Subject Predicate Exercises With Answers

Mastering the Subject-Predicate: Exercises with Answers to Strengthen Your Grammar Skills

Understanding the subject and predicate is fundamental to constructing grammatically correct and clear sentences. This comprehensive guide provides a series of exercises with answers designed to solidify your grasp of this crucial grammatical concept. Whether you're a student brushing up on grammar basics, an ESL learner, or simply someone looking to improve their writing skills, this guide will equip you with the tools and practice needed to confidently identify and utilize subjects and predicates in your sentences. This article covers various sentence structures, including simple, compound, and complex sentences, ensuring a thorough understanding of subject-predicate relationships in diverse contexts.

Understanding Subject and Predicate: A Quick Refresher

Before we dive into the exercises, let's briefly review the definitions of subject and predicate.

• Subject: The subject of a sentence is the noun or pronoun that performs the action or is the focus of the sentence. It answers the question "Who?" or "What?" For example, in the sentence "The cat sat on the mat," the subject is "The cat."

• Predicate: The predicate is the part of the sentence that tells us what the subject does or is. It contains the verb and any other words that modify or complete the verb's meaning. In the example sentence, "sat on the mat" is the predicate.

Exercise 1: Identifying Subjects and Predicates in Simple Sentences

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in each of the following simple sentences.

1. The dog barked loudly.
2. Birds sing sweetly.
3. The sun shines brightly.
4. Flowers bloom in spring.
5. Rain falls softly.
6. The car stopped suddenly.
7. The children laughed joyfully.
8. Stars twinkle in the night sky.
9. The wind howled fiercely.
10. Mountains stand tall.

Answers:

1. Subject: The dog; Predicate: barked loudly
2. Subject: Birds; Predicate: sing sweetly
3. Subject: The sun; Predicate: shines brightly
4. Subject: Flowers; Predicate: bloom in spring
5. Subject: Rain; Predicate: falls softly
6. Subject: The car; Predicate: stopped suddenly
7. Subject: The children; Predicate: laughed joyfully
8. Subject: Stars; Predicate: twinkle in the night sky
9. Subject: The wind; Predicate: howled fiercely
10. Subject: Mountains; Predicate: stand tall

Exercise 2: Identifying Subjects and Predicates with Compound Subjects and Predicates

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in each of the following sentences containing compound subjects or predicates. Remember that a compound subject consists of two or more subjects joined by a conjunction (like and, or, nor), while a compound predicate consists of two or more verbs.

1. My brother and sister went to the park and played baseball.
2. The cat and the dog chased the mouse and ate the cheese.
3. The teacher lectured and assigned homework.
4. The rain fell and the wind blew.
5. Both John and Mary studied hard and aced the exam.
6. He sings and dances beautifully.
7. She reads and writes proficiently.
8. The birds flew south and landed safely.
9. The sun rose and illuminated the landscape.
10. We laughed and talked for hours.

Answers:

1. Subject: My brother and sister; Predicate: went to the park and played baseball
2. Subject: The cat and the dog; Predicate: chased the mouse and ate the cheese
3. Subject: The teacher; Predicate: lectured and assigned homework
4. Subject: The rain; Predicate: fell and the wind blew
5. Subject: Both John and Mary; Predicate: studied hard and aced the exam
6. Subject: He; Predicate: sings and dances beautifully
7. Subject: She; Predicate: reads and writes proficiently
8. Subject: The birds; Predicate: flew south and landed safely
9. Subject: The sun; Predicate: rose and illuminated the landscape
10. Subject: We; Predicate: laughed and talked for hours

Exercise 3: Identifying Subjects and Predicates in Sentences with Intervening Phrases

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in the following sentences. Note that intervening phrases (phrases that interrupt the flow of the sentence but don't affect the core subject-predicate relationship) may make identification slightly more challenging.

1. The book, lying on the table, is mine.
2. The students, excited about the field trip, cheered loudly.
3. The car, with its shiny paint job, gleamed in the sunlight.
4. My friend, a talented musician, plays the guitar beautifully.
5. The house, situated on a hill, overlooks the valley.
6. The cake, deliciously frosted, was quickly devoured.
7. The dog, wagging its tail excitedly, greeted its owner.
8. The artist, known for his vibrant colors, created a stunning masterpiece.
9. The teacher, patient and understanding, helped the student.
10. The bird, singing a melodious tune, perched on the branch.

