Review exercise: The subject

Try to determine the simple subject (disregarding any modifiers) in the following sentences, then check your answer to see if it is correct.

1. His terror of spiders kept him out of the dark basement.

Answer

Question:
His terror of spiders kept him out of the dark basement.
Answer:
Terror is the simple subject because it answers the question what kept? The adjective his and the phrase of spiders are modifying the simple subject terror.

2. There will be three concerts in the arts centre tonight.

Answer

Question:
There will be three concerts in the arts centre tonight.
Answer:
Concerts is the simple subject because it answers the question what will be? Remember that there is merely signalling that the true subject will follow.

3. Would you willingly exchange half your chocolate bar for a bag of chips?

Answer

Question:
Would you willingly exchange half your chocolate bar for a bag of chips?
Answer:
The pronoun you is the simple subject of the sentence because it answers the question who would exchange?

4. Despite the storm’s destructiveness, the ship, with its novice crew, might have survived in more experienced hands.

Answer

Question:
Despite the storm’s destructiveness, the ship, with its novice crew, might have survived in more experienced hands.
Answer:
The noun ship is the simple subject because it answers the question what might have survived? The phrase with its novice crew modifies the simple subject ship.

5. After the movie, Emma and her brother bought a birthday present for their mother.

Answer

Question:
After the movie, Emma and her brother bought a birthday present for their mother.
Answer:
Emma and brother form the simple subject because they answer the question who bought? This sentence has a compound subject.

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© Department of English, Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa
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