One interesting thing about grammar is that we may often use it correctly without even realizing how or why. In other words, we might know the best way to apply a word or a phrase even if we can’t explain it.<\/p>\n
As natural to us as the air that we breathe, simple subjects appear in our writing and speech every day. In this discussion, we’ll define what they are and review a few examples.<\/p>\n
A simple subject is a noun word or group of noun words that tell you what a sentence is about. It is the who or what that is performing the action in a sentence (as communicated by a verb). The simple subject also is not modified: It is the sentence subject standing alone.<\/p>\n
Consider the following sentences:<\/p>\n
Wolves<\/u> howl in the night.<\/em><\/p>\n
Roaming wolves<\/u> howl in the night.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Both sentences have wolves <\/em>as the simple subject. You’ll also note that the first sentence subject is unmodified. The second sentence subject is modified by roaming, <\/em>which is not part of the simple subject.<\/p>\n
Let’s look at another example:<\/p>\n
Tyrell<\/u> and Priscilla<\/u> heard the wolves howl in the night.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This sentence has two simple subjects (also referred to as a compound subject). Tyrell and Priscilla both performed the action of hearing the wolves howl.<\/p>\n
The simple subject can include as many unmodified nouns as needed for the sentence:<\/p>\n
Tyrell<\/u>, Ellie<\/u>, and Priscilla<\/u> heard the wolves howl in the night.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This sentence has three simple subjects: Tyrell, Ellie, and Priscilla.<\/p>\n
A simple subject also can be a compound noun<\/a> (e.g., living room<\/em>, high school<\/em>, post office<\/em>):<\/p>\n
The living room<\/u> is at the back of the house.<\/em><\/p>\n
The high school<\/u> is opening for the fall semester in the first week of September.<\/em><\/p>\n
The post office<\/u> offers priority shipping.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In each of these sentences, the simple subject is formed by two words that create a combined singular unit. The first word (living, high, post<\/em>) is not a modifier but rather a component of the compound.<\/p>\n
Why Do Simple Subjects Matter for Grammar?<\/h2>\n
Simple subjects are important because they help us determine whether verbs should be singular or plural. A singular simple subject will have a singular verb. A plural simple subject will have a plural verb.<\/p>\n
Examples<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
The high school<\/u> is<\/u> opening for the fall semester in the first week of September.<\/em><\/p>\n
The high schools<\/u> are<\/u> opening for the fall semester in the first week of September.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n