A Pro Guide to Using A Subject of A Sentence

The sentences that we use in both spoken and written English contain two main parts as shown below:

1. Subject 

2. Predicate

What is the subject of a sentence? The very simple definition of subject in grammar is that a subject of a sentence is usually a noun or pronoun about which the predicate says something. (learn predicate also.)

However, the chapter of subject in English grammar is very complicated. Continue to read to learn subject definition, types and examples in great details. 

This article covers:

• What is a subject of a sentence
• Types of subject with examples
• How to use a subject in a sentence
• How to find subjects in sentences 
• FAQS- What's the subject of a sentence?

What is the Subject of a Sentence?

What is the subject of a sentence? The subject of a sentence is one of the two main components in a sentence about which the second component, predicate states something. The grammatical subject is also defined as the 'doer', agent or performer of a verb. Look at the below-given examples where the highlighted phrases are subjects of the sentences.

For example: 

• The man ate the mango.
• The mango was eaten by the man.

However, the question "what is the subject of a sentence?" is not so easy to answer as it seems to be. There're a number of definitions of the subject of a sentence given by different dictionaries. Look at the below-given definitions of the grammatical subject to master the chapter of subject. 

Cambridge Dictionary states, "The subject acts as the 'doer' or agent of an action.". According to this definition, we can easily identify the subject of a sentence in the following example. 

1. The man ate the mango.
2. The mango was eaten by the man. 

The highlighted noun phrase in example 1, "The man" is the subject of the sentence, because it performs the action of "eating". What did the man do? He ate the mango. So, "the man" is the doer of eating.

Similarly, the same highlighted phrase in example 2 is also the subject of the sentence according to the definition given above, because the "the man" is the agent (the actual performer of an action) of the action eating. Note that this type of subject, which plays the role of agent, is called real or logical subject.

However, the grammatical subject in example 2 is "the mango" which is neither the 'doer' or 'agent' of the action eating but the recipient of it. If it is so (that "the mango" in example 2 is the subject, but, instead of performing the action, receives it.), then why do we call it the subject of the sentence? Here comes the second definition of the subject of a sentence given by Wikipedia. 

The subject of a sentence is one of the two main parts of a sentence "whereby the predicate says something about the subject.".

Now we can say that the noun phrase "the mango", which acts as the patient in the following example,

• The mango was eaten by the man.

is the grammatical or syntactical subject of the sentence, because "the mango" is the first main part of the sentence about which the predicate "was eaten by the man" says something (that it was eaten.) Note also that the phrase "the mango" is the patient of the action eating, i.e., it undergoes the action of eating.

But wait! There're other definitions of the grammatical subject that are helpful in case of confusion. 

The traditional definition is that the subject of a sentence is a word or phrase that controls the verb used in the sentence; that is, the verb must agree with the subject in number and person. In simple language, the subject determines the person and number agreement on the finite verbs (main verbs, root verbs or tensed verbs that agree with the subject)

Look at the examples given below where the subject is in bold and the verb is italicized.

For example:

• He is a student. (verb agrees with subject in number and person)
• I am a student. (verb agrees with subject in number and person)
• John and Mary are students. (verb agrees with subject in number and person)

According to the definitions given above, we can define the subject of a sentence in the following points:

1. The subject of a sentence is the doer or performer of an action as I in "I fought with him."

2. The subject of a sentence can be the agent of an action in the sense that it actually performs the action as the man in "the mango was eaten by the man." 

3.The subject of a sentence can be the theme of an action in the sense that it receives a property given to it by the predicate as John in "John is a good boy."

4. The subject of a sentence can be the patient of an action as Smith in "Smith was hit by the car."

5. The subject of a sentence determines the number and person agreement on the finite verb as in "you are a student vs *you is a student".

6. The subject of a sentence is in nominative case as in "he [not him] is my friend.".

7. The subject of a sentence comes before finite verbs in declarative sentences as Sofia in "Sofia went to the market." 

Types of Subject in Grammar

How many types of subject in grammar? Based on the words the subject part of a sentence is comprised of, there're three main types of subject in English grammar. They're given as under:

1. Simple subject 
2. Complete subject 
3. Compound subject 

1. The simple subject is a type of subject that contains only one word which can be either a single noun or pronoun. 

For example:

• John is my friend.
• He is a good student.

2. The complete subject is a type of subject that contains the simple subject (the head word, noun) and other words or phrases which modify it.

For example: 

• The boy wearing the black hat will go with you.

3. The compound subject is a type of subject that consists of either two simple subjects or two complete subjects joined by a conjunction. 

 For example:

• Sofia and Ayesha are the best students in our class.
• The boy in blue suit and the girl in red saree are a newly married couple. 

Note that we use it and there in the sentences when we don't find any subject to put. It and there are called dummy subjects as in "it's raining." and "there's a problem.".

Also note that we omit the subject, especially I when it's used with verbs such as think, hope, know, etc., in spoken English as in "hope you understand my point. (I hope you....)" and "think it's right. (I think it's....." 

How do You Use Subjects in Sentences?

We use the subject of a sentence in different positions depending on the type of sentence; that is, the subject is placed in a certain position in a sentence depending on what type of sentence it is. So, the subject of a sentence is used the following ways:

1. The subject is used in the beginning in declarative or assertive sentences before the verb as in "John plays football.".

2. The subject of a sentence is used after the auxiliary or modal verb and before the main verb in interrogative sentences as in "do you like ice cream?" and "can he play football?".

3. The subject of a sentence is used after the how and what plus adjective or adverb construction and before the verb as in "how beautifully she did it!" and "what an idiot he is!".

How to find the subject of a sentence?

There're basically four most reliable ways to find or identify the subject of a sentence. They're given as under:

1. Agreement between subject and verb: A verb must agree with the subject in number, person and gender as well; therefore, the element of the sentence with which the verb agrees is the subject of the sentence.

2. Position of the subject: The subject is used before the verb in declarative sentences; after auxiliary or modal verbs and before main verbs in interrogative sentences; after the how and what plus adjective or adverb constructions and before the verbs.

3. Role of the subject: The three major roles of the subject are agent, patient and theme as in "John eats a mango.", "a mango is eaten by John." and "John is a kind man." agent, patient and theme respectively. 

4. The case of the subject: The subject of a sentence is in nominative case; that is, the pronouns used as the subjects of sentences are in subjective case. Such pronouns are he, she, we, I, they, etc.

FAQs - What is the subject of a sentence

What is the subject of a sentence?

What is the subject of a sentence? The subject of a sentence is one of the two main components in a sentence about which the second component, predicate states something. The grammatical subject is also defined as the 'doer' or agent , performer of a verb.

How many types of subject are there?

How many types of subject in grammar? Based on the words the subject part of a sentence is comprised of, there're three main types of subject in English grammar. They're given as under:

1. Simple subject 
2. Complete subject 
3. Compound subject 

What is the subject in a simple sentence?

The subject in a simple sentence is the one about which the predicate says something as in "John goes to school everyday."

How do you find the subject of a sentence?

There're four reliable ways to find the subject of a sentence. They're given as follows:

1. Agreement between subject and verb 
2. Position of subject 
3. Role of subject 
4. Case of subject 

How do you identify the subject of a complex sentence?

The subject of a complex sentence is identified the same way as we find it in a simple sentence: look for the agreement between subject and verb, role, position, case of the subject as discussed in the artcle.