The Underlined Subject Of This Sentence Is

The Underlined Subject of a Sentence: A Comprehensive Guide to Grammatical Understanding

Understanding the subject of a sentence is fundamental to mastering grammar and writing effectively. The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action of the verb or is the focus of the sentence. Identifying the subject, especially when it’s complex or obscured, can be challenging. This comprehensive guide will delve into the nuances of identifying the underlined subject of a sentence, covering various sentence structures and complexities. We'll explore different types of subjects, including simple, compound, and complex subjects, and offer practical examples to enhance your understanding.

What is a Subject?

Before we dive into identifying underlined subjects, let's solidify our understanding of what constitutes a subject. The subject is the doer of the action in a sentence. It's the person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about. Consider this simple sentence:

• The cat sat on the mat.

In this sentence, "The cat" is the subject. It's the one performing the action of sitting. The verb is "sat," and the prepositional phrase "on the mat" modifies the verb, providing additional information about where the cat sat.

Identifying the Underlined Subject: Simple Sentences

Identifying the underlined subject in simple sentences is usually straightforward. The subject typically comes before the verb. Let's look at some examples:

• The dog barked loudly. (Subject: The dog)
• She sings beautifully. (Subject: She)
• My car needs a new tire. (Subject: My car)
• He runs every morning. (Subject: He)
• Stars twinkle in the night sky. (Subject: Stars)

Identifying the Underlined Subject: Compound Sentences

Compound sentences contain two or more independent clauses, often joined by conjunctions like "and," "but," "or," "nor," "for," "so," and "yet." Identifying the subject in a compound sentence involves finding the subject of each independent clause.

• The birds sang sweetly, and the flowers bloomed brightly. (Subjects: The birds, the flowers)
• John went to the store, but Mary stayed home. (Subjects: John, Mary)
• He studied hard, and she helped him. (Subjects: He, she)

Identifying the Underlined Subject: Complex Sentences

Complex sentences contain one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as a sentence and are often introduced by subordinating conjunctions such as "because," "although," "since," "if," "when," "while," etc. The subject of the sentence will always be located within the independent clause.

• Although it was raining, the children played outside. (Subject of the main clause: the children)
• Because she was tired, she went to bed early. (Subject of the main clause: she)
• After the storm passed, the sun shone brightly. (Subject of the main clause: the sun)

Tricky Cases: Identifying Underlined Subjects with Intervening Phrases

Sometimes, phrases or clauses can be inserted between the subject and the verb, making it harder to identify the subject. These intervening phrases often begin with prepositions (e.g., of, in, on, at, with, by, for, to) or participial phrases. Remember, these phrases do not contain the subject.

• The book, on the top shelf, is very old. (Subject: The book)
• My friend, despite his busy schedule, found time to help. (Subject: My friend)
• The cat, sitting lazily in the sunbeam, purred contentedly. (Subject: The cat)

Identifying the Underlined Subject: Sentences with Inverted Word Order

In some sentence structures, the word order is inverted, placing the verb before the subject. This often occurs in questions and sentences beginning with there or here.

• Is the dog barking? (Subject: the dog)
• Are they coming to the party? (Subject: they)
• There are many birds in the sky. (Subject: birds) Note: "There" is an expletive and not the subject.
• Here comes the bus. (Subject: the bus)

Identifying the Underlined Subject: Sentences with Compound Subjects

A compound subject consists of two or more nouns or pronouns joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, or, nor). Both parts of the compound subject perform the action of the verb.

• John and Mary went to the movies. (Compound Subject: John and Mary)
• The cat or the dog will win the prize. (Compound Subject: The cat or the dog)
• Neither the teacher nor the students were prepared for the quiz. (Compound Subject: Neither the teacher nor the students)

Identifying the Underlined Subject: Sentences with Collective Nouns

Collective nouns refer to groups of people or things (e.g., team, family, committee, flock). The treatment of the collective noun as singular or plural depends on the context and the writer's intent.

• The team won the championship. (Collective noun treated as singular)
• The family are arguing over the inheritance. (Collective noun treated as plural)

Identifying the Underlined Subject: Sentences with Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns (e.g., someone, anyone, everyone, no one, somebody, anybody, everybody, nobody, something, anything, everything, nothing) can be singular or plural depending on their context.

• Everyone is invited to the party. (Singular)
• Several were absent from class. (Plural)

Advanced Cases and Nuances

Beyond the basic structures, several advanced grammatical scenarios can make identifying the subject more complex. These include:

• Clauses as Subjects: Entire clauses can act as the subject of a sentence. For example: That she won the lottery surprised everyone. (The entire clause "That she won the lottery" is the subject).
• Embedded Clauses: Complex sentences with nested clauses require careful parsing to pinpoint the subject of the main clause.
• Appositives: An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames or explains the noun or pronoun it follows. While it provides additional information, it is not the subject.

Practical Exercises for Identifying Underlined Subjects

To further solidify your understanding, practice identifying the underlined subject in the following sentences:

1. The old house, standing on the hill, was filled with history.
2. Despite the rain, the hikers continued their journey.
3. Are you going to the party tonight?
4. Neither the students nor the teacher understood the complex equation.
5. That he failed the exam worried his parents.
6. The flock of birds, soaring gracefully through the sky, created a breathtaking sight.
7. Several of the books were damaged in the flood.
8. Everyone in the class passed the test.
9. Before the sun rose, the birds began to sing.
10. Here comes the parade!

By regularly practicing sentence diagramming and identifying subjects, you will enhance your grammatical understanding and writing skills. Remember that understanding the subject is a crucial foundation for constructing clear, grammatically correct sentences. This fundamental skill underpins more complex grammatical understanding and enables you to write with precision and clarity. Consistent practice is key to mastering this important aspect of grammar.