Every complete sentence has two main parts, just like a bicycle has two wheels to run smoothly. These two parts are called the Subject and the Predicate. Understanding them helps us make clear and meaningful sentences. Let's learn to identify these important parts!
Subject and Predicate for Class 5 | With Examples & Exercises
Table of Contents
What is a Subject?
The Subject of a sentence is the person, place, animal, or thing that the sentence is about. It is who or what is doing the action or being described in the sentence.
To find the subject, you can ask the question: "Who?" or "What?" before the verb.
Examples:
- The cat sleeps on the mat. (Who sleeps on the mat? The cat. So, "The cat" is the subject.)
- Rohan plays football. (Who plays football? Rohan. So, "Rohan" is the subject.)
- The beautiful garden has many flowers. (What has many flowers? The beautiful garden. So, "The beautiful garden" is the subject.)
- She is a good dancer. (Who is a good dancer? She. So, "She" is the subject.)
The subject usually comes at the beginning of a sentence, but not always (especially in questions or some types of statements).
What is a Predicate?
The Predicate of a sentence is the part that tells us something about the subject. It usually includes the verb and all the words that come after it, describing what the subject is doing or what is being said about the subject.
To find the predicate, you can ask: "What does the subject do?" or "What is said about the subject?"
Examples:
- The cat sleeps on the mat. (What does the cat do? Sleeps on the mat. So, "sleeps on the mat" is the predicate.)
- Rohan plays football. (What does Rohan do? Plays football. So, "plays football" is the predicate.)
- The beautiful garden has many flowers. (What is said about the beautiful garden? Has many flowers. So, "has many flowers" is the predicate.)
- She is a good dancer. (What is said about her? Is a good dancer. So, "is a good dancer" is the predicate.)
Every complete sentence must have a subject and a predicate.
Let's see some sentences divided into Subject and Predicate:
| Sentence | Subject | Predicate |
|---|---|---|
| The birds are flying in the sky. | The birds | are flying in the sky. |
| My little brother likes to eat ice cream. | My little brother | likes to eat ice cream. |
| Reading books is a good habit. | Reading books | is a good habit. |
| He ran quickly. | He | ran quickly. |
Forms and Functions of a Subject
The subject of a sentence can appear in different forms.
1. Simple Subject
The Simple Subject is the main noun or pronoun that the sentence is about, without any describing words (adjectives, articles, etc.).
Examples:
- The tall boy won the race. (Simple Subject: boy)
- My new red car is very fast. (Simple Subject: car)
- A fluffy kitten played with a ball. (Simple Subject: kitten)
- She sings beautifully. (Simple Subject: She - pronoun)
2. Complete Subject
The Complete Subject includes the simple subject and all the words that modify or describe it (like adjectives, articles, possessive nouns/pronouns, phrases).
Examples:
- The tall boy won the race. (Complete Subject: The tall boy)
- My new red car is very fast. (Complete Subject: My new red car)
- A fluffy kitten played with a ball. (Complete Subject: A fluffy kitten)
- The old house on the hill looked spooky. (Complete Subject: The old house on the hill)
3. Compound Subject
A Compound Subject consists of two or more simple subjects joined by a conjunction (usually 'and', 'or') that share the same verb.
Examples:
- Rohan and Priya are playing chess. (Subjects: Rohan, Priya)
- The cat and the dog sleep near the fireplace. (Subjects: cat, dog)
- My brother or my sister will help you. (Subjects: brother, sister)
- Apples, bananas, and oranges are fruits. (Subjects: Apples, bananas, oranges)
When subjects are joined by 'and', they usually take a plural verb. When joined by 'or' or 'nor', the verb agrees with the subject closer to it (this is more about subject-verb agreement, but it's related to compound subjects).
Function of the Subject: The main function of the subject is to tell who or what performs the action of the verb or who or what is being described by the verb.
Let's Recall: Subject and Predicate
- Every complete sentence has two main parts: a Subject and a Predicate.
- The Subject is who or what the sentence is about. Ask "Who?" or "What?" before the verb to find it.
- The Predicate tells something about the subject. It includes the verb and other words that complete the thought.
- Simple Subject: The main noun or pronoun in the subject.
- Complete Subject: The simple subject + all its describing words.
- Compound Subject: Two or more subjects joined by a conjunction, sharing the same verb.
Exercises on Subject and Predicate for Class 5
Exercise 1: Identify the Subject and Predicate
Read each sentence. Draw a line to separate the Subject from the Predicate. Underline the Simple Subject once and the main verb in the predicate twice.
