Subject in English: Meaning, Preparation Tips, Rules, Exercises with Answers

The subject in English grammar is the noun phrase or a pronoun that comes before the verb and indicates the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action or is described.  

A complete sentence in English language is made up of two vital parts: the subject and the predicate. While the predicate is the part of the sentence that usually contains a verb and describes the subject or shows action, the subject is the naming part of a sentence, which contains a noun that is doing the ‘action’.

For example:

Example	Subject	Description
Myra planned to go to her dance class today	Myra	Myra is doing the action of ‘going’ to the dance class.
The crow ate all tomatoes.	Crow	Crow’s action of eating is being discussed.
Bella and Tom went to the beach.	Bella and Tom	Bella and Tom are doing the action when they ‘went’ to the beach.

Also Read: 

English Conjunctions

Prepositions in Place in English

 

In the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, "subject" is defined as something being discussed, described, or studied, or a person or thing being the main focus or used for observation or study. It can also refer to an area of knowledge, a person who belongs to a country, or the person or thing that performs the action in a sentence.

It is pronounced as /ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/,  /ˈsʌbdʒekt/.

The Cambridge dictionary says, a subject is one of the five major elements of clause structure. The other four are: verb, object, complement and adjunct. Subjects are essential in declarative, negative and interrogative clauses.

The pronunciation is UK/ˈsʌb.dʒekt/  US/ˈsʌb.dʒekt/.

Also Read: English Nouns: Meaning with Examples

In English grammar, there are three types of subjects:

• Simple
• Compound
• Complete

Let’s take a look at the difference between them with examples for better understanding:

Subject	Description	Example
Simple Subject	This is a single word, mainly a noun or pronoun. It's the "who" or "what" of the sentence that performs the action or is being acted upon.	The cat is sitting in the park. Myra is having her dinner.
Compound Subject	A compound subject consists of two or more simple subjects joined by a conjunction like "and" or "or".	Tim and Peter are playing in the garden. Mike, Tira or Kate can come and be a part of the programme.
Complete Subject	The complete subject includes the simple subject and any words like adjectives, articles, or other phrases that describe it.	The soft white rabbit won the race. The cute little girl is dancing in the rain.

 

In English grammar, Subject is the noun or pronoun which are being described or perform the action. They are mostly placed before the verb. For example:

• The cat is sleeping on the table
• The girl is running in the park.

However, in case of questions or exclamations, the order can change.  For example:

Who is coming to the market?

Who made the lunch today?

Another rule/structure to be kept in mind, while using subjects in English language is the Subject-Verb agreement. The rule says that the verb must match the subject in number. A singular subject like "he" will be paired with a singular verb like "is", while a plural subject like "they" will be used with a plural verb like "are". For example:

• The ball is kept under the table.
• The flowers are beautiful and fresh.

Following are some other rules in specific cases that students should follow while using subjects:

#Rule 1

If two or more subjects are joined by "and," the verb is generally plural. For example:

• Rita and Meera dance really well.
• The dogs and cows feed their children like humans.

#Rule 2

If two singular subjects are connected by "or," "either/or," or "neither/nor," the verb is singular. For example:

• Either the dog or the cat is coming to home with us.
• Neither the dog nor the cat is sleeping.

#Rule 3

Sentences that start with "here" or "there," the subject follows the verb, and the verb agrees with the subject. "Here" and "there" are adverbs and function to indicate location or emphasize a statement. For example:

• There is a mat kept in the room.
• Here comes the school van.

#Rule 4

Collective nouns like "team," "group" can be singular or plural depending on whether they are treated as one unit or as individual members. For example:

• Team India win the match. (Team India is considered as plural)
• The group of fish is called ‘school of fish.’ (The group is considered as singular)

Also Read:

Adverbs in English Grammar

Para Jumbles in English 

The special cases in this case are mostly related to the subject-verb agreement. Let’s take a look at them in detail, with examples:

1. Compound subjects joined by ‘and’ generally take plural verbs. For example, “John and Myra are playing in the garden.”. However, if the subjects is referring to the same person or thing, a singular verb is used. Example: "Peanut butter and nuts is my favorite sandwich."

             

2. Collective nouns can take either a singular or plural verb, depending on whether the group is a single entity or individual members. For example:

• The team has won. (The team is considered as a single entity)
• The team have different runs. (The team has different members with different runs.)

 

3. When a subject is followed by a prepositional phrase or other modifying words, the verb must be in context with the main subject, not the object of the preposition. For example:

• The book with puzzles is very popular among kids. (The main subject is book not puzzles, hence singular verb ‘is’ have been used.)

• The park with lots of swings is filled with children. (The park is the main subject, hence ‘is’ have been used)

 

4.Titles of books, movies, or other similar works, are treated as singular, even if the names appear to be plural. For example:

• The Beatles is a great music band.

 

5. Sentences with ‘You’ and ‘I’ are always used with plural verb. For example:

• I am going to the mall.
• You are doing a good job.

Also Read: Verbs in English Grammar

Subject is the most crucial and basic part of English sentence structure. Hence, to write and speak correct English language, the knowledge on the topic is very important. Here are some tips by which students can master the ‘subject’ and use it in English sentences without any error.

• First and foremost, students need to know the meaning of Subject, only then they will be able to use it in the sentences in the right way.
• Mastering English grammar topics need practice. Students need to practice the ‘subject’ in writing and spoken English.
• Engage with English media, including videos, shows and even books, to improve your vocabulary and understanding of the topic.
• Access yourself with self-tests and practice questions, on regular basis. On this Shiksha page too, students can revise the topic with practice questions (with answers) in the end.

Also Read:  Preposition in English Language 

The Subject in an English sentence is usually the noun or pronoun, which is talked about or is performing the action. The easiest trick to identify the subject is to ask yourself, "Who or what is doing the action?" or "Who or what is this sentence about?" The answer is usually the subject.

Depending on the types of sentences also, you can identify the placement of the subject. Below is the table explaining the same:

Type of Sentences	Structure	Example
Declarative sentences	The subject usually appears before the verb	The cat sat on the floor.
Interrogative sentences	You can rearrange it to a statement to find the subject	Are you coming to the school?
Imperative sentences	The subject is implied as "you”	Mike, close the door.

Also Read: English Paraphrasing