What is Subject? – Definition, Use and Examples

What is Subject?

What is a subject? 

The subject is the person or thing about whom a sentence or clause is talking. It is frequently the performer of action, also known as the man of action or agent.

Definition-1

A subject is a person, place, thing, or idea that is being discussed or dealt with in a particular situation. It is often the focus of a conversation or piece of writing, and it is typically the noun or pronoun that performs the action of a verb in a sentence.

Example

• In the sentence “The cat chased the mouse,” the subject is “cat,” because it is the one performing the action of chasing.
• In the sentence “John is running,” the subject is “John,” because he is the one doing the action of running.

Definition-2

Subjects can be simple or compound, and they can be singular or plural. 

Example

• In the sentence “The cat and the mouse are running,” the subject is compound and plural because it consists of two nouns (“cat” and “mouse”) and they are both performing the action of running.

There are Several Types of Subjects in English Grammar

Simple subject

• This is the main noun or pronoun that performs the action described by the verb. 

Example:

 In the sentence “The cat is sleeping on the couch,” the simple subject is “cat.”

Complete subject 

This includes the simple subject and all of the words that modify it. 

Example:

• In the sentence “The fluffy white cat is sleeping on the couch,” the complete subject is “The fluffy white cat.”

Compound subject

• This is a subject made up of two or more simple subjects that are joined by a conjunction (such as “and” or “or”).

Example:

• In the sentence “The fluffy white cat is sleeping on the couch,” the complete subject is “The fluffy white cat.”

Indefinite subject 

• This is a subject that does not refer to a specific person or thing, such as “everyone,” “nobody,” or “something.” 

Example:

• In the sentence “Everyone is welcome at the party,” the indefinite subject is “everyone.”

Collective subject 

• This is a subject that refers to a group of people or things as a single unit. 

Example:

• In the sentence “The team is practicing today,” the collective subject is “team.”

Abstract subject 

• This is a subject that refers to an idea, concept, or quality rather than a concrete person or thing. 

Example:

•  In the sentence “Friendship is important,” the abstract subject is “friendship.”

Use of Subject

In English grammar, the subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action described by the verb in a sentence. The subject is usually placed at the beginning of the sentence and is the focus of the sentence.

Example:

• The cat is sleeping on the couch. (The subject is “cat.”) 
• She is going to the store. (The subject is “she.”) 
• The boys are playing soccer. (The subject is “boys.”)

In English, the subject is usually a noun or pronoun, but it can also be a noun phrase (a group of words that functions as a noun) or a clause (a group of words that contains a subject and a verb).

Example

• Noun phrase: “The small brown cat that lives next door slept on the couch.” (“The small brown cat that lives next door” is the subject of the sentence.) 
• Clause: “Who slept on the couch?” (“Who” is the subject of the clause and the sentence.)

The subject is an important part of a sentence because it tells us who or what is performing the action. It is often accompanied by a verb and may also be modified by adjectives or other modifiers.

Example

• The fluffy white cat is sleeping on the couch. (The subject is “cat,” and it is modified by the adjectives “fluffy” and “white.”) 
• She, the talented dancer, is going to the store. (The subject is “she,” and it is modified by the noun phrase “the talented dancer.”)
  

How To identify the subject in a sentence, you can follow these steps.

• Find the verb in the sentence. The subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action described by the verb.
• Determine if the verb is active or passive. In an active sentence, the subject is the doer of the action. In a passive sentence, the subject is the receiver of the action.
• Look for any words that modify the subject, such as adjectives or articles (like “the” or “a”). These words usually come before the subject.
• If the sentence has a compound subject (two or more subjects joined by a conjunction), be sure to include all of the subjects in your answer.

Examples

• The cat is sleeping on the couch. (The verb is “is sleeping,” and the subject is “cat.”) 
• The couch was destroyed by the cat. (The verb is “was destroyed,” and the subject is “couch.” This is a passive sentence, so the subject is the receiver of the action.)
• The fluffy white cat is sleeping on the couch. (The verb is “is sleeping,” and the subject is “The fluffy white cat.” The adjectives “fluffy” and “white” modify the subject.)
• The cat and the dog are sleeping on the couch. (The verb is “are sleeping,” and the compound subject is “The cat and the dog.”)
  

Quiz on Subject

Q 1. Which of the following sentences has a subject and a verb?

 A. The cat chased the mouse. 

B. A fluffy white kitten. 

C. Across the street. 

D. It is raining today.

Q 2. In the sentence “The cat chased the mouse,” what is the subject? 

A. The cat 

B. The 

C. Mouse 

D. Chased

Q 3. In the sentence “She is singing a song,” what is the verb?

A. She 

B. Is 

C. Singing 

D. Song

Q 4. In the sentence “The sun is shining brightly,” what is the subject? 

A. The sun 

B. Is 

C. Shining 

D. brightly

Q 5. In the sentence “He is playing soccer,” what is the verb? 

A. He 

B. Is 

C. Playing 

D. Soccer

Answers: 

1. A
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. C

FAQ

Here are Some Commonly Asked Questions about the Subject in English Grammar

Q 1. What is the subject in a sentence? 

Ans. The subject in a sentence is the noun or pronoun that is doing or being something. It usually comes before the verb and is the focus of the sentence.

Q 2. What is the definition of a subject?

Ans. A subject is a person, place, thing, or idea that is being discussed or dealt with in a particular situation. It is often the focus of a conversation or piece of writing, and it is typically the noun or pronoun that performs the action of a verb in a sentence.

Q 3. How do I find the subject in a sentence? 

Ans. To find the subject in a sentence, look for the noun or pronoun that is doing the action or being described. It is usually the first noun or pronoun in a sentence.

Q 4. Can the subject of a sentence be a noun phrase? 

Ans. Yes, the subject of a sentence can be a noun phrase, which is a group of words that functions as a noun and gives more information about the noun.

Q 5. Can the subject of a sentence be a clause? 

Ans. Yes, the subject of a sentence can also be a clause, which is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and can stand on its own as a complete thought. 

Q 6. What is the difference between the subject and the object in a sentence? 

Ans. The subject is the noun or pronoun that is doing or being something, while the object is the noun or pronoun that is receiving the action. 

For example, in the sentence “She threw the ball,” “she” is the subject and “the ball” is the object. 

Q 7. What are some examples of the subject?

Ans. Here are some examples of subjects:
“The dog barked at the mailman.” – In this sentence, the subject is “dog,” because it is the one performing the action of barking. 
“Mary and her sister went shopping.” – In this sentence, the subject is “Mary and her sister,” because they are the ones performing the action of going shopping. 
“The leaves fell from the trees.” – In this sentence, the subject is “leaves,” because they are the ones performing the action of falling. 
“The teacher graded the exams.” – In this sentence, the subject is “teacher,” because it is the one performing the action of grading. 
“The wind blew through the open window.” – In this sentence, the subject is “wind,” because it is the one performing the action of blowing.