The Simple and Complex Subject | The Simple Sentence
The Simple and Complex Subject
A “complex subject” is composed of a main subject, or the “simple subject" to which additional, descriptive elements are added. In that sense, the simple subject is the word or noun phrase that agrees with the verb.
Examine the following sentences, in which descriptors are added to a simple subject to make it more descriptive or specific.
Example subjects with descriptors added to them
Simple Subject 1: The lights
A. The lights went out.
B. The ceiling lights went out.
C. The ceiling lights in the left corner went out.
D. The ceiling lights in the left corner of the office went out.
In all sentences, the simple subject is “the lights.” The subject could be replaced by “they” (referring to the lights).
Each sentence adds information to “lights,” making it more specific: a noun as a modifier (”the ceiling lights”), a prepositional phrase (”the lights in the left corner”), and another prepositional phrase modifying “corner” (”the corner of the office”).
Simple Subject 2: The building
A. The building was built in 1940.
B. The two-story building was built in 1940.
C. The two-story building across the street was built in 1940.
D. The two-story building across the street from my office was built in 1940.
As in the first example, each sentence simply adds information to the same simple subject, “the building.”
Simple Subject 3: That man
A. That man was my teacher in high school.
B. That man in the blue suit was my teacher in high school.
C. That man in the blue suit talking to my children was my teacher in high school.
In all sentences, the verb (”was”) agrees with the simple subject (”that man").
Simple Subject 3: Walking
A. Walking can be dangerous.
B. Walking by yourself can be dangerous.
C. Walking by yourself in this part of town can be dangerous
D. Walking by yourself in this part of town after dark can be dangerous
Notice that Sentences A and B do not even make much sense until you add information to the simple subject, “walking.”
Practice Activity 1
Practice 1. Practice identifying the simple subject.
Subject-Verb Agreement
When you put a sentence together, verb must agree with the subject. For example, you say, “The child was crying" but “The children were crying.” When you have a complex subject, the verb must agree with the simple subject.
In complex subjects, the verb generally agrees with the simple subject, not with any nouns in a prepositional phrase.
Subject-verb agreement in complex sentences
That group was very successful.
(The verb agrees with “that group.”)
That group of students was very successful.
(The verb still agrees with “that group,” not with “students.")
The researchers are famous.
(The verb agrees with “the researchers.”)
The researchers in this university are famous.
(The verb still agrees with “the researchers,” not with “this university.”)
The books belong to my mother.
(The verb agrees with “the books.”)
The books in that box belong to my mother.
(The verb still agrees with “the books,” not with “that box.”)
That man comes from Egypt.
(The verb agrees with “that man.”)
The man walking the black dogs comes from Egypt.
(The verb still agrees with “that man,” not with “the black dogs.”)
Practice Activity 2
Practice 3. Practice subject-verb agreement with complex subjects.