Both the subject and the predicate may be one word or a group of words. The complete subject is the simple subject and all the words that describe or explain it. The sentences below have the complete subject underlined once. The predicate is underlined twice.
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This post helps you understand what a complete subject is, and how it is formed.
A complete subject in English is a combination of a simple subject and the word or words that modify it. It is a group of words that tells us who performs the action in the sentence or who/what the sentence is about.
Examples:
1 The meeting has been canceled.
Simple subject = meeting
Modifier = the
Complete subject = the meeting
2. Your performance was really amazing.
Simple subject = performance
Modifier = your
Complete subject = your performance
3. The man living in this apartment is a famous singer.
Simple subject = man
Modifiers = the, living in this apartment
Complete subject = the man living in this apartment
4. Some people never give up.
Simple subject = people
Modifiers = some
Complete subject = some people
5. Some beautiful Chinese girls came to meet us.
Simple subject = girls
Modifiers = some, beautiful, Chinese
Complete subject = some beautiful Chinese girls
6. The man in the blue coat teaches History here.
Simple subject = man
Modifiers = the, in the blue coat
Complete subject = the man in the blue coat
How to form a complete subject in English?
A complete subject is formed using a simple subject and pre and post-modifiers. Here are the ways to form a complete subject:
- Pre-modifier/s + simple subject
- Simple subject + post-modifier/s
- Pre-modifier/s + simple subject + post-modifier/s
Pre-modifier + simple subject
A pre-modifier is a word or words that come before a simple subject (noun) and modify it. It includes the following:
- Determiners
- Adjectives
Determiners include the followings:
- Articles (a, an, the)
- Possessive adjective (my, your, his, her…)
- Demonstrative adjective (this, that, these, those)
- Distributive adjective (each, either, neither…)
- Quantifiers (some, many, a few, much…)
- Numbers (first, second, one, two…)
Examples:
- A man died here last night.
Simple subject = man
Pre-modifier = a (article)
Complete subject = a man
- The movie was amazing.
Simple subject = movie
Pre-modifier = the (article)
Complete subject = the movie
- Your house is beautiful.
Simple subject = house
Pre-modifier = your (possessive adjective)
Complete subject = your house
- Some students just left the class.
Simple subject = students
Pre-modifier = some (quantifier)
Complete subject = some students
- That man dances amazingly well.
Simple subject = man
Pre-modifier = that (demonstrative adjective)
Complete subject = that man
- Neither girl deserves to be on the team.
Simple subject = girl
Pre-modifier = neither (distributive adjective)
Complete subject = neither girl
- Every deserving student will get a chance to win the scholarship.
Simple subject = student
Pre-modifiers = every (distributive adjective), deserving (present participle adjective)
Complete subject = every deserving student
Simple subject + post-modifier/s
A post-modifier is a word or a group of words (phrase or clause) that comes after a noun or pronoun and modifies it. It includes the following:
- Prepositional phrase
- Infinitive phrase
- Present participle phrase
- Past participle phrase
- Adjective clause
Examples:
- Everything that is here costs a lot of money.
Simple subject = everything
Post-modifier = that is here (adjective clause)
Complete subject = everything that is here
- Betrayal of any sort is not expected from you.
Simple subject = betrayal
Post-modifier = of any sort (prepositional phrase)
Complete subject = betrayal of any sort
NOTE: a noun phrase using a noun and a postmodifier is less common. Generally, we use a premodifier before the noun when it has a postmodifier after it. That’s the third way of forming a complete subject (noun phrase).
Premodifier + simple subject + post-modifier/s
This is another way to form a complete subject. Here, the head noun (simple subject) is surrounded by a premodifier and a postmodifier.
Examples:
- The man in the blue jacket is a dancer.
Simple subject = man
Pre-modifier = the (definite article)
Post-modifier = in the blue jacket (prepositional phrase)
Complete subject = the man in the blue jacket
- Some students living in this building are giving online classes.
Simple subject = students
Pre-modifier = some (quantifier)
Post-modifier = living in this building (present participle phrase)
Complete subject = some students living in this building
- The right man to call right now is Jon, the sales guy.
Simple subject = man
Pre-modifiers = The (definite article), right (adjective)
Post-modifier = to call right now (infinitive phrase)
Complete subject = some students living in this building
- The car stolen from this slot yesterday belonged to a very rich man.
Simple subject = car
Pre-modifiers = The (definite article)
Post-modifier = stolen from this slot yesterday (past participle phrase)
Complete subject = the car stolen from this slot yesterday
- A man who runs daily has fewer chances to have diseases than a man who does not.
Simple subject = man
Pre-modifiers = a (indefinite article)
Post-modifier = who runs daily (adjective clause)
Complete subject = a man who runs daily
More examples of complete subjects:
- Some people never learn from their mistakes.
