Finding subjects and verbs in clauses

1. Finding Subjects andVerbs
The subject is the person, place, thing or idea
that the sentence is about. Or, in the case of a
sentence with more than one clause, it is the
person, place, thing or idea that the clause is
about.
What is
What is

2. Typically, a subject is followed by a verb.
[In the following examples, the subject is bold and the verb is underlined.]
Pamela sang a song at her sister’s wedding.

3. To determine the simple verb, ask what action the
subject preformed, is performing or will perform
without including the object of the action.
Before visiting the library, Stephen did considerable research on-line.
Without considering the object of the action (research)
we know that Stephen did

4. To determine the subject, ignore phrases that are
not connected to the subject and verb.The subject
exists because it has a verb.
Griffin’s soccer ball rolled into the street
Don’t get mislead by modifiers.The BALL is the thing doing something here,
not GRIFFIN or SOCCER.

5. Be careful not to choose objects of prepositions as
subjects. Objects cannot be subjects. Objects
generally follow prepositions like of, for, to, etc.

6. There can be more than one subject in a
sentence; more than one subject in a single
independent clause.
Frank and Elise decided to attend the lecture
To determine the subject, identify the verb and determine who or what is
“doing” that verb.

7. Introductory phrases will not include a subject.
Ignore them when trying to identify the subject.
For many employees, neither vacation nor sick leave is available.
There is no action in this sentence, so ask what thing IS NOT AVAILABLE

8. More than one independent clause
Until sundown, the temperature will be comfortable, and the bugs will not bother us.
Unless WILL is used as a noun—e.g. “He wrote his will”—it is most likely a helping verb.
A helping verb assists a main verb, and they both exist to serve a subject. UseWILL to
lead you back to the subject.Who or whatWILL?
Clause 1 Clause 2

9. A subordinate clause and independent clause
Although speeding seems exciting, speeders run the risk of tickets as well as injury.
With subordinate clauses, it can be misleading to ask what the sentence is about.
Instead, determine the verbs and connect them with their respective subjects.
Subordinate Clause Independent Clause

10. An independent clause with a restrictive or
nonrestrictive dependent clause.
The dog that chased the cat into your backyard crashed into the fence.
In this type of sentence, the main clause surrounds the dependent clause.THE
DOG CRASHED INTOTHE FENSE is the main clause.
Dependent
Clause
Main Clause

11. Before nightfall, the boy who broke the bike returned with a
replacement.
The subject of the dependent clause in this type of sentence is a
relative pronoun that relates to the noun preceding it. WHO
BROKE THE BIKE is the dependent clause. WHO is the subject of
the clause.

12. Why did you not ask the girl who locked the door to open it?
In question form, the subject and verb do not follow the standard
subject, verb, complement order. YOU is the subject of the
independent clause. WHO is the subject of the dependent clause.