The subject in English: types and means of expression

A subject in English is a part of a sentence, which indicates a person or thing that is the main focus of the sentence. It not only performs actions but can also serve as the object, the recipient of actions, or be described by other parts of the sentence. 

To construct accurate and comprehensible sentences in English, it is essential to understand the different types of subjects, how they are expressed, and how to identify them within sentences.

Contents

1. Subject types in English
    1.1. Simple Subject
    1.2. Compound Subject
    1.3. Complete Subject
2. Means of expression
3. Formal subject in English
    3.1. It
    3.2. There
    3.3. One
    3.4. You, We, They
4. How to find the subject in English sentences
5. Check yourself

Subject types in English

In the English language, there are three main types of subjects:

• Simple Subject;
• Compound Subject;
• Complete Subject.

However, as it is an integral part of all sentences, except the imperative mood, there is distinguished one more type – Dummy Subject.

Simple Subject

A simple subject consists of one word, typically a noun (either proper or common) or a pronoun.

• Olena is watching a movie.
• Children love playing with animals.
• They are students.

Compound Subject

A compound subject consists of two or more simple subjects that are connected to one predicate verb. In English, the elements of a compound subject are linked by a coordinating conjunction.

• Mum and I are huge fans of fantasy books. 
• Neither Olena nor Ivan wanted to do house chores.
• Pizza and lasagna are originally from Italy.

In the English language, there is a specific order in which pronouns should be listed. The second person pronoun (you) comes first, followed by the third person pronouns (he, she, it, they), and finally, the first person pronouns (I, we).

• You, Mariia and I will be responsible for gathering data.
• They and I belong to different worlds.

Thus, the pronoun "I" should always be placed at the end of the list.

When dealing with a compound subject in English, it’s essential to pay attention to the agreement between the main parts of the sentence. The predicate verb should agree not only with a separate element but with the entire compound subject, for example, in the sentence “Mum and I are huge fans of fantasy books”, the predicate verb is in the plural form (are instead of am) because it refers to the person in plural (Mum and I = we).

Complete Subject

A complete subject includes a simple or compound subject along with all the words that describe or modify it. These may include articles, possessive pronouns, adjectives, and even entire phrases or sentences.

• My family is rather small. 
• Mark’s dog and my cat are the best friends.
• The athlete who won the competition dedicated the victory to his girlfriend.

In these examples, we cannot pick out a single word (for example, athlete) because it’s not just any athlete, but rather “the athlete who won the competition”.

Means of expression

The subject is most commonly expressed by a noun or pronoun, but it can also be represented by a gerund (-ing form), an infinitive, a numeral, as well as by various noun phrases.

The use of the infinitive is typical in formal English. In spoken English, however, the gerund is often preferred over the infinitive:

To move to a new city wasn’t easy for her. = Moving to a new city wasn’t easy for her.

Formal subject in English

Sentences in English must include a subject and in cases where there is no specific person or thing to take this position, a formal subject is employed.

A formal subject in English is a sentence component that fulfills the grammatical requirements of the sentence structure without carrying significant semantic meaning. Examples include the following words: it, there, one, аs well as you, we, they.

It

“It” is utilized as a formal subject in the following contexts:

1) when talking about different dates and time

• It’s half past five.
• It’s my birthday tomorrow.
• Why is it so cold outside? It is already April.

2) when talking about the weather

• It’s raining, isn’t it?
• It was a sunny day.
• It is going to snow today.

3) when talking about distance

• Is it a long drive?
• I hope it’s a short walk from here.
• It is a one-hour flight from Warsaw.

4) when expressing opinion

• It’s a pleasure to meet you.
• It’s impossible to read this book in two days.
• It was nice working with you.

There

“There” is employed to denote:

1) location

• There is a sofa in the living room.
• There were flowers on the windowsill.
• There are two elevators in the apartment building.

2) the time when something occurs

• There will be a party soon.
• There’ll be a lunar eclipse tonight.
• There is a concert on Sunday.

3) quantity

• There’s plenty of butter left.
• There were five people at the meeting.
• Is there any milk?

4) the existence or presence of something

• There is a big problem.
• There was a terrible accident. 
• There is no such thing as a perfect person.

One

The pronoun “one” can be used to refer to people in general. Such a generalization is characteristic of a more formal style.

• One must study hard to pass the exam.
• One shouldn’t use a phone when driving.
• If one fails, one must try harder next time.

You, We, They

In everyday speech, the pronouns “you”, “we”, and “they” are often used for the purpose of generalization.

• You must study hard to pass the exam.
• We tend to avoid talking about politics.
• Do they eat frog legs in France?

The pronouns “one”, “you”, and “we” include the person expressing the opinion in this generalization. In contrast, “they” is used in relation to others, not including the person who said the sentence.

How to find the subject in English sentences

There are several ways to determine the subject in English sentences. First, you can find the verb and search further, starting from it. In affirmative sentences, the subject comes before the verb:

• They love hanging out with friends.
• Sarah didn’t like porridge in childhood.

In interrogative sentences, the subject comes after the auxiliary or modal verb and before the main verb:

• Do you want a glass of water?
• Have they watched this movie?

Secondly, you can ask the question of who or what performs the action in the sentence:

• A boy is running down the road. (Who is running down the road? A boy.)
• My favourite cup has broken. (What has broken? My favourite cup.)

In the Passive Voice, you can instead ask who or what the sentence describes:

• His car was stolen by thieves. (What is being described here? His car.) 
• Flowers are watered every three days. (What is being described here? Flowers.)

Check yourself

To better remember the material and hone your skills in finding the subject in English sentences, define the subject in these examples (to see the hint, click on the sentence):

1. Birds were singing among the trees.

   Birds

2. This energetic cat is trying to catch a butterfly.

   This energetic cat

3. Kate and I have been best friends since childhood.

   Kate and I

4. I don't like the weather – it is too windy and cool.

   I; it

5. We were invited to a party by the student council president.

   We

6. What did your family do last summer?

   your family

7. One mustn't be late for a job interview.

   One