Many of you may remember the classic scene in the 1996 blockbuster Jerry Maguire where Jerry wins back Dorothy by professing his love for her and saying, "You complete me." I'd like us to think about complete sentences in terms of that quotable line. Complete sentences may not seem nearly as romantic or compelling; however, in every complete sentence there is a relationship between the subject and the predicate, very much like Jerry and Dorothy's relationship.
Complete sentences are made of two parts: the subject and the predicate.
The subject is the noun (person, place or thing) or pronoun that the sentence says something about. The subject is the person or thing that acts or is described in the sentence.
- Jerry promised to show his client the money.
The sentence is about Jerry, so Jerry is the subject. Jerry is the one acting in the sentence.
The predicate is the verb - the action or description. The predicate in a sentence is what the noun does or what that noun is. It tells us something about the subject.
- Jerry promised his client the money.
What did Jerry do? In this sentence, "promised" is the predicate: it is what Jerry did.
When defining these parts of a sentence, ask yourself, "Who does what?" The "who" is usually your subject and the "what" is your predicate. Try it on these examples:
- Annabelle and her colleagues attended the training. (Annabelle and her colleagues = the subject; attended = the predicate)
- The HR department administers policies and handles payroll. (HR department = the subjec; administers and handles = the predicate)
Remember complete sentences need both a subject and a predicate. Imagine the subject as Jerry Maguire, saying to the predicate, "I love you. You...you complete me."
Want to test your knowledge? Here's a great game about subjects and predicates: http://www.quia.com/rr/36764.html
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