Simple, Compound, and Complete Subjects

What is the simple subject of a sentence?

• The main noun or pronoun that the sentence is about

• All the words that come before the verb

• The action word or verb in the sentence

• Two or more subjects joined by a conjunction

Answer explanation

The simple subject is the key noun or pronoun that is doing the action or being described, without any descriptive words. The other options describe a complete subject, a predicate, or a compound subject.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.3.1F

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.1.1C

CCSS.L.2.1F

True or False: The words that describe the subject, like 'happy' or 'tall', are part of the simple subject.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Descriptive words (adjectives) are part of the complete subject, but not the simple subject. The simple subject is just the main noun or pronoun.

In the sentence, 'The happy kids played outside,' what is the simple subject?

• The happy kids

• kids

• played

• played outside

Answer explanation

The simple subject is 'kids' because it is the main noun that the sentence is about. 'The' and 'happy' are modifiers that are part of the complete subject, not the simple subject.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.3.1F

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.1.1C

CCSS.L.2.1F

What is the complete subject in the sentence: 'The box of old comic books sat in the attic'?

• box

• The box

• The box of old comic books

• old comic books

Answer explanation

The complete subject includes the simple subject ('box') and all the words that modify it, including the article 'The' and the prepositional phrase 'of old comic books'.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.3.1F

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.1.1C

CCSS.L.2.1F

True or False: A compound subject is made of two or more simple subjects connected by a word like 'and' or 'or'.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

This is the definition of a compound subject. It has multiple subjects that share the same verb, joined by a conjunction.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.3.1F

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.1.1C

CCSS.L.3.1H

Complete the sentence: My mom and dad _______ dinner together every Friday.

• cooks

• cook

• is cooking

• was cooking

Answer explanation

A compound subject joined by 'and' (mom and dad) is plural, so it needs the plural verb 'cook'. The verb 'cooks' is singular.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1F

Identify the complete subject in this sentence: 'All the students in my sixth-grade class are excited for the field trip.'

• All the students

• students

• All the students in my sixth-grade class

• The field trip

Answer explanation

The complete subject includes the simple subject ('students') and all of its modifiers ('All the' and 'in my sixth-grade class'). It tells exactly who is excited.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.3.1F

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.1.1C

CCSS.L.2.1F

What is the best way to combine these two sentences into one with a compound subject? 'Leo is trying out for the team. Sam is trying out for the team.'

• Leo is trying out for the team, and Sam is too.

• Leo and Sam are trying out for the team.

• Trying out for the team are Leo and Sam.

• The team is where Leo and Sam are trying out.

Answer explanation

This option correctly combines the two simple subjects ('Leo', 'Sam') into a compound subject that shares a single plural verb ('are trying out'), making the sentence more concise.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.2.1F

CCSS.L.3.1H

CCSS.L.5.1E

CCSS.L.7.1B

In the question, 'Where are the extra batteries for the remote?', what is the simple subject?

• Where

• remote

• batteries

• you

Answer explanation

In questions, the subject often comes after the verb. To find it, you can rephrase the sentence as a statement: 'The extra batteries for the remote are where.' The subject is 'batteries'.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.3.1F

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.1.1C

CCSS.L.2.1F

To find the real subject in the sentence 'There are three new movies at the theater,' what is the best strategy?

• Assume the word 'There' is the subject.

• Look for the word that answers the question 'who or what are at the theater?'.

• Pick the first noun in the sentence.

• Assume the word 'theater' is the subject because it's at the end.

Answer explanation

In sentences starting with 'There is' or 'There are', the word 'There' is an expletive, not the subject. The true subject follows the verb and answers 'who or what'. In this case, 'movies' are at the theater.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A