Difference between revisions of "Subject"
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{{Grammar}} | {{Grammar}} | ||
| − | The '''Subject''' is an element of a Clause. It is the the person or thing that is 'doing' or 'being' the action, or state, of the Verb. These are usually in the order S + V: e.g. "I think"; "she sings"; "we shall play" (note that the Verb here is a Verb Phrase, of two words); "they have been punished "(here, a three-word Verb); etc. Subjects can also be Phrases (Noun Phrases), and have any number of words: "'''The man''' spoke"; "'''the tall man''' spoke"; "'''the very tall man with spectacles''' spoke"; "'''a bus''' came"; "'''a red bus''' came; "'''a red number 49 bus with a dent on the left of its body''' came"; etc. | + | The '''Subject''' is an element of a Clause. It is the the person or thing that is 'doing' or 'being' the action, or state, of the Verb. These are usually in the order S + V: e.g. "I think"; "she sings"; "we shall play" (note that the Verb here is a Verb Phrase, of two words); "they have been punished "(here, a three-word Verb); etc. Subjects can also be Phrases (Noun Phrases), and have any number of words: |
| + | * "'''The man''' spoke"; | ||
| + | * "'''the tall man''' spoke"; | ||
| + | * "'''the very tall man with spectacles''' spoke"; | ||
| + | * "'''a bus''' came"; | ||
| + | * "'''a red bus''' came; | ||
| + | * "'''a red number 49 bus with a dent on the left of its body''' came"; etc. | ||
In a sense, the Subject is what or whom we are talking about - but this is not always true in Grammar. For example, the words ''it'' and ''there'' are often the grammatical Subject of a Clause (e.g. "'''It''' is raining"; "'''there''' were three of them"; etc.); but they are certainly not the "subjects" in the everyday 'logical' sense: these words do not actually mean anything. We sometimes call them '''Dummy Subjects'''. | In a sense, the Subject is what or whom we are talking about - but this is not always true in Grammar. For example, the words ''it'' and ''there'' are often the grammatical Subject of a Clause (e.g. "'''It''' is raining"; "'''there''' were three of them"; etc.); but they are certainly not the "subjects" in the everyday 'logical' sense: these words do not actually mean anything. We sometimes call them '''Dummy Subjects'''. | ||
Revision as of 14:23, 20 April 2007
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The Subject is an element of a Clause. It is the the person or thing that is 'doing' or 'being' the action, or state, of the Verb. These are usually in the order S + V: e.g. "I think"; "she sings"; "we shall play" (note that the Verb here is a Verb Phrase, of two words); "they have been punished "(here, a three-word Verb); etc. Subjects can also be Phrases (Noun Phrases), and have any number of words:
- "The man spoke";
- "the tall man spoke";
- "the very tall man with spectacles spoke";
- "a bus came";
- "a red bus came;
- "a red number 49 bus with a dent on the left of its body came"; etc.
In a sense, the Subject is what or whom we are talking about - but this is not always true in Grammar. For example, the words it and there are often the grammatical Subject of a Clause (e.g. "It is raining"; "there were three of them"; etc.); but they are certainly not the "subjects" in the everyday 'logical' sense: these words do not actually mean anything. We sometimes call them Dummy Subjects.
