This document discusses the functions of nouns, noun clauses, gerunds, and infinitives used as nouns in the nominative case. It defines each part of speech and provides examples of how they can function as subjects and subject complements (also called predicate nouns) in sentences. Examples are given to illustrate identifying the subject and predicate noun in sentences containing these parts of speech.

1. FUNCTIONS OF
NOUNS, NOUN CLAUSES,
GERUNDS, and INFINITIVES USED
AS NOUNS – Nominative Case

2. • A noun is a name word; a noun will name a person, place, thing or
idea.
• Nouns can be singular (naming one) or plural (naming more than
one)
• Nouns name concrete people, places and things, and abstract
ideas.
• Common nouns are general words, and proper nouns name
specifics, and must begin with a capital letter.
Voyages pgs. 3-5

3. • A noun is a word that
names a person, place, thing or idea
Betty will earn the trophy.
• A noun clause is a dependent (or subordinate) clause
that names a person, place, thing or idea.
Whoever wins the tournament will earn whatever prize is
offered.

4. • A gerund is a verb form ending in –ing that functions as a
noun, so – a gerund names a person, place, thing or idea.
Writing poetry can be fulfilling.
• An infinitive is a verb form preceded by to. When it is used
as a noun, an infinitive names a person, place, thing or idea.
To write poetry can be fulfilling.

5. • In nominative case, nouns, noun clauses, gerunds and
infinitives can function as a subject or as a subject
complement (aka predicate noun)

6. SUBJECTS
• The subject tells who or what the sentence is about
• The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea
that is doing or being something

7. * To find the subject, first find the verb. Ask the question, "Who or
what did this action or is/was?" The answer to that question is the
subject.
1. Every Mother’s Day, Carmella serves her mother breakfast. (noun)
2. Whichever movie you pick is fine with me. (noun clause)
3. Voting is a privilege as well as a responsibility. (gerund)
4. To act on a Broadway stage has always been Helen’s dream.
(infinitive)

8. • Find the SUBJECT of each sentence.
1. How you learn matters a great deal.
2. Learning about other cultures makes people more tolerant.
3. Students here work together often.
4. On Independence Day, Americans celebrate with fireworks.
5. To speak several languages can be an advantage.
6. In the 1980s watching MTV was a new pastime.
7. What Billy did yesterday shocked his friends.
8. To save money for college takes many years.
9. Around 1320, poet Dante Alighieri completed his masterpiece, The Divine
Comedy.
10. Whoever took my coffee cup will pay dearly!

9. SUBJECT COMPLEMENTS
(Predicate Nouns)
• A noun (or pronoun) that renames the subject after a being verb is a
type of subject complement called a predicate noun.

10. • To find a predicate noun, first find the being verb, then ask
“is/was/will be…what?”
• The being verb acts as an equal sign - the
Predicate noun is equal (the same as) the subject
Ricky is a great cook.
Ricky = cook/ cook = Ricky. 
Let’s review those being verbs:
Am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
(for predicate nouns,
look for became, become, remain too.)

11. Subject - Being Verb - Predicate Noun
1. Winston Churchill was an officer in the British army. (noun)
2. The winner will be whoever answers the most questions correctly.
(noun clause)
3. My goal is to publish a book of poetry. (infinitive)
4. Franco’s hobbies are reading and bowling. (gerund)

12. • Find the PREDICATE NOUN of each sentence
1. Andy’s main interest is watching football.
2. Bernie’s only option was to tell the truth.
3. I became a teacher in 1990.
4. George’s excuse was that he had overslept.
5. Opus’ Christmas wish was to fly like other birds.
6. The African elephant is the largest land animal in the world.
7. One mystery is what happened to the lost city of Atlantis.
8. Kate’s favorite tradition at Christmas is baking cookies.
9. Your job is to organize these files alphabetically.
10.The scholarship winners are whichever students submitted essays.