Master three most common subjects in English

The subject is an important component of a sentence. What are subjects in English? What role does it play in a sentence? Let's dive into the concept, structure, and forms of the subjects in English in the following article together with PREP!

I. What are subjects in English?

The subject in English is one of the five main components of a sentence, necessary in affirmative, negative, and interrogative clauses. The subject typically functions as the doer or agent of an action. In terms of form, the subject is usually a noun or a noun phrase. Below are some subject examples:

• My dad just gave me a book for my birthday. 
• She failed the college entrance exam. 

II. The position of subjects in English sentences

The position of the subject in a sentence depends on the type of sentence as follows:

• In an affirmative sentence (declarative clause), the subject comes before the verb. For example: "I just returned home after 3 years of studying abroad."
• In a question (interrogative clause), the subject comes after the auxiliary verb or the modal verb and before the main verb. For example: "Are you coming to my birthday party tonight?"
• In an exclamation (exclamatory clause), the subject comes after "How" or "What" and before the verb. For example: "How beautiful you are!"

III. The types of the subjects in English 

What are the common types of subjects in English grammar? Below is a comprehensive compilation of the most complete types of subject in English that you should refer to!

1. Noun/noun phrase

This is the most common form of the subject in English. Here are some examples for your better visualization:

• My carelessness hurt my sister.
• My bag was broken. 

2. Pronoun

The subject in an English sentence is often a pronoun. For example:

• She did her homework. 
• He drove 10 hours to get home. 

3. Gerund 

The subject in an English sentence can also be a gerund. For example:

• Swimming is my favorite form of exercise. 
• Reading is a good way to get more knowledge.

4. Full clause

In addition, the subject in English can also have the structure of a full clause. For example:

• That he forgot his keys caused him to be late for the meeting.
• That she passed the exam was a great relief for her parents.

5. Direct quote 

A less common case of the subject form in English is the direct quotation. For example:

• “I will finish before the weekend” is the promise she told me about this job. 
• “I love you” is his confession. 

6. Prepositional phrase 

The prepositional phrase is a rare form of the subject. For example:

• After dinner is too late. 
• At the corner of the street is a restaurant. 

7. To V

The subject in some cases can take the form of a "to-V" structure, also known as the infinitive form with "to". For example:

• To win the award is my wish.
• To succeed is my goal. 

IV. Non-subject cases

The most common case where the subject in English is not explicitly used or implied is in imperative sentences. In such sentences, the subject, typically "you" is implied as the sentence is directed toward the listener or reader. Here are some examples:

• Don’t step on the grass. 
• No smoking. 

V. Dummy subject in English

A dummy subject in English is a pronoun that appears at the beginning of a sentence and serves as the subject grammatically, but it does not refer to a specific object. It is used to fulfill the syntactic requirements of a sentence. Here are some examples:

• It is so exhausting to walk around the park.
• There are many oranges on the tree. 

VI. Some notes on English subjects

A crucial point to consider while using a subject is to match the verb conjugation with the correct person, whether it's the first person or the third person. The subject needs to be mindful of the variety of verb forms throughout all tenses. For example:

• She has a beautiful dress! 
• You have a beautiful dress. 

VII. Exercises in subjects in English

Below are some exercises to practice identifying subjects in English that you can use to enhance your knowledge effectively.

Exercise 1: Identify the type of subject in the following sentences:

Exercise 2: Underline the subject in the following sentences:

• The cup of coffee on the table is hers.
• An old lady just walked into the restaurant.
• That they need more drafts is unauthorized. 
• Going out with my friends is my favorite activity. 
• The boy who wears brown shorts is my brother.

Answer keys:

Exercise 1:

• Noun
• Pronoun 
• Clause 
• Gerund

Exercise 2:

• The cup of coffee on the table is hers.
• An old lady just walked into the restaurant.
• That they need more drafts is unauthorized. 
• Going out with my friends is my favorite activity. 
• The boy who wears brown shorts is my brother.

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