- One of your friends called me last night.
- Some of these flats are in very bad condition.
- Either man is good for this job.
- This batch of mine has a lot of great minds.
- Many people from this area have multiple houses.
- People who never give up never lose the game.
- The guy standing next to your car has been chasing me for some days.
Important points to note about a complete subject
1. A complete subject, generally, is a noun phrase formed using a regular noun.
2. It can’t be a word. It has to be more than a word: a noun and its modifier.
3. There are three ways to form a complete subject in English:
- Premodifier + noun
- Noun + postmodifier
- Premodifier + noun + postmodifier
4. The head word of a complete subject can be a pronoun either.
PRACTICE SET 1
Identify the complete subject in the following sentences:
- The man at the bar wanted me out.
- An old man once said to me, “Mortality is powerful.”
- This movie is going to do well.
- None of us knows what’s going on.
- Fortunately, my best friend was there to help me.
Answers:
- The man at the bar
- An old man
- This movie
- None of us
- my best friend
PRACTICE SET 2
Identify the complete subject in the following sentences:
- One of my friends who came to the party thrown by Jon has many businesses across India.
- Do any of you know a good place here?
- The man looking at us right now is a friend of the guy who threatened us yesterday at the library.
- The right thing to do is to go there and say sorry to Riya.
- The bag under the desk is not mine.
Answers:
- One of my friends who came to the party thrown by Jon
- any of you
- The man looking at us right now
- The right thing to do
- The bag under the desk
FAQs
What is a complete subject?
A complete subject has a simple subject and its modifiers in it. The modifiers sit right before and after the simple subject (noun/pronoun) in a complete subject. Ex – The name of my company is very short. (simple subject – name, premodifier – the, postmodifier – of my company)
What words are complete subjects?
These are noun phrases headed by a noun or a pronoun, usually by a noun. Other than a noun/pronoun (head word), complete subjects have modifiers in them that give information about the head word called the simple sentence.
How do you find the complete subject of a question?
In a question, the complete subject comes after the auxiliary verb. 1. Do these people know you? 2. Is this company good? 3. Did that man call you back? 4. Where do your parents live?
What is an example of a complete and simple subject?
Examples of a simple subject and a complete subject:
1. Your house is beautiful. (simple subject = house, complete subject = your house)
2. Max loves boxing. (simple subject = Max, no complete subject)
3. The winner of the match is Rohan. (simple subject = winner, complete subject = the winner of the match)
Does every sentence have a complete subject?
No, every sentence does not have a complete subject. The subject could be simple or compound.
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Sentence structure
Summary
The simple subject is the primary word or phrase that a sentence is about. The complete subject is the simple subject and any words that modify or describe it.
Examples
- Simple subject: The man with the marbles is here.
Complete subject: The man with the marbles is here. - Simple subject: A number of items are missing.
Complete subject: A number of items are missing. - Simple subject: The number of cases is rising.
Complete subject: The number of cases is rising. - Simple subject: Minerva Dash is our new manager.
Complete subject: Minerva Dash is our new manager.
Identifying the simple subject can help ensure subject-verb agreement.
Examples
- A number of items
is/are missing. - The number of cases is/
arerising.
but
Subjects in grammar
The subject of a sentence is the doer or agent, the one performing an action.
Examples
- Maya visited Estonia last year.
- My aunt is an astronaut.
- The strange red lights vanished as suddenly as they had appeared.
The subject can also be what a state or event refers to.
Examples
- Nesbit needs a new phone.
- The party is on Wednesday.
- Everyone in the room was stunned by the announcement.
The subject may simply be the person or thing being described in a sentence.
Examples
- Tumkin is a brilliant man.
- This milk tastes sour.
- The crystal was cool to the touch.
As can be seen, the subject is whom or what a sentence is about. In traditional grammar, subjects can be classified as simple and complete. In this article, we discuss the difference between simple and complete subjects, and how distinguishing between the two can help you choose the right verb form in a sentence.
Simple subject
The simple subject is the key word or phrase that a sentence is about.
Examples
- My friend is a writer.
- The little shop around the corner is gone.
- Harris’s sister is an astronaut.
- The cat they brought home from the shelter was white with black spots.
The simple subject in a sentence can be a proper or a common noun, or a pronoun.
Examples
- Minerva Dash is a famous architect.
- Is your mother home?
- My neighbor, who’s a superhero, has lost her cape.
- You can ask for help if you need it.
A simple subject may also be a phrase.
Examples
- On weekends is when we relax.
- At six will be fine.
Note
The subject can take various grammatical forms. Although it is most often a noun phrase, it can also be a noun clause or a prepositional phrase.
Complete subject
A complete subject is the simple subject along with its modifiers, which are all the other words that accompany the simple subject.
