Simple and Complete Subjects
Identifying the simple and the complete subject in a sentence can help you correctly use a singular or a plural verb. The verb must agree with the simple subject.
- A number of items
is/are missing.simple subject = “items” (use a plural verb) - The number of cases is/
arerising.simple subject = “number” (use a singular verb)
The subject as we know is whom or what the sentence is about: it is often someone performing an action but it can also be what a state or event refers to or even simply the person or thing being described. Below we discuss how to separate the simple from the complete subject in a sentence and then use the correct verb with it.
While teachers often categorize subjects as simple and complete, most grammarians do not; indeed, in complex sentences, this is hard to do. However, the distinction can still be useful to students of English, since it can help ensure subject-verb agreement.
Simple subject
The simple subject is the central word (also called the head) of the noun phrase or clause that serves as the subject of the sentence.
- My friend is a writer.
The subject is the noun phrase “my friend.” The central word here is “friend,” while the word “my” provides additional meaning. The simple subject is therefore “friend.”
- The little shop around the corner is gone.
- Farley’s sister is an astronaut.
- The cat they brought home from the shelter was white with black spots.
- The things I want are many and varied.
The simple subject can be a proper or a common noun or a pronoun.
- Minerva Dash is a famous architect. (proper noun)
- Is your mother home? (common noun)
- My neighbor, who’s a superhero, has lost her cape. (common noun)
- You can ask for help if you need it. (pronoun)
Complete subject
A complete subject is the simple subject along with its modifiers, which are all the other words that accompany the simple subject to act as the subject of the sentence.
- My friend is a writer.
- The little shop around the corner is gone.
- Farley’s sister is an astronaut.
- The cat we adopted from the shelter was white with black spots.
- Is your mother home?
- My neighbor, who’s a superhero, has lost her cape.
Sometimes the complete subject is the same as the simple subject.
- Minerva Dash is a famous architect.
The name of this person is both the simple and the complete subject. It is not accompanied by any other words or modifiers.
- You can ask for help if you need it.
An easy way to identify the complete subject is to remove the predicate from the sentence. Everything other than the predicate is the complete subject. (The predicate begins at the verb.)
- This Italian dish is delicious.
Complete subject: This Italian dish
is delicious. - The chef, who’s Italian, is an artist.
Complete subject: The chef, who’s Italian,is an artist.
Verb agreement with simple subject
Identifying the simple subject in a sentence can help ensure subject-verb agreement. Whether you use a singular or a plural verb in a sentence depends on whether its subject is singular or plural. In long sentences, finding the word the verb should agree with can be confusing. Identify the simple subject, and make sure the verb used agrees with it.
- One of the candidates submitting applications is/
areon the phone.The simple subject (head of the noun phrase) is the noun one, which is singular. Ignore all the other words in the complete subject, and use the singular verb is. - The number of people looking for jobs has/
havegone up.The simple subject is number (singular). - A number of people, one of whom looks furious,
is/are waiting in your office.A number of is a phrase that acts as an adjective, like many. The head of the noun phrase “a number of people” is therefore people, not number. - My neighbors, whom I have known since childhood,
is/are moving to Thailand.The simple subject is neighbors (plural).