Subjects and Predicates Grammar Skill

Subjects and predicates are the two main parts of a complete sentence. Together, they explain who or what the sentence is about and what that subject is doing.

Understanding subjects and predicates helps students write clear sentences, avoid fragments, and improve overall grammar accuracy. This skill is essential for reading comprehension and writing development.

This skills hub explains how subjects and predicates work, provides examples, and connects students to practice activities.

For practice, visit our Subjects and Predicates Worksheets to reinforce sentence structure skills.

Examples of Subjects and Predicates

Every complete sentence has a subject and a predicate. The subject tells who or what the sentence is about, and the predicate tells what the subject does or is.

• The cat slept on the couch.
• My best friend plays basketball after school.
• The students completed their homework.
• The tall tree fell during the storm.
• She is reading a book.

In each example, the bold words show the subject, and the italicized words show the predicate.

---

Subjects and Predicates Quiz

Choose the correct answer.

1. Which part of the sentence is the subject?
   The dog ran across the yard.
   The dog ran across the yard across the yard
2. Which part is the predicate?
   The students finished their work.
   The students finished their work their work
3. Which sentence is complete?
   The bird flew away. After the bell Running quickly
4. What is the simple subject in this sentence?
   The small brown dog barked loudly.
   dog small brown barked
5. Which sentence is missing a predicate?
   The girl with the red backpack The girl smiled. The girl ran home.

---

Subjects

The subject of a sentence tells who or what the sentence is about. Subjects are usually nouns or pronouns.

Predicates

The predicate explains what the subject does or is. It always includes a verb and may include objects or descriptive words.

Simple vs. Complete Subjects and Predicates

A simple subject is the main noun or pronoun. A complete subject includes all words that describe it.

A simple predicate is the verb. A complete predicate includes the verb and all words that complete its meaning.

Why Subjects and Predicates Matter

Understanding subjects and predicates helps students avoid sentence fragments, write clearer sentences, and improve grammar accuracy in both writing and reading.