Example: The little kitten | played with a yarn ball.
- The bright sun shines in the sky.
- My best friend lives next door.
- Colorful birds sing sweetly in the morning.
- The old, wise owl hooted at night.
- She baked a delicious cake for the party.
- Reading adventure stories is exciting.
- He and his brother went to the park.
Answers: 1. The bright sun | shines in the sky. 2. My best friend | lives next door. 3. Colorful birds | sing sweetly in the morning. 4. The old, wise owl | hooted at night. 5. She | baked a delicious cake for the party. 6. Reading adventure stories | is exciting. (or "Reading adventure stories" as complete subject, "stories" as simple subject if focusing on noun, or "Reading" as gerund subject) 7. He and his brother | went to the park. (Compound simple subjects: He, brother)
Exercise 2: Match Subject to Predicate
Match the Subjects in Column A with the suitable Predicates in Column B.
| Column A (Subject) | Column B (Predicate) |
|---|---|
| 1. The playful puppies | (a) is my favourite subject. |
| 2. My grandmother | (b) are flying south for the winter. |
| 3. English | (c) tells wonderful stories. |
| 4. The migrating geese | (d) barked at the mailman. |
| 5. A fast car | (e) zoomed down the road. |
Answers: 1-d, 2-c, 3-a, 4-b, 5-e
Exercise 3: Add a Predicate
Complete the sentences by adding a suitable predicate to the given subjects.
- The big, green frog ____________________________________.
- My new bicycle ____________________________________.
- She and her friend ____________________________________.
- The stars in the night sky ____________________________________.
- Eating healthy food ____________________________________.
(Answers will vary. Example answers: 1. ...jumped into the pond. 2. ...is red and shiny. 3. ...are playing together. 4. ...twinkle brightly. 5. ...is good for health.)
Quizzes on Subject and Predicate for Class 5
Let's check your understanding!
Quiz 1: Find the Simple Subject
Choose the simple subject in each sentence.
- The happy children played in the park.
(a) The happy children (b) children (c) played - My elder sister sings very well.
(a) My elder sister (b) sister (c) sings - A small, brown dog chased the ball.
(a) dog (b) A small, brown dog (c) chased - He is a very smart boy.
(a) He (b) boy (c) smart boy
Answers Quiz 1: 1. (b), 2. (b), 3. (a), 4. (a)
Quiz 2: Identify the Predicate
Choose the complete predicate in each sentence.
- The bright yellow sun shines warmly.
(a) The bright yellow sun (b) shines warmly (c) shines - Our school team won the championship.
(a) Our school team (b) won (c) won the championship - The delicious pizza arrived late.
(a) arrived late (b) The delicious pizza (c) arrived - My parents and I are going to the zoo.
(a) My parents and I (b) are going (c) are going to the zoo
Answers Quiz 2: 1. (b), 2. (c), 3. (a), 4. (c)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Can a sentence have only one word as a subject?
Yes! A pronoun (like He, She, It, They) or a single noun can be the subject. For example, in "She laughed," 'She' is the subject. In "Birds fly," 'Birds' is the subject.
Q2: Does the subject always come before the predicate?
Usually, yes, especially in simple statements. However, in questions (e.g., "Are you coming?") or sentences starting with 'Here' or 'There' (e.g., "Here comes the bus."), the subject might appear after the verb or in the middle of the predicate.
Q3: What is the difference between a simple subject and a complete subject?
The simple subject is the main noun or pronoun the sentence is about (e.g., 'girl' in "The little girl sang."). The complete subject includes the simple subject and all the words that describe it (e.g., "The little girl").
Worksheet Ideas on Subject and Predicate for Class 5
Here are some ideas for worksheets to practice Subject and Predicate:
- Divide the Sentence: Provide sentences and ask students to draw a line separating the complete subject from the complete predicate.
- Underline Subject/Predicate: Ask students to underline the complete subject once and the complete predicate twice in given sentences.
- Find the Simple Subject: Give sentences with complete subjects and ask students to identify and write down only the simple subject.
- Add a Subject/Predicate: Provide either a subject or a predicate and ask students to complete the sentence by adding the missing part.
- Sentence Scramble: Give jumbled words that form a sentence. Students arrange them correctly and then identify the subject and predicate.
- Picture Prompts: Show pictures and ask students to write a sentence about each picture, then identify the subject and predicate in their sentences.
About the Author: Anurag Jain
The Creator, Coder, and Educator behind Deepgyan.com
Qualified Company Secretary by education and teacher by heart, he is the sole force behind Deepgyan.com – the author, creator, developer, and promoter.
