A simple subject simply tells about a sentence without any modifiers. It means that it can be a main word that tells about the action (verb) which is going on in a sentence.
For example,
1. The children ate the whole box full of chocolates.
In the above example, ‘the children’ is the simple subject. ‘the children’ is doing the action (verb), ‘ate.’
2. Sarah sings very sweetly.
In the above example, ‘Sarah’ is the simple subject, who is doing the action (verb), ‘sings.’
Note: You can see in the above examples that there are no modifiers attached to the simple subjects, ‘the children’ and ‘Sarah.’
Simple vs Complete Subject
Think about a complete subject as the opposite.
It tells what is going on in a sentence with modifiers attached to it. It means that a complete subject does not stand alone in a sentence. Let us see in the examples below.
1. Five cute little angels stayed at my place for one month.
In the above example, ‘five cute little angels’ is the complete subject that is doing the verb.
2. The shiny golden dress made her look much better.
In the above example, ‘the shiny golden dress’ is the complete subject; whereas, ‘dress’ is the simple subject.
You have seen in the above examples that the simple subject is only a single word however; the complete one may consist of more than two words that are called ‘the modifiers.’
Note: Prepositional phrases do not include a simple or a complete subject. So, never try to find out subjects in such phrases.
Check Out: What Is a Compound Subject?
Common Errors with Simple Subject
Identifying simple subjects can sometimes be tricky, and several common mistakes can lead to confusion. Here are a few frequent errors to watch out for:
1. Confusing the Complete for the Simple Subject
The complete subject includes all the words that modify the subject, while the simple subject is just the main noun or pronoun doing the action.
- Sentence: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
- Mistake: Many might think that “The quick brown fox” is the simple subject.
- Correction: The simple subject is simply “fox.”
2. Ignoring Implied Subjects in Imperative Sentences
In imperative sentences, the subject is often implied rather than explicitly stated. This can lead to overlooking the simple subject altogether.
- Sentence: “Sit down.”
- Mistake: Readers may overlook the subject and wonder who is being addressed.
- Correction: The implied simple subject is “you.” Understanding that “you” is often the unspoken subject in commands is essential for grasping the full meaning of the sentence.
3. Misidentifying Subjects in Complex Sentences
In sentences that contain clauses or phrases, identifying the simple subject can become more complicated.
- Sentence: “The teacher, along with her students, is planning a field trip.”
- Mistake: Some may mistakenly identify “teacher and her students” as the simple subject.
- Correction: The simple subject here is “teacher.” The phrase “along with her students” is a prepositional phrase.
Test Yourself
Find out the simple subject in the following examples.
1. My lovely friends will definitely come this week.
2. The glittery pencils made your assignment so attractive.
3. Red velvet cake is one of my favorite cakes.
4. The long and hard ways will not harm you.
5. In the movie, the super hero saves the whole town.
*Answers at the end.
What Did You Learn?
A simple and a complete subject refer to the main word or words but there is a slight difference between them. A simple subject is the word who performs the action and does not include any modifiers. A complete subject, on the other hand, is the word or words that perform the action and it does include modifiers.
Answers: 1) friends 2) pencils 3) cake 4) ways 5) hero