Compound Subjects and Predicates
Compound Subjects and Compound Predicates
A sentence might have more than one simple subject or simple predicate.
A compound subject is two or more simple subjects that have the same predicate. The subjects are joined by and, or, but, or both…and, or either…or, or neither…nor.
Charlotte Brontë and Emily Brontë were sisters.
When the two simple subjects are joined by and or by both…and, the compound subject is plural. Use the plural form of the verb to agree with this plural compound subject.
Either Charlotte or Emily is my favorite author. Neither Charlotte nor her sisters were outgoing.
In the first sentence, Emily is the nearer subject, and so the singular form of the verb is used. In the second sentence sisters is the nearer subject, and so the plural form is used.
A compound predicate is two or more simple predicates, or verbs, that have the same subject. The verbs are connected by and, or, but, or both…and, or either…or, or neither…nor.
Many students read the novel Jane Eyre and enjoy it.
The compound predicate in this sentence consists of read and enjoy. Both verbs agree with the plural subject.
Each of these sentences has a compound subject, a compound predicate, or both. Draw one line under the simple subjects in each compound subject. Draw two lines under the simple predicates in each compound predicate.
Example: Water streamed across the street and ran into the gutter.
1. Apples and pears grow on trees.
2. Workers pick apples and package them for sale.
3. Joy and her sisters sang for the congregation.
4. Wes or Raquel showed the office to the guests.
5. We ate and slept on the bus.
6. The ceiling and the walls are the same color.
7. Both Arizona and New Mexico have hot deserts.
8. Thoughtful neighbors and friends of the family sent sympathy cards.
9. Either red or blue clashes with this color.
10. Copper and iron have many uses.
11. In 1947, French president Charles de Gaulle and his party
A sentence might have more than one simple subject or simple predicate.
A compound subject is two or more simple subjects that have the same predicate. The subjects are joined by and, or, but, or both…and, or either…or, or neither…nor.
Charlotte Brontë and Emily Brontë were sisters.
When the two simple subjects are joined by and or by both…and, the compound subject is plural. Use the plural form of the verb to agree with this plural compound subject.
Either Charlotte or Emily is my favorite author. Neither Charlotte nor her sisters were outgoing.
In the first sentence, Emily is the nearer subject, and so the singular form of the verb is used. In the second sentence sisters is the nearer subject, and so the plural form is used.
A compound predicate is two or more simple predicates, or verbs, that have the same subject. The verbs are connected by and, or, but, or both…and, or either…or, or neither…nor.
Many students read the novel Jane Eyre and enjoy it.
The compound predicate in this sentence consists of read and enjoy. Both verbs agree with the plural subject.
Each of these sentences has a compound subject, a compound predicate, or both. Draw one line under the simple subjects in each compound subject. Draw two lines under the simple predicates in each compound predicate.
Example: Water streamed across the street and ran into the gutter.
1. Apples and pears grow on trees.
2. Workers pick apples and package them for sale.
3. Joy and her sisters sang for the congregation.
4. Wes or Raquel showed the office to the guests.
5. We ate and slept on the bus.
6. The ceiling and the walls are the same color.
7. Both Arizona and New Mexico have hot deserts.
8. Thoughtful neighbors and friends of the family sent sympathy cards.
9. Either red or blue clashes with this color.
10. Copper and iron have many uses.
11. In 1947, French president Charles de Gaulle and his party