Complete subject masterclass

This post helps you understand what a complete subject is, and how it is formed.

What is a complete subject in English?

A complete subject in English is a combination of a simple subject and the word or words that modify it. It is a group of words that tells us who performs the action in the sentence or who/what the sentence is about.

Examples:

1 The meeting has been canceled.

Simple subject = meeting
Modifier = the
Complete subject = the meeting

2. Your performance was really amazing.

Simple subject = performance
Modifier = your
Complete subject = your performance

3. The man living in this apartment is a famous singer.

Simple subject = man
Modifiers = the, living in this apartment
Complete subject = the man living in this apartment

4. Some people never give up.

Simple subject = people
Modifiers = some
Complete subject = some people

5. Some beautiful Chinese girls came to meet us.

Simple subject = girls
Modifiers = some, beautiful, Chinese
Complete subject = some beautiful Chinese girls

6. The man in the blue coat teaches History here.

Simple subject = man
Modifiers = the, in the blue coat
Complete subject = the man in the blue coat

How to form a complete subject in English?

A complete subject is formed using a simple subject and pre and post-modifiers. Here are the ways to form a complete subject:

1. Pre-modifier/s + simple subject
2. Simple subject + post-modifier/s
3. Pre-modifier/s + simple subject + post-modifier/s

Pre-modifier + simple subject

A pre-modifier is a word or words that come before a simple subject (noun) and modify it. It includes the following:

1. Determiners
2. Adjectives

Examples:

• A man died here last night.

Simple subject = man
Pre-modifier = a (article)
Complete subject = a man

• The movie was amazing.

Simple subject = movie
Pre-modifier = the (article)
Complete subject = the movie

• Your house is beautiful.

Simple subject = house
Pre-modifier = your (possessive adjective)
Complete subject = your house

• Some students just left the class.

Simple subject = students
Pre-modifier = some (quantifier)
Complete subject = some students

• That man dances amazingly well.

Simple subject = man
Pre-modifier = that (demonstrative adjective)
Complete subject = that man

• Neither girl deserves to be on the team.

Simple subject = girl
Pre-modifier = neither (distributive adjective)
Complete subject = neither girl

• Every deserving student will get a chance to win the scholarship.

Simple subject = student
Pre-modifiers = every (distributive adjective), deserving (present participle adjective)
Complete subject = every deserving student

Simple subject + post-modifier/s

A post-modifier is a word or a group of words (phrase or clause) that comes after a noun or pronoun and modifies it. It includes the following:

1. Prepositional phrase
2. Infinitive phrase
3. Present participle phrase
4. Past participle phrase
5. Adjective clause

Examples:

• Everything that is here costs a lot of money.

Simple subject = everything
Post-modifier = that is here (adjective clause)
Complete subject = everything that is here

• Betrayal of any sort is not expected from you.

Simple subject = betrayal
Post-modifier = of any sort (prepositional phrase)
Complete subject = betrayal of any sort

Premodifier + simple subject + post-modifier/s

This is another way to form a complete subject. Here, the head noun (simple subject) is surrounded by a premodifier and a postmodifier.

Examples:

• The man in the blue jacket is a dancer.

Simple subject = man
Pre-modifier = the (definite article)
Post-modifier = in the blue jacket (prepositional phrase)
Complete subject = the man in the blue jacket

• Some students living in this building are giving online classes.

Simple subject = students
Pre-modifier = some (quantifier)
Post-modifier = living in this building (present participle phrase)
Complete subject = some students living in this building

• The right man to call right now is Jon, the sales guy.

Simple subject = man
Pre-modifiers = The (definite article), right (adjective)
Post-modifier = to call right now (infinitive phrase)
Complete subject = some students living in this building

• The car stolen from this slot yesterday belonged to a very rich man.

Simple subject = car
Pre-modifiers = The (definite article)
Post-modifier = stolen from this slot yesterday (past participle phrase)
Complete subject = the car stolen from this slot yesterday

• A man who runs daily has fewer chances to have diseases than a man who does not.

Simple subject = man
Pre-modifiers = a (indefinite article)
Post-modifier = who runs daily (adjective clause)
Complete subject = a man who runs daily

More examples of complete subjects:

• Some people never learn from their mistakes.
• One of your friends called me last night.
• Some of these flats are in very bad condition.
• Either man is good for this job.
• This batch of mine has a lot of great minds.
• Many people from this area have multiple houses.
• People who never give up never lose the game.
• The guy standing next to your car has been chasing me for some days.

Important points to note about a complete subject

1. A complete subject, generally, is a noun phrase formed using a regular noun.

2. It can’t be a word. It has to be more than a word: a noun and its modifier.

3. There are three ways to form a complete subject in English:

• Premodifier + noun
• Noun + postmodifier
• Premodifier + noun + postmodifier

4. The head word of a complete subject can be a pronoun either.

PRACTICE SET 1

Identify the complete subject in the following sentences:

1. The man at the bar wanted me out.
2. An old man once said to me, “Mortality is powerful.”
3. This movie is going to do well.
4. None of us knows what’s going on.
5. Fortunately, my best friend was there to help me.

Answers:

1. The man at the bar
2. An old man
3. This movie
4. None of us
5. my best friend

PRACTICE SET 2

Identify the complete subject in the following sentences:

1. One of my friends who came to the party thrown by Jon has many businesses across India.
2. Do any of you know a good place here?
3. The man looking at us right now is a friend of the guy who threatened us yesterday at the library.
4. The right thing to do is to go there and say sorry to Riya.
5. The bag under the desk is not mine.

Answers:

1. One of my friends who came to the party thrown by Jon
2. any of you
3. The man looking at us right now
4. The right thing to do
5. The bag under the desk

FAQs