Answers:

1. Subject: The book; Predicate: is mine
2. Subject: The students; Predicate: cheered loudly
3. Subject: The car; Predicate: gleamed in the sunlight
4. Subject: My friend; Predicate: plays the guitar beautifully
5. Subject: The house; Predicate: overlooks the valley
6. Subject: The cake; Predicate: was quickly devoured
7. Subject: The dog; Predicate: greeted its owner
8. Subject: The artist; Predicate: created a stunning masterpiece
9. Subject: The teacher; Predicate: helped the student
10. Subject: The bird; Predicate: perched on the branch

Exercise 4: Identifying Subjects and Predicates in Complex Sentences

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in each clause of the following complex sentences. Remember that a complex sentence contains one independent clause (a clause that can stand alone as a sentence) and at least one dependent clause (a clause that cannot stand alone).

1. Although it rained heavily, the game continued.
2. Because she studied diligently, she passed the exam.
3. When the bell rang, the students rushed out.
4. Since he was tired, he went to bed early.
5. After the movie ended, we went home.
6. While I was cooking dinner, the phone rang.
7. Before the sun rose, the birds began to sing.
8. If it snows, we will stay inside.
9. Unless you study hard, you will fail the test.
10. Wherever he goes, he makes friends easily.

Answers:

1. Independent Clause: Subject: the game; Predicate: continued; Dependent Clause: Subject: it; Predicate: rained heavily
2. Independent Clause: Subject: she; Predicate: passed the exam; Dependent Clause: Subject: she; Predicate: studied diligently
3. Independent Clause: Subject: the students; Predicate: rushed out; Dependent Clause: Subject: the bell; Predicate: rang
4. Independent Clause: Subject: he; Predicate: went to bed early; Dependent Clause: Subject: he; Predicate: was tired
5. Independent Clause: Subject: we; Predicate: went home; Dependent Clause: Subject: the movie; Predicate: ended
6. Independent Clause: Subject: the phone; Predicate: rang; Dependent Clause: Subject: I; Predicate: was cooking dinner
7. Independent Clause: Subject: the birds; Predicate: began to sing; Dependent Clause: Subject: the sun; Predicate: rose
8. Independent Clause: Subject: we; Predicate: will stay inside; Dependent Clause: Subject: it; Predicate: snows
9. Independent Clause: Subject: you; Predicate: will fail the test; Dependent Clause: Subject: you; Predicate: study hard
10. Independent Clause: Subject: he; Predicate: makes friends easily; Dependent Clause: Subject: he; Predicate: goes

Exercise 5: Challenging Sentences – Identifying Subjects and Predicates

Instructions: Identify the subject and predicate in the following sentences. These sentences incorporate more complex structures and may require careful analysis.

1. The rapidly approaching storm, with its fierce winds and torrential rain, caused widespread damage.
2. Despite his initial hesitation, John, known for his adventurous spirit, finally decided to climb the mountain.
3. Across the vast, shimmering ocean, the tiny sailboat, barely visible on the horizon, sailed towards the setting sun.
4. Having completed his homework diligently, David, feeling a sense of accomplishment, relaxed with a good book.
5. Not only did she finish the marathon, but she also set a new personal best.

Answers:

1. Subject: The rapidly approaching storm; Predicate: caused widespread damage
2. Subject: John; Predicate: finally decided to climb the mountain
3. Subject: The tiny sailboat; Predicate: sailed towards the setting sun
4. Subject: David; Predicate: relaxed with a good book
5. Subject: she; Predicate: finished the marathon and set a new personal best (Note: This is a compound predicate)

Conclusion: Mastering Subject-Predicate Identification

By completing these exercises, you've significantly strengthened your understanding of subject-predicate identification. Remember that correctly identifying the subject and predicate is crucial for forming clear, concise, and grammatically accurate sentences. Continue to practice identifying subjects and predicates in your own reading and writing to further refine your grammatical skills. Understanding subject-predicate relationships forms the foundation for more advanced grammatical concepts and is essential for effective communication, both written and spoken. Keep practicing, and you'll soon master this fundamental aspect of grammar!