Examples
- My friend is a writer.
- The little shop around the corner is gone.
- Harris’s sister is an astronaut.
- The cat we adopted from the shelter was white with black spots.
- Minerva Dash is a famous architect.
- Is your mother home?
- My neighbor, who’s a superhero, has lost her cape.
- You can ask for help if you need it.
- On weekends is when we relax.
- At six is when I leave work.
An easy way to identify the complete subject is to remove the predicate from the sentence. Everything other than the predicate is the complete subject. (The predicate begins at the verb.)
Examples
- This Italian dish is delicious.
Complete subject: This Italian dishis delicious. - The chef, who’s Italian, is an artist.
Complete subject: The chef, who’s Italian,is an artist.
Note
Sometimes the complete subject is the same as the simple subject.
Examples
- Simple subject: Rita has adopted a tarantula.
Complete subject: Rita has adopted a tarantula. - Simple subject: My friend Anita loves cats.
Complete subject: My friend Anita loves cats.
but
Verb agreement with simple subject
Identifying the simple subject in a sentence can help ensure subject-verb agreement. The verb used in a sentence must agree with its subject. In long sentences, agreement can be confusing. Identify the simple subject, and make sure the verb used agrees with it.
Examples
- One of the candidates submitting applications is/
areon the phone.The simple subject is one of the candidates, which is singular. Ignore all the other words in the complete subject, and use the singular verb is.
- The number of people looking for jobs has/
havegone up.simple subject = number (singular)
- A number of people, one of whom looks furious,
is/are waiting in your office.simple subject = people (plural), not number or one
- My friends, whom I have known since college,
is/are moving to Thailand.simple subject = friends (plural)
- My mom, as well as her friends, loves/
lovethis movie.simple subject = mom (singular)
Compound subjects
In a compound subject, two or more subjects are joined by a conjunction like and to share the same verb.
Examples
- The dog and the cat are friends.
- The manager or the staff will know.
It can be tricky to determine whether to use singular or plural verbs with compound subjects. When two subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb used should agree with the simple subject closest to it.
Examples
- The writers or the editor has to decide.
- The editor or the writers have to decide.
- Neither my grandparents nor my mom is from Spain.
- Neither my mom nor my grandparents are from Spain.
Every sentence has a subject and a predicate.
Subjects can be simple or complete. A complete subject tells us who or what the sentence is about, along with any extra information about the subject.
In this article, we will look at what a complete subject is and provide several examples.
What Is a Complete Subject?
To understand and define the complete subject, it’s important to understand what the subject and predicate are.
A subject is the part of a sentence that tells us who or what the sentence is about. A predicate is the part of a sentence with a verb—it’s what the subject is doing.
There are two types of subjects in sentences: simple and complete.
A simple subject is only the main word or words that “do” the verb. No extra information is included in a simple subject.
A complete subject, on the other hand, includes the main word or words and any modifiers.
Modifiers are words that add information or description to another word. They can include articles, adjectives, and adverbs. They can also include entire phrases or clauses.
Let’s see what modifiers look like in an example sentence:
- My best friend Hannah has two children.
The sentence is about Hannah. Hannah is the simple subject. The complete subject is “my best friend Hannah.”
Components of a Complete Subject
Let’s take a deeper look at the parts of a subject so you can easily identify the complete subject.
Complete subjects usually appear at the beginning of a sentence or clause, but not always.
The first step in identifying complete subjects is asking yourself who or what is doing the verb. If the verb is not an action verb, ask who or what the sentence is primarily talking about.
Now, let’s check out a detailed example:
- The beautiful painting she bought on vacation hung on the wall behind the sofa.
Before we can find the complete subject, we should find the simple subject and the predicate. The simple subject typically refers only to the main noun.
In this sentence, the simple subject is “painting.” Notice how this doesn’t include the article “the.”
Now, let’s identify the predicate so that we know which words comprise the complete subject.
The predicate is the part of the sentence that contains the main verb or verb phrase. In our example, the verb is “hung.” The complete predicate is “hung on the wall behind the sofa.”
That leaves us with the complete subject, “the beautiful painting she bought on vacation.”
It includes the simple subject, “painting,” and the modifiers “the” and “beautiful.” It also includes a restrictive clause, “she bought on vacation.”
Some sentences have a compound subject, which means there are two or more subjects that share the same verb. Together, all the simple subjects and their modifiers make a complete subject. Here’s how to find both the simple subject and the complete subject in this situation.
- The brown dog and the little boy played outside all day.
The conjunction “and” lets us know we’re dealing with a compound subject. Even though this sentence has a compound subject, we will use the same process. The simple subjects in this example are “dog” and “boy.” These are who the sentence is about.
