners of Fallingwater
• The owners
• The house

Multiple Choice

Find the complete predicate of the sentence:

The owners called the house Fallingwater.

• called the house Fallingwater
• Fallingwater is a famous architect
• The house was built by the owners
• The owners sold the house

Simple Subject

&

Simple Predicate

Here's the Idea:

You have learned that one basic part of a sentence is the complete subject. Now you will learn about the key part of the complete subject.

The simple subject is the main verb or words in the complete subject. Descriptive words are not part of the simple subject.

An expectant seal builds a shelter in a snowdrift.

The cozy shelter hides her newborn pup.

When a proper name is used as a subject, all parts of the name make up the simple subject.

Robert Peary explored the North Pole.

Here's the Idea:

The simple subject tells the reader whom or what the sentence is about.

Multiple Choice

What is the simple subject of the sentence?

Many animals need shelter from cold and predators.

• shelter
• predators
• cold
• animals

Multiple Choice

What is the simple subject of the sentence?

Lodges on islands often give beavers the best protection.

• Lodges
• Protection
• Beavers
• Islands

Multiple Choice

What is the simple subject of the sentence?

These homes are built up from the bottom of the pond.

• pond
• built
• these
• homes

Simple Predicates (Verbs)

Here's the Idea:

You have learned about the simple subject of a sentence. You also need to know about the simple predicate.

The simple predicate, or verb, is the main word or words in the complete predicate.

Prairie pioneers lived in sod houses.

Few trees grow in the prairie grasslands.

Simple Predicates (Verbs) cont...

Here's the Idea cont...

A verb is a word used to express an action, a condition, or a state of being. A linking verb tells what the subject is.
An action verb tells what the subject does, even when the action cannot be seen.

Pioneers made sod bricks. (action you can see)

They wanted a sturdy home. (action you cannot see)

Sod houses stayed cool in hot weather. (Linking Verb)

You can make your writing more interesting by substituting strong verbs for weaker verbs.

Multiple Choice

What is the simple predicate or verb of the sentence?

My great-grandparents lived in a sod house, or "soddy," on the Kansas prairie.

• soddy
• prairie
• house
• lived

Multiple Choice

What is the simple predicate or verb in the sentence?

They traveled west from their home in Tennessee.

• home
• west
• Tennessee
• traveled

Multiple Choice

What is the simple predicate or verb in the sentence?

The men used nearly an acre of sod for the house.

• sod
• used
• acre
• men

Multiple Choice

What is the simple predicate or verb in the sentence?

The home had only two windows and one door.

• door
• had
• two
• windows

Multiple Choice

What is the simple predicate or verb in the sentence?

My family built their soddy in the side of a hill.

• constructed
• designed
• built
• created