English grammar of WREN & MARTIN made easy
SUBJECT AND PREDICATE
Exercise 1: Sentences 11–20
11. Edison invented the phonograph.
Verb: invented
Ask: Who invented? -> Edison. (Subject)
Explanation: Edison is the "doer" of the action. The rest of the sentence tells us what he did.
Predicate: invented the phonograph.
12. The sea hath many pearls.
(Note: "Hath" is an older form of "has".)
Verb: hath
Ask: What hath many pearls? -> The sea. (Subject)
Explanation: We are talking about the sea. The predicate describes what the sea possesses.
Predicate: hath many pearls.
13. The whistling of the wind frightened us.
Verb: frightened
Ask: What frightened us? -> The whistling of the wind. (Subject)
Explanation: It isn't just "the wind" or "the whistling" alone, but the entire phrase that acts as the subject.
Predicate: frightened us.
14. Bad boys hide their faults.
Verb: hide
Ask: Who hide? -> Bad boys. (Subject)
Explanation: "Bad boys" is the specific group being discussed.
Predicate: hide their faults.
15. The singing of the birds delights us.
(Note: This is very similar to sentence #5.)
Verb: delights
Ask: What delights us? -> The singing of the birds. (Subject)
Explanation: The action of the birds singing is the thing that causes the delight.
Predicate: delights us.
16. Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan.
Verb: is
Ask: What is the capital? -> Islamabad. (Subject)
Explanation: Islamabad is the specific noun being defined in this sentence.
Predicate: is the capital of Pakistan.
17. We should profit by experience.
Verb: should profit
Ask: Who should profit? -> We. (Subject)
Explanation: "We" is the pronoun representing the people who need to take the action.
Predicate: should profit by experience.
18. All matter is indestructible.
Verb: is
Ask: What is indestructible? -> All matter. (Subject)
Explanation: We are making a statement about the nature of "all matter."
Predicate: is indestructible.
19. Islamabad is a beautiful city.
Verb: is
Ask: What is a beautiful city? -> Islamabad. (Subject)
Predicate: is a beautiful city.
20. No man can serve two masters.
Verb: can serve
Ask: Who cannot serve? -> No man. (Subject)
Explanation: Even though it is a negative, "No man" is the subject we are discussing.
Predicate: can serve two masters.
Summary Table for Quick Reference
| Sentence # | Subject | Predicate |
| 11 | Edison | invented the phonograph |
| 12 | The sea | hath many pearls |
| 13 | The whistling of the wind | frightened us |
| 14 | Bad boys | hide their faults |
| 15 | The singing of the birds | delights us |
| 16 | Islamabad | is the capital of Pakistan |
| 17 | We | should profit by experience |
| 18 | All matter | is indestructible |
| 19 | Islamabad | is a beautiful city |
| 20 | No man | can serve two masters |
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