Next, let’s find the verb. In this sentence, “played” is the verb. The complete predicate is “played outside all day.”
That leaves us with the complete subject, “The brown dog and the little boy.” The components of the complete subject in this example include articles, “the,” and adjectives, “brown” and “little.”
Complete Subject Examples List
Here are several more complete subject examples. In each sentence, locate the simple subject, the verb, and the complete predicate. This will help you find the complete subject.
- The new book I checked out from the library was so well written!
What is this sentence talking about? It’s talking about a new book. The simple subject is “book.” The verb “was” tells us where to find the predicate. This means that the complete subject is “The new book I checked out from the library.”
In the following examples, the complete subject is highlighted.
- My grandmother’s vintage stand mixer still works better than any new model.
- Lola, my daughter, loves to play with cars and trucks.
- The new high chair and the used stroller are both for sale.
- After class, the students who failed the test stayed behind to ask questions.
Remember, the complete subject represents all the information that modifies the simple subject. If you can identify the simple subject and the verb, finding the complete subject is easy.
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Simple subject definition: A simple subject is a main word or words that tell what or whom a sentence discusses, not including any modifiers.
Complete subject definition: A complete subject is all of the words that tell what or whom a sentence discusses, including any modifiers.
What is a Simple Subject?
What does simple subject mean? A simple subject is a main word or words that tell whom or what a sentence discusses.
The simple subject is only who or what is “doing” the verb, without any modifiers.
Simple Subject Examples:
- Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.
- In this sentence, “Thomas Edison” is “doing” the verb, “invented.”
- Thomas Edison is the simple subject.
- Monkeys scare me.
- In this sentence, “monkeys” are “doing” the verb, “scare.”
- Monkeys is the simple subject.
What is a Complete Subject?
What does complete subject mean? A complete subject is all of the words that tell whom or what a sentence discusses.
The complete subject is who or what is “doing” the verb, including any modifiers.
Complete Subject Examples:
- The mangy old dog limped down the alley.
- In this sentence, the “dog” is “doing” the verb, “limped.”
- Modifiers to “dog” include “the mangy old.”
- “The mangy old dog” is the complete subject.
- Three cardboard boxes remained in the vacant house.
- In this sentence, “boxes” are “doing” the verb, “remained.”
- Modifiers to “boxes” include “three cardboard.”
- “Three cardboard boxes” is the compound subject.
Simple Subject vs. Complete Subject
A few additional examples will help clarify the difference between simple and complete subjects.
What is the simple subject of the following sentence?
The mangy old dog limped down the alley.
- The simple subject of the sentence is “dog.”
- The modifiers for dog include “the mangy old.”
- The complete subject is the bold terms, “the mangy old dog.”
Let’s look at another example. What is the simple subject in this sentence?
Three cardboard boxes remained in the vacant house.
- The simple subject of the sentence is “boxes.”
- The modifiers for boxes include “three cardboard.”
- The complete subject is the bold terms, “three cardboard boxes.”
As you can see, the difference between the simple subject and complete subject is quite clear. The simple subject is just the subject, nothing else. The complete subject is the simple subject along with any other modifiers.
Outside Examples:
Let’s look at a few outside examples. The simple subject is in bold and the complete subject is underlined.
- A subcommittee of the Chicago City Council approved the “Rideshare Reform” proposal unanimously Friday, and the measure faces a full vote from the council as soon as Wednesday. –USA Today
- The real estate firm was founded in 2005. Shah said the private company’s goal is to eventually become a publicly traded real estate investment trust, and it wants to buy additional hotels on Long Island. –Newsday
Neither Will be a Part of a Prepositional Phrase
Neither a simple nor a complete subject will be part of a prepositional phrase.
A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and ends with a noun. Sometimes, prepositional phrases are placed very near a subject and seem like they are part of a subject. However, they are not.
Example:
- Near the door the cat
- The italicized terms are a prepositional phrase. Even though they are close to the subject, the cat, they are not a part of the subject. “Near the door” does not describe the cat but explains the cat’s location.
- Neither of our cars is worth much money.
- The italicized terms are a prepositional phrase. In this case, the prepositional phrase comes after the subject. “Neither” is the subject here.
Define simple subject: The definition of a simple subject is the single word that is performing the action in a sentence.
Define complete subject: The definition of a complete subject is the subject of a sentence as well as any modifiers attached to it.
To summarize, a simple subject is only the main word or words “doing” the action of the sentence. A complete subject is the main word or words including any modifiers “doing” the action of the sentence.
Contents
- 1 What is a Simple Subject?
- 2 What is a Complete Subject?
- 3 Simple Subject vs. Complete Subject
- 4 Outside Examples:
- 5 Neither Will be a Part of a Prepositional Phrase
- 6 Summary: What are Complete and Simple Subjects?