CBSE Class 5 English Subject and Predicate Notes Set 01

What is a sentence made of?

Every complete sentence has two main parts: the subject and the predicate. The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about. The predicate tells us what the subject does or what is said about the subject. Together they express a complete thought.

Example: A ball | rolls on the ground. Here 'A ball' is the subject and 'rolls on the ground' is the predicate.

The subject

The subject is the person, animal, place or thing that does the action of the verb or that the sentence describes. It can be a noun, a pronoun or a group of words that works like a noun. Words that describe the subject, such as articles, adjectives and other describing words, belong to the subject and must not be separated from it.

1. I live in Mumbai. (a pronoun)
2. Lucy is playing the piano. (a noun)
3. A little blue bird sat on the tree. (a noun with an article and adjectives)
4. The hive of bees is full of honey. (a group of words)

How to find the subject

Find the verb first. Then ask 'Who?' or 'What?' before the verb. The answer is the subject. In the sentence 'The branch of the tree broke', the verb is 'broke'. Who or what broke? The branch of the tree. So the complete subject is 'The branch of the tree'.

The predicate

The predicate always contains a verb. It may also contain objects, adverbs and other words that tell more about the subject. It is everything in the sentence other than the subject.

1. The children played in the park.
2. My grandmother tells wonderful stories.
3. The train arrived late.

Where does the subject come in a sentence?

In most sentences the subject comes first and the predicate follows. But this is not always so.

1. Subject after the predicate: 'Here comes the teacher.' The subject is 'the teacher'.
2. Subject in the middle: 'Yesterday after lunch the students were complaining about the short recess.' The subject is 'the students'.

The subject in different kinds of sentences

1. Question: Have they bought the books? The subject is 'they'. Turn the question into a statement ('They have bought the books') to see it clearly.
2. Command (imperative): Sit down. Open the door. The subject is 'you', which is understood but not written.
3. Exclamation: How foolish you are! The subject is 'you'. In 'What a beautiful picture it is!' the subject is 'it'.

Worked examples

Example 1. Identify the subject and predicate: Cinderella and her ugly stepsisters danced at the party.
The verb is 'danced'. Who danced? 'Cinderella and her ugly stepsisters'. This is the subject. 'danced at the party' is the predicate.

Example 2. Find the subject: Would you like to have coffee?
Rewrite as 'You would like to have coffee.' The subject is 'you'.

Example 3. Find the subject: Please close the door.
This is a request or command. The subject 'you' is understood, so the subject is 'you' (not written).

Remember

1. A sentence needs a subject and a predicate.
2. The predicate always has a verb.
3. Describing words joined to the subject belong to the subject.
4. In commands the subject is 'you'.

Quick Check Questions

Answer each question.