The subject of a sentence could be a person/persons or thing/things that starts/performs an action or be something. Verb either action or linking is a must-element of a sentence.
Computer || calculates larger sum.
The subject, computer, performs the action of calculating.
Sameer and Sara || wrote a letter.
The subjects, Sameer and Sara, performs the action of writing.
Computer || is a calculating device.
The subject, computer, is being a device of calculation.
Sameer and Sara || are honest.
The subjects, Sameer and Sara, is being honest.
The subject can be nouns or pronouns.
Sara and I || went to London last year.
Here, Sara (noun) and I (pronoun) are subjects.
The subject can be phrases or clauses.
The really important person of my life || has changed my course of life a lot.
The really important person of my life is a phrase and works as a subject.
What I desired long in my life || was a cup of tea at the peak of a mountain.
What I desired long in my life is a clause and works as a subject.
Subject always heads a sentence. Sometimes, we remove a subject because it is understood that some subject is there hidden.
(You) || Go through the instructions at the start of the book.
This sentence has no subject. Because it is understood that (you) is hidden here.
How to find a subject in a sentence
Subject always follows a verb or can be found at the start of a sentence. So if you can find out a verb, you can locate subject easily.
You eat an apple.
Here, eat is a verb. And because you follows eat, you is obviously subject here.
Take one more example,
On the arrival of the teacher, all students leave their seat immediately.
Here, the sentence starts with on the arrival of the teacher, a prepositional phrase. All students follows the verb, leave, therefore, all students is a subject, not the on the arrival of the teacher. If you can find out what is prepositional phrase, you can exclude it to pick out subject correctly.
Sometimes asking who or what with verb can give us the subject of the sentence.
Sara is playing guitar.
Ask who is playing the guitar. The answer will be the subject.
These books are very important for reading.
Ask what is very important. The answer will be the subject.
Sometimes, finding subject of a sentence becomes more confusing. Take an example,
The man at the corner of the room in the pink shirt is constantingly staring at me.
The verb, staring (stare) is followed by a long phrase, the man at the corner of the room in the pink shirt, from which finding a subject may be confusing. But if you cancel out the prepositional phrase, it will become simple to identify the subject.
The man at the corner of the room in the pink shirt is constantingly staring at me.
Obviously, it is the man that is the subject.
Take a modification
The man who had sat at the corner of the room and who had wore pink shirt had been constantingly staring at me.
You can easily locate subject here. The clauses are providing additional information of the noun the man, and is not a composite phrase.
Subject not at the start of a sentence
Although the sentence follows [Subject + verb + Object] patterns, subject preceeding the verb. But this rule is not applied in every situation. Take some examples in understanding these exceptions.
In question sentences
Do you find a subject? (you as subject)
Is he honest? (he as subject)
What is Sara doing? (Sara as subject)
Sentence with there and here.
There are four apples in the basket. (four apples as subject)
There is a man standing at the window. (a man as subject)
Here is the man. (the man as subject)
Sentence giving prominent or focus on particular word or phrase.
The most important thing is your attitude. (your attitude as subject)
The only valuable book is Alchemist I read with you. (alchemist as subject)
Sentence starting with adverb or adverbial phrase.
Seldom does she visit home. (she as subject)
Once upon a time did live a lady with tiger jaws. (a lady as subject)
Sentence using so and nor
I had visited London. So did my brother. (my brother as subject)
So was his luck. (his luck as subject)
- I had not visited London, nor did my brother. (my brother as subject)
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